Niagara’s water-filled natural wonder may pale in comparison to the manmade thrills of the Great Wolf Lodge’s 103,000-square-foot indoor water park (at least, as far as your kids are concerned). Even in the Falls area, where most hotels cater to families, Great Wolf stands out as a kid’s idea of paradise, where a day spent whooping it up on wild waterslides is capped off with a nightly storytime.

The resort is just a few miles from the actual Falls, but a stone’s throw from Queen Victoria Park, which runs along the Niagara River (and has its own transportation system), making it an ideal home base for all Falls-related activities. But with so much to do inside the resort, it may be hard for you to convince your kids to leave.

Inside this woodsy, Great North-themed resort, you’ll find 406 suites, including some with enough room for up to eight guests to share a suite — perfect for larger families. Many of the themed rooms offer a separate, camp-style “kids’ quarters” within the suite — to give kids (and adults) each their own space.

Find more Great Wolf Lodges by reading about Great Wolf Lodges.

The Great Wolf Lodges are all-suite hotels, with spacious rooms that offer small living areas with sofas and TVs, and microwaves, coffeemakers and fridges for making and storing snacks. The hotel's least-expensive rooms, the queen sofa suites, can sleep four on the queen bed and pullout sofa, and come with little patios as well. But if you have younger kids, they'll be more thrilled with the themed suites (Wolf Den, KidKamp and KidCabin suites), which feature separate kids-only tent or cabin areas with bunk beds, TVs and Nintendo game consoles (you'll pay extra for the games or movies). These separate kids' areas were on the cozy side, so don't expect a tall teen to squeeze into a bunk. The bathrooms are on the cozy side, so try to pack sparingly; you won't have a lot of room to spread out in there.

STANDARD SUITES

The Family Suite sleeps four, with a maximum of six people. The room has two queen beds, a full-size bath, living area with a full-size sleeper sofa, a 37-inch TV and a balcony or patio. The room is equipped with a microwave, fridge, coffee maker and hair dryer. Fireplace suites include everything above and feature a fireplace.

The Queen Sofa Suite sleeps four people. There is a queen bed, full bath, a full-size sleeper sofa, a 37-inch TV and a private balcony or patio. The room is equipped with a microwave, fridge, coffee maker and hair dryer.

THEMED SUITES

The Wolf Den Suite sleeps four, with a maximum of six. The room has a cave-themed sleeping area with a bunk bed and tv. The main area has a queen bed, a full-size bath, full-size sleeper sofa, a 37-inch TV and a balcony or patio. The room is equipped with a microwave, fridge, coffee maker and hair dryer.

The KidKamp Suite sleeps four, with a maximum of six. The room has a tent-themed sleeping area with a bunk bed and TV. The main area has a queen bed, a full-size bath, full-size sleeper sofa, a 37-inch TV and a balcony or patio. The room is equipped with a microwave, fridge, coffee maker and hair dryer.

The KidCabin Suite sleeps six, with a maximum of seven. The room has a cabin-themed sleeping area with a bunk bed, day bed and TV. The main area has a queen bed, a full-size bath, full-size sleeper sofa, corner fireplace, a 37-inch TV and a balcony or patio. The room is equipped with a microwave, fridge, coffee maker and hair dryer.

PREMIUM SUITES

The Whirlpool Fireplace Suite sleeps four people, with a king bed, full-bath, whirlpool tub, two 37-inch TV's, full-size sleeper sofa and private patio. The room is equipped with a microwave, fridge, coffee maker and hair dryer.

The Loft Fireplace Suite sleeps six people, with a maximum of eight. The main floor has two queen beds, full bath, two 37-inch TVs, a living area with full sleeper sofa and gas fireplace. Upstairs is a queen bed, 37-inch TV and a half bath. There is also a balcony or patio. The room is equipped with a microwave, fridge, coffee maker and hair dryer.

The Majestic Bear Suite sleeps six people, with a maximum of eight. The master bedroom has a king bed and 37-inch TV. The main area has two queen beds, full sleeper sofa and 37-inch TV. There is also a private balcony or patio and a breakfast bar. The room is equipped with a microwave, fridge, coffee maker and hair dryer.

Great Wolf Indoor Water Park
The indoor park has a plethora of water thrills, from the easy lazy Crystal River (perfect for adults to relax with their little ones) to the Canada Vortex (featuring a 40-foot drop) and the thrilling Niagara Rapids Run, which even takes you uphill at a few points.

You don't have to fret (too hard) about your family's safety there. Lifeguards are out in full force ensuring safety, and the park's state-of-the-art water treatment utilizes UV purification to eliminate harmful viruses and bacteria. And you can borrow one of the resort's life jackets to stabilize a weaker swimmer (they suggest them for anyone under 4-feet tall).

Pool hours vary, depending on the season and whether it's a weekday or weekend, but you can plan on at least 11 hours of water time (from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.) most days of the year.

Outdoor Water Park: Loon Lagoon
Open seasonally, this is the most toddler-friendly pool in the park, with a baby slide right at the start of the zero-entry pool, along with water sprays and other fun water features to keep the kiddies occupied. Older kids will like the water basketball and poolside contests and activities, as well as the water slides. The park is open daily in July and August, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and features a large patio area with tables and chairs.

Resort Activities
There are a number of amenities and fun for the kids that do not require swimsuits.

Since Great Wolf Lodge is geared toward the kids, all of the onsite restaurants cater to the smaller set. Great Wolf regularly offers all-inclusive packages, that include buffet breakfast and dinner, with a personal pan pizza from Northwoods Pizza Company or a sandwich from the Bear Claw Cafe for lunch.

Since the rooms at Great Wolf Lodge all feature fridges and microwaves, many families opt to save a little money by toting along easy-to-prepare snacks or simple meals (and paper plates and plastic cutlery) so they can eat in the suite.

In addition to the two-hour-long stretches of Cub Club, you can hire private Cub Care, well-trained and first aid-certified caretakers who can take care of your little ones in your room while you enjoy a little alone time. (Spots fill up fast, so it might be wise to book this part of your trip before you arrive.)

Most families only stay at the Great Wolf Lodge for a day or two. Unless you're planning to spend a significant amount of time away from the resort, that's probably long enough for your kids to get their fill of the rides and slides, before you start to get the "I'm bored" cries.

The Art of Smart Timing
The beauty of an indoor water park is the year-round ability to ride the slides -- and rates and availability are generally better in the fall and winter months, especially on weekdays. (In other words, you'll probably have shorter wait times for the slides if you slip in when most kids are in school.)

Keep in mind, though, that the outdoor pool and park -- and many of the Niagara Falls attractions outside the resort -- will be out of commission as the weather turns cool.

Weather-wise, the summer and early fall are best, with temperatures in the 80s. Winters can be cold and snowy (which makes the balmy 80+ temperatures inside the water park even more enticing).

Getting There
If you're flying into town, Buffalo Niagara International Airport, about 20 minutes south of the Falls, is your best bet. The next closest major airport, Toronto, is more than 90 minutes from the Falls. (Don't forget that Great Wolf Lodge is on the Canadian side of the Falls, so you'll need a passport to cross the border.)

For Mom and Dad
Great Wolf Lodge caters predominantly to their pint-sized guests, but there is an Aveda concept spa, Element, that offers a perfect place to unwind while your kids are enjoying the Cub Club. (Consider booking a treatment in the special couples' suite, where you can indulge in treatments side by side with your mate.) There are also two adults-only water areas -- an indoor whirlpool and the Great Outdoor Hot Spa -- open year round (and only a very few steps from doorway: key for those frigid Canadian winters).