Tag: travel

Deals, Kids, Non-seasonal, Seattle Area Attractions, Travel

Great Wolf Lodge Birthday Experience with Friends

Erin Sluka

The birthday party! It comes around every year for your child and is such an exciting time for them. Anthony is our youngest so for over 2 decades planning birthdays are a Sluka event! They get presents, hand us wish lists and even have friends over to celebrate.

For the first time ever with all 3 boys, Anthony came to me with a special request, “Mom? I really want to take friends to Great Wolf Lodge for my (11th) birthday in May!” Wow, son that can add up! “But, Mom I am asking for an experience and I want this instead of a big party AND instead of presents”. I actually thought this was a fantastic idea!

An experience instead of gifts and party….

We stayed in a Family Suite with an outdoor balcony which is considered a standard room at Great Wolf Lodge, They also have premium and themes rooms too. This is not our first time staying in their Family Suite and every time we go, this little nook between the beds and the couch area is a favorite spot for the boys.

We arrive about 4 and our room is ready so we unload, fuel up with snacks before heading to the water park. Anthony brought 3 friends with him on this trip. Going to Great Wolf Lodge with a buddy or sibling is a must! The Family Suite fits 6 with the sofa pull out. So, one room gets 6 people into the Water Park.

2 of the boys have never rode the Tornado Waterslide before so Anthony made sure to take them there first. All of these boys have been to Great Wolf Lodge before, but not been on some of the larger waterslides. One of them never went on it again-lol!

The fun part is waiting at the bottom to catch some fun shots as they exit the tunnels. Below is the other larger waterslide called Carbon River. Most attractions have names native to the area and we live 1 1/2 hours away from Great Wold Lodge on the (real) Carbon River.

Once they rode the waterslides several times, they head to the Chinook Cove for some water basketball and Big Foot Pass pads.

Notice my son used the ropes on the Big Foot Pass and his friend did a fast crawl across the pads!

Once they were swim(ed) out and we ate some dinner, it was time for a game of Shadow Quest. I bought all 4 boys Paw Passes and that allowed them several indoor activities at a bundled price. They got to choose a wand and for the boys who already owned and brought a wand (they are reusable for next visit) those boys got to choose fun toppers.

Choose your topper carefully, each one does different perks to up your Shadow Quest game. The game and wand/topper come with the Wolf/Paw Pass package. They wear their Paw Passes around their neck so they can have access to their activities.

Anthony’s topper he chose gives him game hints, so he stopped at one of the kiosks for a hint…..

Once you successfully find the next stop on your hunt, your symbol lights up as you point your wand. The wand activates several stations and fun animations around the hotel. This is a great game before bed because it has them running all over for several floors!

As the kids run around playing Shadow Quest, my husband and I hear music and find a dance party in the lobby and a Mai Tai station! Our Mai Tai was delicious and comes in a light up souvenier cup.

What I love about Great Wolf Lodge is that for birthdays there are a lot of fun options you can add to your stay. There is a birthday package that includes a door poster and balloons with extras as well as other packages that can include cupcakes and even pizza.

When you check out you don’t have to leave. You do need to vacate your room by 11am and get your bags in your car, but your entrance into the waterpark and other attractions lasts until closing.

2 days of swimming and Paw Pass completed! Time to go home!

We are home now, the friends are dropped off and my son is still beaming. By far, the best present he asked for in his 11 years was a Great Wolf Lodge birthday experience with friends and the memories will last a lifetime!

For tips and hacks you will want to use when visiting Great Wolf Lodge, visit this recent post.

Visit your local Great Wolf Lodge this summer
Kids, Seattle Area Attractions, Travel

6 Things You Must Do When Visiting Seaside, Oregon

Erin Sluka

One of our favorite weekend getaways is a drive to the Oregon coast from western Washington. Seaside is always our destination because it is the perfect family and pet-friendly spot to stay. When I say pet-friendly, I mean that many shops have no problem with your dog wandering inside on a leash. There is plenty of places to stay and eat all within walking distance. in the small, yet plentiful town.

We have found that when we go, there are things we never miss doing or seeing and I will share them with you.

Book the room with a view

Every time we have stayed, we ask for the room with a view and this can be anywhere from $0-$30 extra a night. The extra will be worth it! There are a few hotels off the water strip, but plenty along it. This past trip we stayed at the Hi Tide Oceanfront Inn. It was a great price because it is an older Inn, but very clean and kept up very well.

We had the dogs and were given a ground level room with a balcony looking out to the ocean. It is winter and it was stormy so the views were spectacular of the high waves. The only obstacle between the room and the ocean was a walking trail. The boys swam their hearts out and it was great they keep there pool open until 11pm. From 6-8 they had fresh cookies in the lobby and the free breakfast was very plentiful. I will definitely stay here again.

Bring the dogs!

