Folks from all around come to Great Wolf Lodge of Northern California for fun under one roof.
The 95,000-square-foot indoor water park – set a perfect 84 degrees year-round setting – at 2500 Daniels St., Manteca, features activities and plenty of dining options.
The Barnwood is often considered the centerpiece restaurant at the lodge. Reservations are encouraged for families and large groups, given this is a resort.
If you’re dining alone, the bar area makes for a great spot for noshing and people watching.
On this rainy day, I had no problem getting seated. The Butcher’s Cut Bacon Cheeseburger caught my eye.
That along with Braised Short Rib Bolognese and the Steak & Fries were among the most popular items on the menu, according to the server.
The Braised Short Rib Bolognese is prepared with a rich tomato red wine sauce on the shredded beef short rib, served up bacon, mushrooms, and parmesan rigatoni.
The much pricier Steak & Fries consist of a 12-ounce center cut New York strip topped with compound butter, chimichurri, garlic, and parmesan fries.
The Butcher’s Cut Bacon Cheeseburger was tasty and savory. Served up on a toasted brioche bun, the burger was topped off with hickory bacon, crispy onions, melted cheddar, GWL sauce, tomatoes, and pickles.
“The grilled (sustained) salmon, wilderness bowl, and the kids chicken tenders were all hit,” one family recently posted.
According to the menu, the salmon comes prepared with chimichurri, lemon and fresh herb, alongside fingerling potato, corn & edamame hash,
The Wilderness Bowl is served up with golden quinoa, brown rice, sweet chili sauce, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, radish, roasted peppers, and dynamic sauce.
Open seven days a week – 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. – Barnwood has a full bar with sports airing on the TVs.
Meanwhile, the other eateries inside the Great Wolf Lodge feature self-service automated kiosks, with visually-appealing menus – descriptions or list of ingredients may be included with some – to efficiently help out with custom orders and even speed up the kitchen-to-table process.
Hungry As a Wolf
Everybody loves pizza.
If not, Hungry As a Wolf offers pastas, salads, and more.
Pizzas are described as “Brooklyn-style hand-stretched.”
Other items include savory Italian and meatball parmesan sandwiches, garlic cheese bread, and freshly made salads.
Hungry As a Wolf also provides a whimsical Wiley’s pizza recipe, described as: “One bucket of laughter, a dash of mischief, 4 scoops of fun, 1 lifetime of memories, a pinch of magic – stir in a few giggles and add a sprinkle of adventure.”
Campfire Kitchen
Farm fresh eggs, applewood smoked bacon, signature wolf waffles.
Campfire Kitchen – opens at 7 a.m. – kicks off the day at the Great Wolf Lodge for visitors and locals alike.
This family-friendly dining place offers up the traditional Tex-Mex fare – variety of tacos, bowls, and salads.
Buckets
The menu at Buckets – look for the old school bus – includes premium burgers, hearty sandwiches, sides, and fresh salads and veggies.
A good variety of beer, wine, seltzers, cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages are also listed.
The signature Tipping Bucket is a family-sized treat layered with ice cream, brownies, cookies, and candy, topped with chocolate sauce and whipped cream.
Dunkin’
Donuts, Munchkins, Muffins, Croissants, and Bagels.
Those are among the choices of the place still preferred by most as Dunkin’ Donuts – the company officially changed the name in September 2019 for branding purposes.
Beverages include freshly crafted espressos and coffees, cold brews, and lattes, to name a few.
The Great Wolf Lodge offers two places to pickup that morning pick-me-upper and donuts – Munchkins are donut hole treats offered in a variety of flavors – at two locations, including Dunkin’ Express.
What’s Dunkin’ without donuts? They’re offered in a variety of flavors, including chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla frosted, Boston Kreme, butternut, apple streusel, and cake.
For more information, log on to www.greatwolf.com.
