Fun, Fun, Fun at Great Wolf Lodge Illinois

I have always enjoyed trips initiated by a resort. This has been especially true since I’ve been dealing with health issues and don’t do a lot of walking. I can bring my scooter into the place and use it wherever needed – without having to worry to get me (and it) in and out of the car.

Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee, Illinois, is made for those of us who like an all-inclusive experience in one place.

There is never a need to get into your car, whether it’s Band-Aids, lunch, or activities you are looking for.

A lot of the experience at the Illinois Great Wolf Lodge is about bringing the outside in – with the exception of the weather. The outdoorsy experiences and décor make you forget that you are inside a resort.

After a hearty breakfast, Brittany, Kyler, Shaun and I toured the lodge, checking out the various suites (they have ones that are even big enough for 12) with the management and those from the public relations firm.

Then we were off on our own. We were given one of Great Wolf’s all-inclusive packages, which included many activities, as well as credits for the Northern Lights Arcade and Magic Quest wands, for which there are spots throughout the hotel to check out.

You will not find any shortage of things to do here. We could have easily spread it out over three or four days.

I was able to enjoy the Howl in One Mini Golf and Oliver's Mining Co attractions with my friends, before we stopped at Hungry As A Wolf for a family-size special with pizza and salads.

I also loved the Coca-Cola Freestyle fountain in the Great Wolf food court for sugar-free flavored iced tea, while everyone else did a bit more experimenting with flavors.

We finished up the pizza and I watched a bit while they went through the Rustic Ridge Climbing Wall and the Howler Peak Ropes Course (definitely for older children).

I then headed to the waterpark, where I relaxed in the lazy river and then headed to our room for a nap.

Great Wolf's Barnwoods is a full-service restaurant that has everything from Wisconsin Cheese Curds to New York Strip Steak.

Their bar is also interesting, and I met some local friends there for some cocktails and a warm Bavarian pretzel, large enough to share.

I met back with my friends, who had been playing Magic Quest, and going down the slides in the waterpark, for dinner at the Campfire Kitchen.

This food outlet has different entrees each night. Their portions are large and side dishes plentiful. We were very satisfied with our BBQ Ribs.

In addition to attractions, Great Wolf Lodge has free activities for all its guests.

Although most are geared toward younger kids, we did stop in on the Yoga for Kids and Parents and the Nighttime Story Time.

As I had the night before, I spent some time with Brittany in the Whirlpool before bedtime.

It had been a very long, but extremely fun, day at Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee.

Luxuriating in Bay Harbor

It didn’t take me long to feel relaxed and comfortable at the Inn at Bay Harbor, a hotel in the Marriott Bonvoy Autograph Collection. 

My suite was perfect, and I had slept well. I was ready to take the relaxation to another level.

My day was wide open with the exception of the start of it -- at The Spa.

I arrived a few minutes before my appointment for the Ginger Glow treatment. 

I changed into my luxurious robe and sat down with a cup of tea in the quiet waiting area.

The Ginger Glow is one of the signature offerings at the Inn at Bay Harbor, and I can certainly understand why its so popular. I could easily rename it “Heaven on Earth.”

It began with a scrub made of ginger, with a hint of eucalyptus, to get rid of the dead cells on my skin. 

After that was rinsed off, I had a full body massaged with a ginger oil and hot stones.

The next part was probably my favorite as arthritis always has me seeking warmth: my whole body was wrapped in a warm robe-like cocoon while I received a scalp massage.

When the spa experience was done, I was ready to take a nap, but I was too hungry to do so. It was late for breakfast at the resort and 

I asked one of the drivers to take me to the Marina.

It's a free perk if you are looking to go around Bay Harbor and don’t want to walk or bike along the beach path. 

I saw a sign in front of the Original Pancake House for their famous Apple Pancake. 

I decided to go inside and, with a side of eggs for some protein. 

I managed to get through less than half of the scrumptious treat. (Of course, I brought the rest back to my room.)

I asked the driver to give me a little tour on the way back to my hotel suite.


In addition to the main lodge, there are also 35 cottages on the property. 

They are two and three-bedrooms each, and popular for family reunions, girlfriend getaways, and golf weekends.

Guests have the option of playing at the Bay Harbor Golf Club, an award winner with 27 holes along the shoreline, or the 18-hole championship course at Crooked Tree.

Golf is available in three seasons.

 In the winter, guests can do cross-country skiing and snow shoeing, or arrange to head to the sister properties, Boyne Highlands or Boyne Mountain, for downhill skiing.

In the afternoon, I took a drive to Charlevoix (about 20 minutes away). I stopped at one of their beautiful beaches before heading to the quaint downtown to visit one of my favorite Michigan stores, Cherry Republic. 

I picked up two bags of cherry goodies (especially the Cherry Fudge Sauce my daughter loves).

Brittany and Jamie came back to the hotel to join me for our final night in Michigan. 

We decided to stay on property and relax with s’mores by the fire pit in front of the beach. (I also decided to stick with some leftover cheese for dinner as I had enough snacking.) 

It’s just one of the free activities the Inn at Bay Harbor offers its guests.

Before leaving the next day, I had a delicious breakfast of Blueberry Pancakes and conversation with Erin Ernst, Director of Communications for the Boyne properties.

Then it was time to head south, back to Illinois. It was good to be going home, but I was also happy that I’d be going back to beautiful Michigan in just a few short weeks.

Fun Day in the Sun at Knights Action Park

As the weather warms, it’s always a great time for an outdoor day trip. I had never been to Knights Action Park in nearby Springfield, Illinois, before and I was anxious to check it out.

For a small amusement park, Knights Action packs a lot in.

