Great Wolf Lodge - Traverse City, MI
Great Wolf Lodge - Traverse City, MI
3575 N US Highway 31 S, Traverse City, MI 49684-4500
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#2 of 4 resorts in Traverse CityLocation
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Arrive as a family, leave as a pack. Visiting Michigan? Great Wolf Lodge Traverse City is well-known for its 84-degree indoor water park, featuring pools, waterslides, a kiddie play area, and more. The rest of the lodge offers family-friendly activities and attractions, and is filled with delicious dining options for every appetite. The comfortable, inviting rooms provide a flat-screen TV and air conditioning, and getting online is easy, with Wi-Fi throughout the lodge. In addition, Great Wolf Lodge Traverse City offers easy access to numerous popular local attractions and tourist destinations. Any trip to Detroit, Grand Rapids, or the greater Lower Peninsula region should include a visit.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Wifi
Fitness Centre with Gym / Workout Room
Pool
Bar / lounge
Bowling
Game room
Indoor play area for children
Parking
Hot bath
Lazy river
Indoor pool
Outdoor pool
Heated pool
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Snack bar
Poolside bar
Water park
Entertainment staff
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Kids club
Business Centre with Internet Access
Conference facilities
Banquet room
Meeting rooms
Spa
Convenience store
Gift shop
Non-smoking hotel
Shops
Laundry service
Self-serve laundry
Room features
Air conditioning
Private balcony
Room service
Telephone
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Microwave
Refrigerator
Flatscreen TV
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Family Resort
Family
Languages Spoken
English
Location
3575 N US Highway 31 S, Traverse City, MI 49684-4500
Getting there
15 Restaurants
within 1 kilometer
2 Attractions
within 1 kilometer
3,215Reviews25Q+A100Room tips
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Detailed Reviews
Hotel's Favourite
We spent 2 nights here in July, had an enjoyable stay. We've only been to 1 other indoor waterpark to compare to. It's on the small side, I'd say it's more geared to younger kids, only 3 bigger slides that are more for teens. Never made to wait long in line (we were there midweek). The staff are excellent, from check in to housekeeping, all friendly and helpful. Was impressed at how many lifeguards were on duty at all times and how alert they were. Water Park was extremely clean, rooms were clean, nice balcony. Sure the hotel carpets could be replaced but who walks on them barefoot anyways. We didn't eat there or do any extra activities, we ate in town and explored the area more. Would return, it was the same price or cheaper than the hotels in town so the waterpark is a bonus to keep the kids happy.
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Room: we splurged on a jacuzzi room for our 2 night stay. The tub was clean with extra towels but the mirror was a bit damaged and delaminated. Carpet around the tile had come up and was damaged with exposed tack strip, which wasn’t ideal for a curious 1 year old. We arrived on a Saturday and left Monday morning. Sunday our room was not cleaned all day; I called the front desk and asked if this was due to covid and they said no, so I requested for our room to be cleaned as we were leaving again at 4pm and would not be returning until around 9pm. We returned at 9 and our room still had not been cleaned so I requested extra towels and informed the front desk again our room hadn’t been cleaned.
Since checkout I emailed customer support and received a small room credit back to us and was advised they are not cleaning rooms unless requested due to covid (which I had directly asked the front desk staff and was told that was not why our room wasn’t cleaned, and we were not told at check in, so there is a miscommunication here somewhere).
Waterpark: our son is only 14m so we were in small child areas and the lazy river. If they are operating on limited guest capacity I wouldn’t want to see what full capacity was. It seemed like the right amount of people for the amount of space available with social distancing. Lines were short and there were plenty of rafts for those needing them. The waterpark staff were constantly sanitizing multi touch surfaces regularly which was good to see.
Overview: I wouldn’t pay the price tag again unless there were some small renovations completed. When you are spending that kind of money on a hotel/amenities, you expect the form fit and function to meet or exceed your expectations. I would have rather stayed at a different chain hotel or air b&b for 1/3 of the price and spent the rest of our money on local excursions and local businesses instead of here. Over all it was enjoyable but I would hesitate to recommend it to a friend. If our 7yo and 9yo would have been with us, they would have loved the water park but my encompassing opinion wouldn’t have changed.