Why? Because everyone does. Seaside is a dog’s paradise. The beach is full of furry friends, the walking trail has more leashed friends and plenty of poop bag stations and trash cans. Broadway St. is the main shopping avenue and the stores will have dog invite signs if they are allowed in. Most allow them except food and ice cream shops and the odd tiny store where space is a factor.


Take the kids to Funland

Once the kids see this gigantic space, they won’t let you pass it up. Funland is almost a block long and connected to Fultano’s Pizza which is delicious, this arcade is packed almost any time of the year.

If you happen to spend New Years or other special weekends in Seaside, Funland will close and offer a cover charge admission (usually $15 a kid) and they get a DJ, raffles and contests as they play all night. Playing at the arcade then dinner a hotel swim and you will have a quiet evening enjoying the view as the kids crash!

Eat at Dundees on Broadway

We always make a stop at Dundees Bar and Restaurant. This family-friendly restaurant has great beers on tap (and you are walking back to your room so no big deal). The food is fantastic and great portions. They offer a small salad bar too to add to dinner. If you are unsure what to order, their pizzas and fantastic. The crust is thin and crunchy and so delicious!

Stop by the swings

As minor as it sounds, my son (and other children around) gravitate to the swings placed down the beach in 2-3 spots. There was a set on the sand in front of our hotel and another set in front of Broadway in the sand and I believe there is a third set further down.

Stop at the candy store when they get tired of walking and take a break on the swings because you have been so busy you almost forgot to do nothing but look at the waves.

Visit in the winter

All the beaches along the Washington and Oregon coast are gorgeous in the summer. They are always packed and the water is still not always warm enough to really swim in anyhow. We love the winter visits!

In the winter, wind is common especially late December and January. This makes the beach gorgeous with large waves. Bring an umbrella, it rains often enough but never bothers us-less loose sand in the shoes (bring boots). Also, you typically get prime hotel prices and plenty of rooms with views available. The staff is relaxed and more attentive and the shop owners really want your business and deal well and offer specials.

If you want a relaxing beach with no crowds, with large waves, shopping and dining without needing your car all weekend and tired kids, visit Seaside, Oregon in the winter!

Kids, Money Saver, Promotions, Reviews, Reviews by Anthony, Seattle Area Attractions, Summer, Tips and Tricks, Travel

How To Experience Great Wolf Lodge in Under 24 Hours

Erin Sluka

I was provided Paw Passes in exchange for this feature. I attended GWL on my own and opinions are my own

On the last day of school we hoped into the car and joined friends for a night at the Grand Mound, Wa. Great Wolf Lodge to celebrate the start of summer. It was the best way to celebrate with these new fifth grade boys. We have been before and this time was a bit different and actually the most fun we have had. The difference is that we had Paw Passes and we crushed our stay in less than 24 hours!

When you reserve your stay (or at check in) you have 3 play options to choose from which is a fantastic way to save in more ways than one! I’ll explain…..

For the littles, the Pup Pass is a great start and for the older boys the Paw or Wolf passes are best. Have you ever been to Great Wold Lodge and seen families with these large paws around their necks? These families know how to save and I wish I had discovered or really jumped on board sooner. We checked in and the passes were waiting for us and so was our room at 1:30 – bonus! We were able to go grab all our bags and go upstairs right away to change and head to the water area. After some swim time we changed and grabbed the passes to begin some indoor fun!

Here is the back of the Paw Pass $79.99 (saves over $32 in activities). First we sent the boys to do a quest. They have done this before and even have wands so they chose toppers and played MagiQuest. Because we bought the pass I didn’t have to bring any cash downstairs-it is all pre-paid and off they were running the halls. Us adults went upstairs to get dinner ready.

After dinner they wanted to have some arcade time and they got a game card with 20 points loaded because of the Paw Pass (that’s about $5 free pre-loaded). We added some more cash and off they went. They actually played day 1 and day 2 and were able to save the tickets on their cards from day 1 and combine when we left for their prizes.

After dinner and arcade they wanted to check more off of their Paw Pass list so off to the candy shop where they got to fill an entire cup with any of the bulk candy on the wall. Then next door was Oliver’s Mining Experience where they got to mine for gems. At this point I still have not spent any money besides the extra I put on his arcade card.

One more item to check off for the night…. Creation Station characters! There were many to choose form and Anthony chose Oliver. The game was down you play with after creating your stuffie so they offered us a free backpack and GWL character tee. 

Up to the room to munch on their candy and rest and then at 8pm was a BINGO game downstairs. We played a few games and all 3 boys managed to come away with wins. They pick lots of winners each round so winning is common and they got husky pups.

That was day one! They crashed right away and woke up wanting more water fun. The best time to hit the water park is right when it opens in the morning. A quick run to Starbucks downstairs (Amen to a Starbucks inside), made them waffles and to the waterslides where it is quiet in the morning with no waterslide lines. They had many rounds of slides with little lines. Once it came close to checkout we went upstairs to change but we still have a Paw Pass item and arcade points to spend.