They have a waterpark, amusement rides, miniature golf and a golf range, and a racing track.

I had a teen and a pre-teen with me who were anxious to hit the long slides, while I am always happy to grab a tube an relax in a lazy river.

I enjoyed that for a while and ten hit the wave pool, where I met up with Brittany, Jacob, and Kyler.

We walked around for a while and saw the Seal Bay area for younger kids, as well as the river, where they have paddle boats.

Unfortunately, the paddle boats weren’t available the day we where there. It’s something I’d definitely enjoy next time I’m back.

There is a snack bar inside at Knights Action Park, but the consensus was to go outside and take a short drive to Chick-fil-A, which we don’t have in Champaign.

We had gotten the all-inclusive bracelets so we were able to come back in with no problem and continue our activities.

First, I played photographer (and videographer, check out my YouTube video), while the others tried out the go cart racing.

We decided to skip the Ferris Wheel as it was starting to get dark.

It looked like a lot of fun as I watched them go around a few times. Then, we all played a round of miniature golf on the 18-hole Putt Putt course. 

I definitely recommend purchasing an all-inclusive pass at Knights Action Park.

If you live nearby, it’s also worth getting a season pass as only the waterpark closes after Labor Day. 

The passes are also discounted if you buy them before the start of the next May season. (Check their website for details.)

Another thing I didn’t have a chance to check out that I need to come back for is the Route 66 Drive-In Theater, which is under the same ownership as Knights Action Park.

Discovering Fox Harbr Resort in Nova Scotia

It was a beautiful morning at Fox Harb’r Resort in Nova Scotia, Canada, and my daughter, Sam and I were excited to check the place out.

We woke up fairly early in our Executive Suite to go join the rest of the group for breakfast at the Cape Cliff Dining Room, where we had eaten the night before.

For breakfast we were served Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, which Sam loved. Since I am allergic, I had a filling plate of eggs, potatoes, and fresh fruit.

When everyone was done eating, we washed up (even the bathroom here is opulent-look at that sink) and got ready for a tour around the resort.

We walked to the downstairs of the clubhouse to head out through there.

It was filled with photos, clubs, and trophies from this very prestigious golf course at Fox Harb'r, which is just outside Halifax, Nova Scotia.

In fact, the golf course spread out through most of the resort, along the hills and valleys, and most spectacularly, along the water.

We went over to the resort’s Dol-άs Spa, named one of the top 25 spas in Canada by Canadian Spa & Wellness last year.

It’s a beautiful full-service facility that includes a fitness area and a breathtaking pool area with sweeping views of some of the best of the property.

We went through the massage and lounge areas too.

I was excited about coming back later in the day for my massage.

Outside the Spa, you could see the tennis and volleyball courts, as well as the North Cumberland Straight, which leads into the Atlantic Ocean.

We then got into golf carts to continue exploring the resort.

Our next stop was at the Fox Harb'r Resort Golf Academy. Here those of all abilities can learn with expert teachers, as well as state-of-the-art equipment.

Lessons are available one-on-one or in small groups.

From there we got to see some of the beauty of the golf course as we made our way around the property, which includes fishing facilities and miles of water views, some over bluffs and rocks.

The Greenhouse at Fox Harb'r is another element of this resort which is very impressive.

Here they grow the vast majority of the fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers used throughout the property.

We also had an inside look at the condos and private houses Fox Harb'r Resort has for rent and sale.

These homes have breathtaking views, furnishings, and property amenities.

With the exchange rate, they are definitely a bargain for Americans to own waterfront properties.

We went back to the Clubhouse for lunch on the patio. Fish and Chips was served, and I had a club sandwich. For dessert we all had a luscious chocolate concoction.

After lunch, we went our separate ways to enjoy some of the resort’s amenities.

Sam went kayaking with one group and then did some hiking on the bluffs.

I headed to the spa for a relaxing massage. After, I went into the whirlpool and took in the views of the beautiful scenery at Fox Harb’r.

I returned to our suite in time to go outside by the airstrip (yes, Fox Harb’r has their own airport) and catch the eclipse.

The view wasn’t nearly as good as my Illinois friends had, but I was able to recite a line from my favorite Carly Simon song…

“You flew your Learjet up to Nova Scotia

To see the total eclipse of the sun.”

Sam came back to the room soon after that and we both napped before bathing and getting ready for dinner with our group.

During the day’s touring, we heard about the Joyce family, owners of Fox Harb’r Resort.

Canadian Ron Joyce invested in Tim Hortons in 1964 (when it was only one Hamilton, Canada, restaurant) and was instrumental in growing it into a successful fast food chain.  In 1996, he sold the business to Wendy’s.

Joyce invested his profits into the charitable Joyce Family Foundation, as well as in owning and operating Fox Harb’r Resort.

Ron Joyce’s son Stephen is the current CEO of Fox Harb’r and he invited us to dinner at his home.

I don’t know that I could have imagined a more ideal setting for an evening than the site of the waterfront mansion Stephen Joyce stays at when he is at Fox Harb’r.

We started the evening with a relaxing boat ride from the neighboring Marina. We went out into the North Cumberland Straight. It was very peaceful and we even saw some frolicking sea lions along the way.

The night continued with a lobster boil on the deck, with one of the most spectacular sunsets I’ve ever seen.

The buffet included endless lobster, tuna, salmon, mussels, steak, and potatoes. Since I couldn’t indulge with my allergies, they brought in a chicken dinner from the restaurant for me.

The wine and cocktails flowed for hours, as did the trays of desserts. I was exhausted and one of the first to leave, many hours after I arrived.

It had been a long, but wonderful, day at Fox Harb’r Resort, and there was another one to come before we would leave Nova Scotia.