Our family loves a fun filled weekend at an indoor waterpark hotel. Now that our kids are a bit older and busy with their competitive sports activities it doesn’t happen quite as often, but we have visited many great (and not so great) waterpark hotels within driving distance of Toronto over the years.
So, what is the best indoor waterpark hotel within driving distance of Toronto (or Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton)? We’ll give you the list of our favourite waterpark hotels that are close enough for a fun, family weekend getaway. This list is based on our own personal experience of waterparks that we have visited.
#1.Great Wolf Lodge, Niagara Falls Canada
Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls makes for a fantastic family weekend getaway. From the moment you walk in the door, you are immersed in the Great Wolf Lodge themed hotel complete with animatronic wildlife and a cozy log cabin feel. Great Wolf Lodge checks all the boxes for a superior weekend getaway. The waterpark itself is large with multiple waterslide options for all ages. This includes smaller slides and a play area for younger kids as well as larger waterslides for teens and grown ups.
There is more to do at Great Wolf Lodge than just the waterpark. There is a large arcade / games room as well as indoor laser tag. In the summer months there’s an outdoor pool and mini golf as well. You can also purchase wands for the kids to play an interactive Quest game throughout the hotel. At night there is even a story time and family dance. Everything at the hotel is in the Great Wolf theme.
There are a few different restaurant options at Great Wolf Lodge. There is a pizza place and take out counter / bakery on the lower level close to the waterpark plus a large family restaurant just off the main lobby. My kids absolutely LOVE the Great Wolf Lodge dinner buffet and being able to select what they want to eat. The buffet has several kid friendly options such as chicken fingers, fries and mac and cheese plus more savoury entrees for other diners.
Is Great Wolf Lodge worth the price? How much is it to go to Great Wolf Lodge? Well, it’s definitely not inexpensive. Standard hotel rates typically start at about $500 CAD per night. I recommend joining the Great Wolf Lodge mailing list to find out about promotions and/or discounts. you can also regularly check sites such as Groupon for deals. It’s typically less expensive to go mid-week or to include a Sunday night stay. If you work for a large corporation or belong to a professional association, see if your company/organization offers any promotions or discounts for Great Wolf Lodge (either corporate rates or through an employee discount / association) as these deals are typically less expensive.
What’s great about Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls? Proximity to the Greater Toronto Area (1 hour or less depending on where you live), fantastic theming throughout the hotel, large waterpark, other activities within the hotel. Lots of other things to do in Niagara Falls.
What’s the downside? While there are slides for all ages, at 11 and 13 our kids felt they had outgrown Great Wolf Lodge. It’s also a pricey weekend away and the lines can be long.
On a side note, there are Great Wolf Lodge locations across the United States, however, they are not all the same. Several years ago we decided to take advantage of a fantastic Groupon offer for Great Wolf Lodge in Sandusky, Ohio. While the hotel was nice and clean, the waterpark itself was a small fraction of the size of Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls and suited more towards younger kids. While you might find a deal at another location, the experience may not be quite the same as Niagara Falls.
#2. Zehnder’s Splash Village, Frankenmuth Michigan
While Frankenmuth is a couple hours further away from the GTA than Niagara Falls, Zehnder’s Splash Village is an easy #2 on our list of best waterpark hotels within driving distance of Toronto. Zehnder’s Splash Village is located in the quaint town of Frankenmuth, Michigan. This is about a 4 hour drive from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and the town has a lot offer.
Image source: http://www.frankenmuth.org
The waterpark at Zehnder’s Splash Village is large and comparable to Great Wolf Lodge in many ways. The original side of the waterpark has two tube slides, a lazy river and a large play structure for little ones, including some smaller slides. The atrium on the newer side of the waterpark has a unique “fast river”, a sports pool, and two fast, thrill type slides. One is a “drop” style slide for single riders and the other is a large (fast) raft ride for up to four people. The new side of the water park is a large, bright atrium surrounded by pool side hotel rooms.
There is a casual restaurant inside the hotel serving pizza and breakfast, etc. and Zehnder’s world famous chicken restaurant is just a few minutes down the street. This is known as the largest family restaurant in the United States. It’s an all you can eat chicken dinner served family style with soup, bread (with multiple spreads and dips), fried chicken, mashed potatoes, stuffing, buttered noodles, vegetables and dessert. It is definitely a fun experience if you have never been there before. On the lower level of the restaurant is a large cafe / bakery with delicious sweets, treats and souvenirs.
Next door to Zehnders, Splash Village is Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland. This is the largest Christmas store in the world offering more than 50,000 different ornaments, trims and gifts. It is hard to describe if you haven’t been there and is most definitely worth a visit.
What’s great about Zehder’s Splash Village? The Waterpark has slides for all ages, the eat and stay package is great and the quaint town of Frankenmuth makes for a fun weekend.
What’s the downside? The drive is a bit further than Niagara Falls and it can be pricey in U.S. dollars.
#3.Kalahari Resort, Sandusky Ohio
If you were to ask my kids, they would probably say that Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, Ohio is their favourite waterpark destination hotel. Kalahari is a very large conference hotel with both an indoor and outdoor waterpark area. Sandusky, Ohio is about a 5 hour drive from Toronto. We visited for the third time earlier this summer.