Since checkout I emailed customer support and received a small room credit back to us and was advised they are not cleaning rooms unless requested due to covid (which I had directly asked the front desk staff and was told that was not why our room wasn’t cleaned, and we were not told at check in, so there is a miscommunication here somewhere).
Waterpark: our son is only 14m so we were in small child areas and the lazy river. If they are operating on limited guest capacity I wouldn’t want to see what full capacity was. It seemed like the right amount of people for the amount of space available with social distancing. Lines were short and there were plenty of rafts for those needing them. The waterpark staff were constantly sanitizing multi touch surfaces regularly which was good to see.
Overview: I wouldn’t pay the price tag again unless there were some small renovations completed. When you are spending that kind of money on a hotel/amenities, you expect the form fit and function to meet or exceed your expectations. I would have rather stayed at a different chain hotel or air b&b for 1/3 of the price and spent the rest of our money on local excursions and local businesses instead of here. Over all it was enjoyable but I would hesitate to recommend it to a friend. If our 7yo and 9yo would have been with us, they would have loved the water park but my encompassing opinion wouldn’t have changed.
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had a very mixed experience at Great Wolf Lodge. I will start with the most positive: it is clear the resort takes safety very seriously. The lifeguards were always on the move looking in the pools to make sure they had it totally covered. I thought it was really impressive. For the most part, we found the staff in the rest of the resort to be very attentive and friendly. We thought the food options to be good and well-priced.
For the negative: our trip started off very poorly, we had called in advanced and were promised a quiet room in a quiet part of the hotel. Needless to say, when we found out we were across from the bowling alley, it was difficult to understand how our request was honored. We asked to be moved but we were told there weren’t any other rooms available.
We also checked in using the mobile app. We arrived at Great Wolf Lodge at about 2:30 and were told the room was almost ready (it had been cleaned, just not inspected). The gentleman checking us in made it sound like it could be ready at any second and even kept checking his computer to “see it was updated”. By the time we finished checking-in, the room wasn’t ready but I was told I would be receiving a text. Since it sounded like the room would be ready at any time, we decided to convince the kids not to go to the pool but rather “explore” the hotel (in reality, we just walked around). It wasn’t until after 4:00 that I waited in line again to ask about the room, only to be told it had been ready for “a while”. When I asked why I hadn’t received a text message, the gal told me I had received a message through the mobile app. When I showed her my alerts and that there wasn’t one for our room being ready, she basically told me I must have deleted it on accident.
There also didn’t seem to be consistent communication. When we called asking about the meal package, we were told one thing (the dollars don’t roll over). When we checked-in we were told all of the dollars were put into a pool of funds that we could use at any time. When we asked about dinner reservations, we were told they didn’t take them but then we nearly missed an opportunity to get dinner because they were already booked. I asked when the bowling alley closed so I knew when my kids would be able to fall asleep, one person said 10, another 11.
Bottom Line: Our experience wasn’t bad enough that we will never go there again, but next time we want to go to an indoor water park, we will probably try somewhere else.
For the negative: our trip started off very poorly, we had called in advanced and were promised a quiet room in a quiet part of the hotel. Needless to say, when we found out we were across from the bowling alley, it was difficult to understand how our request was honored. We asked to be moved but we were told there weren’t any other rooms available.
We also checked in using the mobile app. We arrived at Great Wolf Lodge at about 2:30 and were told the room was almost ready (it had been cleaned, just not inspected). The gentleman checking us in made it sound like it could be ready at any second and even kept checking his computer to “see it was updated”. By the time we finished checking-in, the room wasn’t ready but I was told I would be receiving a text. Since it sounded like the room would be ready at any time, we decided to convince the kids not to go to the pool but rather “explore” the hotel (in reality, we just walked around). It wasn’t until after 4:00 that I waited in line again to ask about the room, only to be told it had been ready for “a while”. When I asked why I hadn’t received a text message, the gal told me I had received a message through the mobile app. When I showed her my alerts and that there wasn’t one for our room being ready, she basically told me I must have deleted it on accident.
There also didn’t seem to be consistent communication. When we called asking about the meal package, we were told one thing (the dollars don’t roll over). When we checked-in we were told all of the dollars were put into a pool of funds that we could use at any time. When we asked about dinner reservations, we were told they didn’t take them but then we nearly missed an opportunity to get dinner because they were already booked. I asked when the bowling alley closed so I knew when my kids would be able to fall asleep, one person said 10, another 11.
