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Find the best rate at the: Great Wolf Lodge, Wisconsin Dells here.

The Great Wolf Lodge, Wisconsin Dells, like its seven other sister properties in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast regions (plus one over the border in Niagara, Canada), marries family-friendly rooms to an indoor, mega water park. Probably one of the things you liked best when traveling with your parents was afternoon splashtime in the motel's pool, however humble. With the Great Wolf formula, the roadside hotel has turned into a northwoods log lodge and the pool moved indoors ("weatherproofing the family vacation") and morphed into a monster-sized water playground. Most, including the 436-room, 128-condo Wisconsin Dells property, have a spa for parents.

Why Families Love It:
Instead of drop-the-kids-off children's programs, the Great Wolf lodges emphasize family play in the water. The Wisconsin Dells property recently doubled the size of the original 38,000-square-foot Spirit Island by adding 38,000-square-foot Bear Track Landing. Along with multiple pools, geysers, and sprays, you can get wet by splashing down slides, especially Howlin' Tornado, which twists and drops riders 30 feet every second before shooting them down through a dark tunnel into a plunge pool. Little ones like the zero-depth entry pool, and the family can float together on a lazy river. Climb Fort MacKenzie, a four-level concoction with sprays and more than 60 guest-activated water effects. Get in line when the big bucket dumps 1,000 gallons of the wet stuff over the entire fort, or challenge yourself by climbing the 25-foot aqua rock wall. In warm weather, add Thunder Bay to the watery mix, an outdoor water park with slides, geysers, an inner tube ride on Half Moon Lake, and bumper boats on Puddle Pond for kids four and younger.

Out of the water, do crafts with your kids at Cub Club, when it's not being used as a birthday party room. Of the 13 room configurations, the KidCabin suite offers a log-cabin-like sleeping area for three kids within the rooms. Escape the water long enough to dine at the northwoods-themed Loose Moose Cottage or grab a sandwich and homemade fudge at the Bear Claw Café.

Special Events & Activities:
Gather the kids round the Grand Clock Tower in the ersatz log cabin lobby at 8 p.m.—pajamas preferred—for story time and an appearance by mascot Wiley the Wolf.