Taking a vacation with a toddler can sometimes feel more like a chore than a treat, but choosing the right place to stay makes all the difference. We had a great time at the Great Wolf Lodge with our son, Luke, 18 months old at the time of travel, during a recent mini vacation to Charlotte.
My husband was mainly there for work but Luke and I tagged along and extended the trip into the weekend. I would recommend checking out the following places.
Discovery Place Kids- Huntersville, NC
Discovery Place Kids is located in the heart of downtown Huntersville, NC.
Free parking is available in the Huntersville Town Center parking deck located behind the Museum.
There was so much to do at this indoor playground, you could easily spend all afternoon there. It has a giant climbing set, a firestation (complete with a real fire truck to climb around in), a racecar, a boat, a water station, a fully-stocked craft room, an “underwater” submarine… this list goes on and on.
Discovery Place Kids Quick Info
Address: 301 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Hours:
Monday Closed
Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Admission Fee: $11 for adults and children (1+)
Website: https://kids.discoveryplace.org/huntersville
Playgrounds Around Charlotte
You can tell the locals appreciate the beauty that surrounds them given the number of playgrounds and parks in the area. The weather was gorgeous while we were there and Luke had a blast visiting a couple of the outdoor playgrounds.
Recommended Charlotte Playgrounds
Hanes Park (as seen in pictures)
Park featuring fields for soccer & baseball, tennis courts & play equipment for toddlers & big kids.
Address: 1404 W Northwest Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27104
Freedom Park
A 98-acre park centered on a 7-acre lake with multiple playgrounds, a very cool NFL Play 60 KidZone, and easy walking trails
Address: 1908 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203
Our Stay at the Great Wolf Lodge Charlotte
The real highlight of our trip was our stay at the Great Wolf Lodge. This place was awesome. In the past, bringing Luke to a hotel has been a little stressful because we’ve been concerned about disturbing the ambiance for other guests.
The Great Wolf Lodge was a refreshing change to our normal hotel experience as a family, since everyone there had little ones and the atmosphere is geared towards family fun.
The resort decor is themed around their mascot “Wolfie” and especially impressive during winter time. Everyone receives a free pair of cute wolf ears when you check in which our one year old loved! He kept them on for most of the stay. Even during a busy time of year, the hotel was large enough to make the stay comfortable.
Kids Activities
Yoga, sing-a-longs, story time, games, dance lessons, and craft time are all among the many activities offered for free in the lobby during your stay at the Great Wolf Lodge.
The impressive animatronics and energetic staff made for great entertainment (and that’s coming from Disney locals). If you are there during wintertime, it even snows in the lobby once or twice a day. Watch this video I took to see an example of one of the organized dance parties.
Indoor Waterpark
We loved the indoor waterpark! It had a huge play area for toddlers where the water was deep enough for him to splash around, but not too deep to be worrisome. There was also a wave pool, an impressive play area for the older kids, and 4 or 5 water slide attractions.
Coming from Florida, it was nice to visit a water park where we didn’t have to worry about the weather interfering. The temperature of the water and the air inside were both comfortable.
Arcade
We spent a good amount of time at the on-site arcade on our last night. Unlike some hotels who advertise their tiny game room as an arcade, this was the real deal. During date night, our baby sitter was able to take Luke downstairs to the arcade and keep him entertained for awhile. There is pretty good pizza available right outside of the arcade, as well.
Great Wolf Lodge Charlotte/Concord Quick Info
Address: 10175 Weddington Rd, Concord, NC 28027
Website: https://www.greatwolf.com/concord
Phone Number: 866-925-9653
Average Room Rate: $180 – $300 (per night)
There’s something for everyone such as kid-friendly activities, dining options, interactive games, 11 waterslides, four pools, and more all under one roof. Your stay includes access to the water park, kept warm at 84-degrees year-round.
Date Night
One night during our stay, we headed to NoDa, Charlotte’s arts and entertainment district for a date. Using care.com to find a top-rated, reliable, background- checked sitter made us feel comfortable leaving the resort for a few hours. Thanks to all of the activities offered onsite during the evening, Luke had plenty to do while we were gone before heading back to the room for bedtime. He was fast asleep from a fun-filled day by the time we got home.
MacTabby Cat Cafe
Our first stop during date night was an adorable cat cafe. The Mac Tabby Cat Cafe charges a small fee for access into their cat lounge, where you can visit with their 12 feline residents and sip on a coffee/beer/wine. All of the cats are available for adoption and new cats are rotated in as spots become available.
Big props to the animal lovers who came up with this idea and the helping hands who keep it running. It was a really sweet start to a date night for us and gave me all the feels to see how well these cats are treated (when they would otherwise be kept in cages at the pound).
Spending time with the cats this way allows you to see their personalities, which the employees told us helps a lot with adoption rates. Some of the older cats at the pound, who have trouble being adopted, stand a much better chance of finding a furrever home in this type of atmosphere.
Mac Tabby Cat Cafe Quick Info
Mac Tabby Cat Cafe
Address: 3204 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Phone: (704) 890-0373
Price: $12 per person
$8/30 min walk-in experience options are subject to availability upon arrival
Haberdish Restaurant
NoDa has a very cool night-time vibe so it was nice to take in the scenery during a short walk from the cat cafe to a dinner spot. Haberdish, an upscale Southern restaurant did not disappoint. They serve Carolina inspired cuisine with crispy fried chicken, southern vegetables and other locally inspired side plates.
We ordered a combination of small plates (they allow you to pay per chicken tender and offer a lot of small sides to share) and everything was delicious. There is usually a wait, so a reservation is recommended, but we walked in and were able to grab a seat at the bar which served us a full meal no problem.
Photo Credit: http://haberdish.com/ 
Photo Credit: Haberdish Facebook
Haberdish Quick Info
Address: 3106 N. Davidson Street, Charlotte, NC 28205
Phone Number: (704) 817-1084
Website: http://haberdish.com/
Enjoy Charlotte!
Charlotte is a city you will certainly fall in love with and perfect for a family vacation. I can’t wait to visit again and explore more. Hopefully, you will enjoy a few of the spots mentioned here during your visit. “Stomp, Stomp, Clap, Clap, Ha-wooooooo!” (It’s a Great Wolf Lodge thing and if you know, you know :P)
If you enjoyed this article, check out my suggestions for bringing your toddler overseas!