Bottom Line: Our experience wasn’t bad enough that we will never go there again, but next time we want to go to an indoor water park, we will probably try somewhere else.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I booked a stay over 60 days in advance as part of a running promotion. Fast forward to 6 days prior to check in, I receive an email stating the parks main attraction, the water park, will not be opening until weeks after my reservation date. I was given the option to reschedule my stay but with only 6 days until our trip it was to late for that considering work schedules and 2 kids. I inquired about staying at another location and was informed that NO prior rate discounts would apply, and quoted 4 times the amount for the exact same reservation. Ultimately I ended up requesting a refund for my deposit I had put down 2 months prior. Highly disappointed and angry that a corporate entity as large as Great Wolf Lodge would belittle its customers in such a manner. I will never spend money here and encourage others not to.
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Date of stay: May 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Have two kids under 10, so we were the usual type of family to stay at a Great Wolf Lodge.
Kids, of course, loved being here. I thought the water park was great and pretty well managed. Was less crazy about the room, especially for what is being charged.
Don’t know if the resort was sold out but it was crowded. Partly because we stayed on a Sunday night into a MLK Holiday Monday and partly because the Northern Michigan weather was not god awful for once in the middle of January, allowing an easy drive for people to reach Traverse City.
Stayed in a slightly upgraded theme room called a “kids camp.” This is a room that has a semi enclosed area for the kids with bunk beds and was themed to look like you are camping.
Wish there was a curtain or door for the kids camp/bunk room and more of a separation between the rest of the room and the kids sleeping area. Sink for the room is located right across from the kids area, and the parents bed and tv are located next to the kids bunk room, so once the kids are put to bed, you have to be quiet not to wake them up.
Soundproofing for the ceiling above us was poor. Could hear a ton of stomping around from whoever was above us but it did quiet down around 10 PM and was quiet throughout out the night. They also have a rule that all kids must be accompanied by an adult if they are going outside their room after 11. I think this significantly cuts down kids running in the hallway and slamming doors at night.
Price for the room including taxes and fees was just over $400. This includes the ridiculous “resort fee,” so just keep in mind that the price for the room quoted on the website will be an extra $100 once you add on all the fees and taxes. Room price does include admission into the water park starting at 1 PM for the day of check in and continuing all through the next day until the water park closed.
You have to check out of the room by 11 AM, but you can put your luggage in the car, and there are showers, changing rooms, and lockers in the pool area.
Water park is mostly geared to kids under 12. None of the water slides are very scary or have steep drops and the three largest ones are mostly curved. Kids over 4 ft can go on all the slides by themselves and kids between 42 and 48 inches can go in all slides with an adult.
If you have little kids, there are toddler sized slides and a baby/toddler pool area.
Did not eat in the hotel restaurant or the pizza place inside the hotel. Downtown Traverse City is only 10 minutes away and has lots of good restaurants that are kid friendly. There are also several chain restaurants close by to the hotel.
Kids, of course, loved being here. I thought the water park was great and pretty well managed. Was less crazy about the room, especially for what is being charged.
Don’t know if the resort was sold out but it was crowded. Partly because we stayed on a Sunday night into a MLK Holiday Monday and partly because the Northern Michigan weather was not god awful for once in the middle of January, allowing an easy drive for people to reach Traverse City.
Stayed in a slightly upgraded theme room called a “kids camp.” This is a room that has a semi enclosed area for the kids with bunk beds and was themed to look like you are camping.
Wish there was a curtain or door for the kids camp/bunk room and more of a separation between the rest of the room and the kids sleeping area. Sink for the room is located right across from the kids area, and the parents bed and tv are located next to the kids bunk room, so once the kids are put to bed, you have to be quiet not to wake them up.
Soundproofing for the ceiling above us was poor. Could hear a ton of stomping around from whoever was above us but it did quiet down around 10 PM and was quiet throughout out the night. They also have a rule that all kids must be accompanied by an adult if they are going outside their room after 11. I think this significantly cuts down kids running in the hallway and slamming doors at night.