Kalahari has both indoor and outdoor waterpark areas. While they have a number of slides inside, the outdoor waterpark is much newer and the slides are better. Inside there is a wave pool, body slides, multiple waters slides, a flowrider surf simulator and a large kids area. In my personal opinion, Kalahari is much better to visit in the summer months so you can take advantage of both the indoor and outdoor slides.
Inside there is also a large arcade, laser tag, spa and other activities for kids of all ages. Kalahari has multiple restaurants inside the hotel as well. There is an Italian restaurant that serves up massive servings of Italian favourites (spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmesan, etc.), B-Lux grill and bar, a take out cafe and a large marketplace style breakfast buffet. For Canadians visiting Kalahari, there are also a number of favourite US chain restaurants within a 5 minute drive from the hotel including Olive Garden, Texas Roadhouse, Longhorn and Chilis.
If you are looking for more to do, Sandusky, Ohio is also home to Cedar Point. This is one of the most well known amusement parks in the United States. Cedar Point is part of the Cedar Fair group of parks (which also includes Canada’s Wonderland). This is a fantastic amusement park and only a 10 minute drive down the road.
How much is it to stay at Kalahari Resort? Like most waterpark hotels, it can be a pricey stay. Rates range from about $179 USD per night to over $300 USD. There is also a daily resort fee added to the price. It is a large hotel and in my opinion it is worth the price to request a balcony room to avoid being placed on the lower level of the resort.
What’s great about Kalahari Resort? It is likely the largest waterpark in the area with the greatest variety of slides. With three large restaurants and other activities there’s enough to keep the whole family busy. It’s also close to Cedar Point.
What’s the downside? The indoor waterpark is older and stuffy. The hotel can get very busy and the lines can be long. It is a 5 hour drive from the Greater Toronto Area.
#4. Fallsview Waterpark, Niagara Falls Canada
The Fallsview waterpark is a good alternative to Great Wolf Lodge is you are planning a family weekend getaway in Niagara Falls. Rather than being located in a specific hotel, it is connected to multiple Niagara Falls hotels including the Sheraton Fallsview and the Crowne Plaza.
The Fallsview waterpark is large with more than sixteen slides for both big and little kids. There is also a huge arcade in the Falls Avenue Resort as well as the very popular Rainforest Cafe. The Fallsview Waterpark is also located just two minutes from the Falls. There are tons of things to see and do in the area (go karts, mini golf, wax museums, etc.)
How much is it to go to the Fallsview Waterpark? The Fallsview Waterpark is significantly less expensive than some of the other options. Because the Waterpark isn’t part of one particular hotel, visitors can purchase a day pass. If you purchase online the price is approximately $40 CAD per person. There are also hotel packages at approximately $300-$400 CAD per night. Like most attractions, it’s always a great idea to get on the mailing list for access to special offers. I also suggest checking Groupon for deals – either at the Fallsview Waterpark or at other Niagara Falls attractions.
What’s great about Fallsview Waterpark? The most obvious pro for this waterpark is cost. If you get a great hotel deal in Niagara Falls and then purchase a day pass for the waterpark, it can be significantly less expensive than staying at nearby Great Wolf Lodge. The location also can’t be beat. The waterpark and connecting hotels are mere steps away from Niagara Falls and all the Clifton Hill attractions.
What’s the downside? The biggest downside is that it’s not a true waterpark hotel. Yes, it is connected to three different hotels, but it doesn’t have the same theming as a Great Wolf Lodge, Zehnders Splash Viallage or Kalahari including special events like story time. There are no rooms overlooking the hotel and you have to put on your shoes (and clothes) to get from your room to the waterpark. As a parent it makes be a bit more nervous keeping track of my kiddos in such a large and busy area vs. a more contained hotel waterpark.
#5. Splash Lagoon, Erie Pennsylvania
Image source: http://www.splashlagoon.com
Splash Lagoon deserves a spot on the list of best waterpark hotels within driving distance of Toronto, but it is definitely our number five. Splash Lagoon is in Erie Pennsylvania and conveniently located right off the I-90 west. It’s about a 2.5 hour drive from Burlington/Oakville and 3 hours from Toronto. While it is not an official waterpark hotel, it is another example of a waterpark connected to multiple hotels including a Hawthorn Suites, Comfort Inn and Suites and Wyndham Garden Inn. There are also a number of other hotels and restaurants in close proximity.
The waterpark has several different slides, a wave pool, a flowrider surf simulator and a large, new kids treehouse type structure. There is also an arcade and go-karts and mini-golf across the road. The waterpark is on the older side but there have been some recent renovations and additions. The hotels are also a bit dated – I suggest looking at TripAdvisor and reading reviews before booking.
Erie is actually a great vacation destination for families. Not only is there Splash Lagoon, but the Erie Zoo & Botanical Gardens is fantastic (perfect for younger kiddos), there is also Waldameer Park & Water World, an amusement park and outdoor waterpark, plus beautiful beaches in Presque Isle State Park.
Splash Lagoon is located on Peach Street which is close to many popular restaurants and big box shopping. The biggest bonus is that there is no sales tax in Pennsylvania!!!
What’s great about Splash Lagoon? Splash Lagoon is more reasonably priced than Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari. There is also a lot to do in Erie and the surrounding area.
What’s the downside? Again, it’s not a true waterpark hotel and the facility is a bit dated. Because they offer day passes, the waterpark can get quite busy.
That’s our list of the best waterpark hotels within driving distance of the Greater Toronto Area. What is your favourite waterpark hotel?
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