Major water park hotel sale and themed hotel suites: This month in family travel news
Hello and welcome to another month of travel news with me, your trusted advisor on all things family travel. As much as I love theme parks, there is so much more to family travel than roller coasters and Mickey-shaped foods.
This month, I'm sticking solely with hotel news. We've got a few timely deals that'll help you save big bucks on summer and holiday travel, family-friendly hotel suites, limited-time activities for families and more — so let's dive in.
Great Wolf Lodge one-day sale
My husband and I used to joke that once we had kids, Great Wolf Lodge was the only place we were allowed to vacation. Well, the joke's on us because once we finally took our kids there, we all loved it. The rooms are spacious (some even have bunk beds), the water park has activities for all ages and the food was surprisingly good.
Related: Splish, splash then take a nap at these 15 US hotels with water parks
Because water park access and other activities are included in the cost of your stay, it does have a higher price tag than a traditional hotel, but they have a one-day sale on Aug. 4 that will make your stay even less expensive than a traditional hotel.
To celebrate the water park's 84-degree, year-round temperature, Great Wolf Lodge is celebrating with rates starting as low as $84 per night (not including taxes and fees) for select dates Mondays to Thursdays between Aug. 4 and Dec. 15, 2022.
Book online using the code 84DEGREES or by mentioning the promo if booking by phone.
Big city and beach summertime fun
Summer is winding down, but there's still time to squeeze in just a little bit more family fun before the school year starts. What better way to end the season than at a hotel that has a full day of activities all planned out for you?
Loews Hotels is celebrating "Summerfest" with a range of grown-up and kid-friendly offerings between now and Labor Day. Loews Regency New York Hotel, for example, is hosting "Summerfest Cultural Safari." Self-guided tours will help visitors discover the Upper East Side's hidden gems like Shakespeare in the Park at Central Park and a car-free section of Park Avenue. Rates in August start from $414 per night.
If you're more of a beach bum than a city slicker, consider an end-of-summer stay at the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Their M Passport package includes a welcome kit for kids, pre-planned, interactive activities around the resort and surrounding area, complimentary breakfast for two adults and complimentary dinner for up to two children dining with a paying adult. Rates average $369 per night. The package must be booked by Aug. 20, 2022, and is available for stays through Sept. 6, 2022.
Family-friendly suites at Graduate Hotels
My husband and I recently stayed at the Graduate Cincinnati and I fell head-over-heels in love with the theming. There were plenty of nods to the University of Cincinnati campus where the hotel was located, but also to other "Cincinnati-isms" like Skyline Chili, Cincinnati native and Grammy award winner Bootsy Collins and Fiona the hippo who resides at the Cincinnati Zoo.
All of that was part of a standard room, but many Graduate locations have themed suites that take the experience to the next level. Graduate Roosevelt Island in New York City recently transformed its Loft Suite into a toy-filled suite themed to the 1988 movie "Big," complete with a real, working Zoltar machine, a mini trampoline and a life-sized floor piano.
Graduate Bloomington, Indiana, is offering up a "Stranger Things" suite with two rooms — one designed after the Byers's living room (yes, there's a Christmas light alphabet with which to communicate with other realms) and the other themed to the kids' hangout in Mike Wheeler's basement. Rates start from $344 per night.
If your kids know and love the cinematographic masterpiece that is "Home Alone," the Graduate Evanston in Illinois has a suite that transports guests to the McCallister home with an 80s-style television and decor, VHS tapes and all of the vintage toiletries you need to reenact Macaulay Culkin's famous "Home Alone scream." In August, rates start at $239 per night.
Fairmont Hotels partners with Make-A-Wish
Make-A-Wish is a charity that is near and dear to my heart, so I was excited to learn that it has teamed up with Fairmont Hotels on a partnership to grant wishes to children living with a critical illness.
As part of that partnership, The Ultimate Kids' Playhouse is coming to Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego beginning July 31, 2022. The playhouse was designed, in part, by Make-A-Wish kids themselves, which means the playhouse is accessible for all kids and has all the magical elements kids dream of like a spiral slide and a room filled with teddy bears.
The playhouse will be at Fairmont Grand Del Mar until Sept. 22 and will then travel to other Fairmont Hotels locations. Admission is free with proof of a donation to Make-A-Wish.
Save big on a Hudson Valley holiday
Ready or not, the holiday season will be here before you know it. I feel as ill-prepared as you probably do to kick off the holidays, but the slow trickle of holiday travel specials is making me feel just a tad bit merry (despite the nearly triple-digit temperatures here in Indiana).
The Mohonk Mountain House in New York's Hudson Valley (which has lovely views of the Mohonk Preserve, by the way) is ringing in the holidays with deep discounts for families who book early — as much as 40% off on midweek dates between Nov. 27 and Dec. 22, 2022. With the discount applied, expect to pay around $621 per night.
This just so happens to fall during the hotel's annual holiday programming, which officially kicks off in December. Families who visit during this time can go ice skating, make crafts, see Christmas trees and gingerbread houses and so much more.
Recent family travel news from TPG
- Splish, splash then take a nap at these 15 US hotels with water parks
- Visiting the Grand Canyon with a family: Where to camp, stay and play
- Flying while pregnant? Here's what you need to know
- Not like the other ships: 9 things you can only enjoy on Disney Wish
- 7 hotels with saltwater lagoons for swimming without the swells
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Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.