Price for the room including taxes and fees was just over $400. This includes the ridiculous “resort fee,” so just keep in mind that the price for the room quoted on the website will be an extra $100 once you add on all the fees and taxes. Room price does include admission into the water park starting at 1 PM for the day of check in and continuing all through the next day until the water park closed.
You have to check out of the room by 11 AM, but you can put your luggage in the car, and there are showers, changing rooms, and lockers in the pool area.
Water park is mostly geared to kids under 12. None of the water slides are very scary or have steep drops and the three largest ones are mostly curved. Kids over 4 ft can go on all the slides by themselves and kids between 42 and 48 inches can go in all slides with an adult.
If you have little kids, there are toddler sized slides and a baby/toddler pool area.
Did not eat in the hotel restaurant or the pizza place inside the hotel. Downtown Traverse City is only 10 minutes away and has lots of good restaurants that are kid friendly. There are also several chain restaurants close by to the hotel.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The room was great. The pools were clean. The service was top notch. But I must say that the fitness center here needs an upgrade. There are 3 treads, 1 elliptical, 2 upright bikes, and 2 recumbents. That is all. No benches. No weights. No ball. No mats. Each time I walked by and looked inside the room there wasn’t anyone using it. Only the day we checked out was there 3 other individuals. Please look into something like a retirement facility would use. Or like a hotel would use. Just as this is a hotel. Also, there is a fair amount of dust, and or accumulation of dust on all the ductwork in the pool area. This wouldn’t take long at all to rinse off and have the filtration system that is so highly touted to clean. I know it sounds like I’m gripping but this is a nice facility and it is not cheap to stay and play here.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The waterpark is amazing and my Little’s had a great time. They defiantly need more elevators as your wait time is very long, and plan on bring a lot of money to eat as the food is very expensive. For the price of the room they could do a little better on food costs and add a few mor elevators a
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Review collected in partnership with Great Wolf Lodge
Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This resort has continued to raise their prices but fails to put money back into improvements and replacing the bed mattresses. We stayed 10/6/19 & 12/25/19 two different rooms and both were equally in poor condition. Squeaking ceiling fans and worn out mattresses.
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Review collected in partnership with Great Wolf Lodge
Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This was our third experience at Great Wolf Lodge Traverse City, and quite possibly the best one of all! Our reservation request for a higher floor kids theme room was honored and I do feel that is the right move as there is less noise from rooms above or next door since many family opt for a room closer to the water park. Also, the balcony is just a great feature. The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating our entire stay. The stopper in the sink in our room was stuck and so the sink could not drain but within 5 minutes of reporting it, someone was there to fix it.
The water park was outstanding and not overcrowded at all. Little to no waiting for anything. Our kids had a blast doing all the different things there are to do in this park including the outdoor pool area. During one period of time, life guard staff was reduced causing some areas of the park to be closed due to not enough staff to cover the areas, and this was unfortunate since they closed the Lilly pads and half the swimming pool for this (our kids’ favorite). Paying what we pay to be here, we’d expected the park areas to be staffed and open. Later in the day however, staff was brought in and the park was fully open again. We also played mini golf and the arcade, all of which was fun and not crowded. We also visited Build a Bear and the staff there was so nice. They even sewed up our old Wiley Wolf from a previous trip whose stitches were coming loose from being so often played with.
If not for a slight issue at checkin regarding the misplacement of a gift card that we used for partial payment of our stay and ate up some time, this would be a flawless vacation. That being said, the issue was resolved. We will be back again for sure!
The water park was outstanding and not overcrowded at all. Little to no waiting for anything. Our kids had a blast doing all the different things there are to do in this park including the outdoor pool area. During one period of time, life guard staff was reduced causing some areas of the park to be closed due to not enough staff to cover the areas, and this was unfortunate since they closed the Lilly pads and half the swimming pool for this (our kids’ favorite). Paying what we pay to be here, we’d expected the park areas to be staffed and open. Later in the day however, staff was brought in and the park was fully open again. We also played mini golf and the arcade, all of which was fun and not crowded. We also visited Build a Bear and the staff there was so nice. They even sewed up our old Wiley Wolf from a previous trip whose stitches were coming loose from being so often played with.
