When our three kids were ages 7 - 13, we took them to Great Wolf Lodge (in the Midwest) and they ran amok among the three-story waterslides, lazy river and wave pool. They slept in a bunk room that looked like a tiny log cabin dropped into one end of our suite. We lost one pair of goggles, a flip-flop and a few hours of sleep, but all vowed to return. And, 20 years later, we did! This time, with a grandson in tow.
We took our grandson Teddy to the Great Wolfe Lodge in La Grange and found not much has changed with the family resort chain's winning formula. You can access the water park any time after opening on your arrival day, until closing time on your departure day. There's a four-story water fort tree house, seven different slides - varying in elevation and curves, bars, ice cream, coffee, a taco bar, two sit-down restaurants, pizza and burger counters and evening activities for kids. I recommend reserving a cabana with seating, a mini fridge, towels, a TV, outlets and a bit of privacy. Not that the kids will spend much time there, but you can. Elsewhere at the resort, there's Topgolf, a climbing wall, mini golf, arcade and ropes course.
Stop in for some small-town shopping and explore historic downtown LaGrange. Charlie Joseph's serves up hotdogs and nostalgia from the c. 1920s diner. Wild Leap (with a recently opened taproom in downtown Atlanta) offers craft beer and pub food.
Long live summer!
We lost one pair of goggles, a flip-flop and a few hours of sleep, but all agreed we wanted to return.