Welcome to Great Wolf Lodge Illinois

When I received an invitation to bring my family to the opening of the first Great Wolf Lodge in Illinois, I was excited. I had never been to one of the chain’s properties and I’m always anxious for a press trip that keeps me in one place for food, lodging, and activities.

The Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee was actually not a new structure, but the brand updated the resort to be similar to their others-a family-friendly hotel with non-stop fun for everyone in the family.

There was a check-in desk set up near the entrance for the press group, about a dozen of us with families. In my case, my “family” for the weekend was Brittany, Shaun, and Kyler.

Since Great Wolf Lodge is meant for family groups, they have 13 different types of suites. The largest suite can sleep 12.

Our had more than enough room for the four of us, with two queen size beds and a pull-out couch in the living room area.  

We explored the property and found there was more to keep us busy the entire weekend than we imagined.

Great Wolf encompasses a combination of games and activities, such as story time, yoga and character appearances, with attractions.

This Gurnee location also has nine different food venues, which range from a Ben & Jerry's to the Barnwood, where you can feast on steak, seafood, and craft cocktails.

The group was meeting for the first time at the bar in the back of the Indoor Water Park, so we decided to go early and check out the facilities.

There are three large slides within the waterpark, along with a lazy river (my favorite), and areas for younger children.

I was most impressed with the machine which brought the rafts (which are large enough for the whole family) up to the top, so you didn’t have to carry that heavy piece of equipment to the top.

We sampled some of the delicious food and cocktails at the bar and got to know each other a bit. Management from Great Wolf, as well as their public relations company, Agency h5, were on hand to great us and answer any questions we had about our stay.

When the group broke up, Brittany and I headed outside to the heated outdoor pool and whirlpool. In the summer, the bar opens its windows out there, so you don’t have to go inside if you want to get something to drink.

Everyone in the press group was given an all-inclusive bracelet so that we could experience everything Great Wolf Gurnee had to offer.

You do not need to purchase one of these packages to take advantage of the water park and daily activities, but it can save you a lot of money if you have kids who want to go to all the attractions.

The package included tickets to use in the arcade, so we headed there before going back to the suite.

It was a lot of fun, but we were pretty worn out from the drive and evening in the water.

There would be plenty of time the next day to explore and enjoy Great Wolf Lodge Illinois.

Farewell to Generations and Riviera Maya

It was time to say goodbye to Generations Resort.Roberta and I were glad our flights weren’t until the afternoon because we were in no hurry to leave Riviera Maya.

We started the day with our last room service breakfast. I loved the idea that Generations Resort lets you get pretty much anything you want for breakfast in your suite. 

We loaded up our omelets (me with veggies and Roberta with seafood) and enjoyed the fresh baked goods.

I decided to enjoy the swim-up suite one last time and relaxed in the lounge chair in the water on our patio for a leisurely breakfast with a view.

Roberta headed out for more exploring and shopping at El Dorado Royale , the adults-only sister resort next door.

When she came back we ventured to the Riviera Maya beach one last time and had the waiters deliver some nachos to us for lunch.

With my ankle injury limiting my standing, 

I took advantage of the butler Generations Riviera Maya provides guests to help me pack. 

Before we took off in our van for Cancun Airport, we took some final pictures of Generations Resort and said goodbye to the staff, who went above and beyond (with wheelchairs on demand J) to make our visit special.

At the airport, Roberta and I said our goodbyes as she boarded a plane to Nashville and I went to Dallas.

I know I probably should have gone for something more local before I left Mexico, but I couldn’t resist a Johnny Rocket’s burger, malt, and fries to take with me on the plane. 

It was a favorite treat when I lived in NY and I hadn’t been in years.

Here are some more photos from a great trip to Riviera Maya.

Thanks again for the hospitality, Karisma Hotels.

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Relaxation and Culinary Theater in Riviera Maya

It was my third day as a guest of Karisma Hotels in Riviera Maya and I couldn’t have been more relaxed.

Every morning my friend Roberta and I had talked about breakfast at one of the Generations or El Dorado restaurants.

The room service options were just so convenient, included in the all-inclusive plan, and offered many delicious choices we couldn’t resist indulging in breakfast in bed.

I started my day with a veggie-filled omelet, fruit, a croissant, and coffee.

Roberta went to explore the El Dorado Riviera Maya properties and do some shopping while I relaxed. I was nursing an ankle injury so I was content to relax on one of the lounge chairs in the water behind our swim-up suite.

When she returned, we ventured out for the short swim to the bar for some drinks. It was a beautiful day and the water felt great in the hot sun.

We didn’t want to leave the pool area so we just ordered lunch from Palms Gourmet Terrace.

I had loved their carnitas tacos on the first day at Generations and we both decided to order them.

After lunch, we decided to head to the beach. Generations, as well as its sister resorts El Dorado Royale and El Dorado Casitas, is located on a great stretch of sand.

For my time down at the beach, I put on a tankini Eco Swim by Aqua Green had sent me. I really loved the fit and style. I was comfortable walking around in it and protected by the built-in SPF.

Eco also sent me a really comfy hooded cover-up to further shield me from the sun as I got comfortable on one of the Bali Beds on the beach.

I wished I could go in the water as I watched Roberta wading in the blue sea, but I couldn’t complain about the view from where I was sitting.

We had a very special dinner for our last night. We were lucky enough to be in town for one of the Culinary Theater Banquets at Fuentes Restaurant at El Dorado Royale, the adults-only resort next door to Generations.

El Dorado Royale invites a guest celebrity chef in for the night to work with one of their partners. In this case, it was Jackson Family Wines.

When we arrived, there was a mariachi band and wine waiting for us.

Inside the tables were formally set with a five wine glasses in front of us, one for each course.

Our guest chef was Eli Kirshstein, the Chef Partner of The Luminary, Atlanta. He was also a participant on Top Chef: Las Vegas.

Working with him as he made and explained every course was Elyse Kudo, Division Vice President for Jackson Family Wines.

While explaining everything, Chef Eli Kirshtein put his photo up on the wall with the other chefs who have put together these unique culinary events.

Here was our menu for the night:

Local Fish Ceviche & Tigers Milk

Avocado Salad*

Freemark Abbey, Chardonnay, Napa Valley, 2012

Beef Tartare with French Onion Dip, Caviar & Chips

Matanzas Creek, Sauvignon Blanc, Helena Bench, 2012**

Spiny Lobster with Sweet & Sour Puree, English Peas

Chicken substituting for lobster*

Gran Moraine Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton 2012

Duck Breast with Beets, Swiss Chard, Pickled Strawberries

Donna Olimpia, 1898, Rosso, Bolgheri, 2010

Cinnamon Panna Cotta with baked fruit cake, honeytuile, and a fruit sorbet

Kendall Jackson Riesling, Vintners Reserve, Monterrey County, 2013

Between courses, Chef Kirshstein and Elyse Kudo were happy to answer audience questions.

It was a fun evening, but we were happy to have an employee take us back to our suite in Generations Riviera Maya when it was done.

When we arrived, my bed was made up with a towel elephants and roses for my final night. I was looking forward to one more night of falling asleep to the sounds of the ocean.

*These items were substituted for me since I have a seafood allergy.