At Great Wolf Lodge you check out at 11 but do not have to leave. Come back in and have some more fun! We completed our last Paw Pass experience in the gift shop where the boys chose a bracelet and got to engrave a name on it. Anthony wanted one for his puppy’s kennel so he chose pink and put Maya’s name on it. He traded in his arcade tickets for a Spiderman character and them homebound! The boys (and us gals) were beat!

The only item on the Paw Pass we did not do was the glitter tattoo ($8 value) because none of the boys were into it but the little girls in the Creation Station the boys offered it too were so excited. The crew allowed the boys to donate their tattoo item to these little girls we saw inside so it got used.

How the Paw Pass really saves!

When you arrive your room and any passes have been paid for if you chose them at purchase time. What I found is that I would spend so much more at GWL without passes and there are 2 reasons for this. The cost of the Pup, Paw and Wolf Passes save you an average of $30 because you bundled and pre-paid for activities in a package. When we don’t have a pass, we also don’t have a plan. There is so much to do and it all costs money.

With the pass the boys are so focused on getting all they can off their passes they aren’t constantly asking for money here and there. No, they didn’t golf or play both Quest games and they would want to do it all normally but these passes were a way to confine them and they never asked to do above and beyond. They had enough going on to keep them occupied. The passes save right away and give your kids a range to stay within.

So, what did we pay for inside the park? We brought our own food so no meal money was spent. We did pass by a bar where the boys were so excited to see Italian Sodas only I read it better to see they were Red Bull Italian Sodas so the guy at the bar told them he could make them sprite Italian Sodas and charged us $3.10 each. Deal! I gave my son $20 to add to his arcade card. I got coffee at Starbucks that my friend actually bought me, but still an expense for us. That’s it! $80 passes plus an extra $25. Know what I have dropped without a plan or pass inside before? At least twice as much! I am very proud how little after checkin we got away with and it makes it much more enticing to get back again soon. Oh and our stay was a Groupon deal so we still saved a ton on the room.

Our suggestion for Great Wolf Lodge

As we stood in line at the top of the waterslides we can see the Rope’s Course outside. It is a bit pricey but fun. Then my friend asks why GWL doesn’t offer a Teen Pass? There are many teens roaming and that would be fantastic. We figured maybe they can have some rope time. They can trade things like mining, bracelets and stuffed animal creation for more arcade points, slices of pizza, Ice Cream scoop, T-Shirt or water bottle from gift shop. They can maybe redeem for a room dedicated for teens (that would be fun to offer) for a movie or perhaps GWL swim area stays open a half hour longer and uses that as teen time for a small fee or free with a Teen Pass. We thought about our boys getting older and still having a blast but they won’t be into stuffed animals anymore so there is plenty that could be available for a pass for them. Maybe?

Visit Great Wolf Lodge and choose the Pass package that fits each of your family members!

 

 

Car Talk, Healthy Living, Home, Natural Products, Reviews, Travel

Gurunanda Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser For Car

Erin Sluka

I have partnered with Gurunanda for the feature. Samples were sent and opinions are my own

Gurunanda Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser For Car

How much do you love your essential oils? If you are like me you love using oils. Everyone has their preferred way to use oils. Many rely on them for healing, some may use them to make household cleaners and beauty products and my preferred usage is to fill my home with pleasant aromas (I’m a Mom of boys, so….)

Gurunanda has many essential oils and diffusers and now they have some portable diffusers so you’re oils can leave you pleasant aroma wherever you go. The Gurunanda Ultrasonic Essential OIl Diffuser for the Car is more than just a unit that can fit in your car’s cup holder. It comes with a USB cord as well as a plug for the cigarette lighter unit of your car.

I see this essential oil diffuser as useful in a hotel room, in the RV and even at your personal work space. I have USB ports on my laptop so when traveling or at my home office I can plug in right near me and burn some lavender or peppermint if I have a headache or stomach aches. It has the ultrasonic mist so it is great for healing.

More Features include:

  • Water Capacity: 55 ml
  • No wick required
  • Overheating protection.
  • Auto shut off when water is low
  • Compatible with most laptops or USB wall/car outlets, cable included
  • ETL certified

Modes of Operation

    • Continuous mode – Mist lasts up to 4 hours.
    • Intermittent mode – Mist lasts up to 8 hours.

While visiting Gurunanda to learn more, see their new Essential Oils Roll Ons! I actually own a few roll ons and the Gurunanda Jasmine Kiss is by far my favorite scent. Every time my eye catches the bottle even if I’m just at home with no plans, I stop to open it and swipe my wrists or neck to just have the scent near me.

Comment with Gurunanda on their website and follow on Facebook and Instagram

Buy It at Gurunanda.com or on Amazon: Gurunanda Ultrasonic Essential OIl Diffuser for the Car \ Gurunanda Essential Oils Roll Ons