If not for a slight issue at checkin regarding the misplacement of a gift card that we used for partial payment of our stay and ate up some time, this would be a flawless vacation. That being said, the issue was resolved. We will be back again for sure!
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were here for 4th of July weekend. It wasn’t as busy as I thought it would be, which was nice.
The room was clean- only the curtains were stained and the carpet could use some updating, but overall it was fine.
The arcade was great. I have 2 boys and this was their favorite part of the trip.
My only complaint is that the outside pool was closed all of Saturday. On Sunday, it didn’t open until late afternoon. They said they were short staffed, but honestly c’mon, its a summer weekend and it was 90 degrees and sunny out. The outdoor pool should not be closed during the summer. The indoor waterpark had some sections closed off too (like the hottubs) which was also a bummer. Yet u still pay the same premium rates for your stay.
The location of the hotel is great- so much around in terms of restaurants, grocery stores etc. Panera Bread is right next door. Downtown is just a 5 min drive away and we got to check out the yearly cherry festival and fireworks show on the 4th of July. It was great! Parking at the hotel is free and its very easy to drive in/out of the property.
Overall, we had a nice time and I would recommend this hotel for any family w young children.
The room was clean- only the curtains were stained and the carpet could use some updating, but overall it was fine.
The arcade was great. I have 2 boys and this was their favorite part of the trip.
My only complaint is that the outside pool was closed all of Saturday. On Sunday, it didn’t open until late afternoon. They said they were short staffed, but honestly c’mon, its a summer weekend and it was 90 degrees and sunny out. The outdoor pool should not be closed during the summer. The indoor waterpark had some sections closed off too (like the hottubs) which was also a bummer. Yet u still pay the same premium rates for your stay.
The location of the hotel is great- so much around in terms of restaurants, grocery stores etc. Panera Bread is right next door. Downtown is just a 5 min drive away and we got to check out the yearly cherry festival and fireworks show on the 4th of July. It was great! Parking at the hotel is free and its very easy to drive in/out of the property.
Overall, we had a nice time and I would recommend this hotel for any family w young children.
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No, they were not the best the first year, but this time was the BOMB! If you do find something, let them know and they will take care of it right away! The staff this past time we went were the best i have ever had at a hotel! From the food place in the water park to the front desk! Enjoy, I know we will in October of next year!!!!!
Would this be a fun winter getaway for adults without kids? Or is this more of a kids/family resort?
NO. Families with kids under 10.
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PRICE RANGE
C$287 - C$401 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
wolf lodge, the great wolf lodge, great wolf hotel, great wolf lodge rates, great wolf lodge traverse city mi, great lodge resort wolf, great wolf traverse city, graet lodge wolf
LOCATION
United StatesMichiganGrand Traverse CountyTraverse City
NUMBER OF ROOMS
280
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Great Wolf Lodge - Traverse City, MI
Which popular attractions are close to Great Wolf Lodge - Traverse City, MI?
Nearby attractions include The Botanic Garden (1.0 km), Cherry Blossom 14 - Traverse City (0.8 km), and Kohl's (0.4 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Great Wolf Lodge - Traverse City, MI?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include an indoor pool, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
Which room amenities are available at Great Wolf Lodge - Traverse City, MI?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, a flat screen TV, and a refrigerator.
What food & drink options are available at Great Wolf Lodge - Traverse City, MI?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and a poolside bar during their stay.
Is parking available at Great Wolf Lodge - Traverse City, MI?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Great Wolf Lodge - Traverse City, MI?
Conveniently located restaurants include Outback Steakhouse, The Original Flap Jack Shack, and Olive Garden Italian Restaurant.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Great Wolf Lodge - Traverse City, MI?
Yes, guests have access to an indoor pool and a fitness centre during their stay.
Are any cleaning services offered at Great Wolf Lodge - Traverse City, MI?
Yes, laundry service and self serve laundry are offered to guests.
Does Great Wolf Lodge - Traverse City, MI offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers a business centre, meeting rooms, and a banquet room.
Are there any historical sites close to Great Wolf Lodge - Traverse City, MI?
Many travellers enjoy visiting The Village at Grand Traverse Commons (2.0 km).
Is Great Wolf Lodge - Traverse City, MI accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access, reduced mobility rooms, and facilities for disabled guests. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.