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Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort
Categories: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Active Life Amusement Parks Hotels, Amusement Parks [Edit]
2643 N IL Rt 178Utica, IL 61373
(866) 399-3866
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 12 am - 12 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
23 reviews for Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort
Review Highlights
"...looking for a nice dinner you can go to Starved Rock Lodge."
(in 3 reviews)
"The lazy river was a blast as was their water slide."
(in 7 reviews)
"The rides were great for their ages as well."
(in 9 reviews)
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23 reviews in English
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Review from Jennifer B.
Aurora, IL
9/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
My husband and I brought our 2 and 5 year old boys for an overnight stay. We were very pleasantly surprised at the ease and comfort of the entire experience.
The water park was perfect for their age range. The boys had a blast. We also had a great time at the indoor amusement park. The rides were great for their ages as well. The hotel had a showing of "Tangled" that we attended in a makeshift movie theater at 8:00, which the boys loved.
The price was very reasonable and included our passes to the water park and indoor amusement park. For the price and proximity to the Chicago suburbs, this place is a great value. We will definitely be back. -
Review from Melissa B.
Frankfort, IL
8/2/2011
I'm in a VERY good mood today so I will give 3 stars. Let's just say that's pretty generous.
A large group of my girlfriends go to the Illinois wine festival every September which is around starved rock (close to this "resort"). We stay here because,,,
1. It's close to the fest.
2. We rent a huge villa that sleeps all 8 of us with plenty of room to spare.
3. Apparently there isn't much to choose from in this neck of the woods.
The price ends up being very cheap when divided by the 8 of us, so I almost feel bad complaining about the place. Perhaps if I were a mom with several small children I could appreciate this type of "resort" a little more as well.
I'll just give a run down of the good/bad...
Good-
HUGE villas for groups that are in pretty good shape
A little bar sort of in the middle of the "woods"
Easy check in/check out
Bad-
Restaurant (in the amusement park)- The food wasn't awful, but the service was pretty slow. It took so long I was ready for bed after our pizza came out.
Remember that bar in the "woods" in the good category- Well they over-served a girl (not in our group) to the point that she fell on her face. Then the staff just stood there wondering if she'd get up. My group eventually had to assist her and see if she needed medical attention (in my opinion she did).
UGLY-
The breakfast buffet. This was so bad. It came to about $15p.p. with a coffee. The coffee I had still hadn't changed color after 24 creams!!! Just avoid the breakfast in the main lodge at all costs! This September we will be heading into town for breakfast.
If you don't have kids or a large group plan ahead and stay at the starved rock lodge! -
Review from Sara K.
Skokie, IL
1/2/2012
Just returned. What a waste of money. Family of six went here for a 1 night local getaway. Broken heat, stinky bleachy room, over chlorinated water that got us all sick.Hot tub shut down by the state, fridge hummed loudly all night and the 'amusement park' was a joke. When approaching front desk clerk and manager about it - was told "Next time we'll do better'. Uh, no next time for us!!
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Review from Phillip M.
South Holland, IL
Updated - 7/9/2011
What happened, Grizzly J's? I was here again for a high school senior trip, and things went downhill here.
Let's start with the Enchanted Forest Arcade, shall we? The Eclipse ride was subtracted and was replaced with what appeared to be a kiddy rollercoaster that wasn't in operation when I came along. Even the In The Groove machine was nowhere to be seen.
Now for the water park. You know that tube slide I spoke of in my last review? well here's the kicker: The lights weren't on. how could that be?
And last, but definitely not least, the hotel. The only thing I can say about it is that the first day of my trip I came, about a few bugs were in the room that the other HS seniors and I stayed in. HOW UNSANITARY! I should've bought a fly swatter along with me, but nooooooo, I had to just live with it.
In summary, some of what I experienced the first time has died on me. So if you're considering to drag yourself over here to Grizzly Jack's, I wouldn't dream of it.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/27/2009
I tried this place on for size on New Year's Eve 2008. I went with my mom, my 10-year-old brother,… Read more »
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Review from Chrissy P.
Los Angeles, CA
6/8/2011
The villas are big, certainly, with two bathrooms (important!), and a full kitchen, and access to the water slides and amusement park is included, so that's great.
The shuttle never coming for the kids when called, and the air conditioning not working during a serious heat wave, though? NOT great.
Also needing improvement:
No on-demand movies or DVD player or stereo (or music channels).
Housekeeping leaves early, so if you discover after hours that you weren't left enough towels/soap/shampoo for everyone, you'll have to drive back to the lodge.
If you need to talk with the manager about something, it'll take several hours for someone to get back to you.
Parking's easy. The staff is nice, if incredibly slow to respond.Comment from Brett S. of Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort 6/29/2011
Glad to hear you enjoyed the villas, waterpark and amusement… More » -
Review from Deirdra G.
Flossmoor, IL
9/6/2011
Take it for what it's worth. There is a waterpark within 45 minutes of the South Suburbs. I'm going to be honest I am biased from the mommy perspective. The villas are HUGE and I can hid from my kids or send them upstairs and not listen to the giggling recapping etc. The kitchen allows me to avoid the horrible dining experiences that the resort has to offer and all of my children were under ten so the fact that you can see the WHOLE water park from begining to end as you walk into the place doesn't bother me.
I've been here twice. Once as a family weekend getaway in the summer. I stayed in the villa shopped at the local Walmart..stocked the fridge. We did the mini golfing and amusement park. We also went to the waterpark and watched fireworks at night. All in all a good experience for a reasonable price...of note not sure why they serve alcohol in the indoor "amusement park" but I left a little something for them at the base of the ride that proves akward motions, vodka and pizza don't mix!
Second time I was trying to make something up to my daughters by planning an impromptu trip. This was in the middle of winter. We stayed in a basic room and were forced to eat at the restarants...disappointing for me...service and food were bad...vodka however was as good as the first time.
My kids are outgrowning this place so I will have to make the trip to the Dells in the future but it was a nice lil run while it lasted. -
Review from Jean K.
4/15/2011
Got the winter blahs...or need a quick getaway with the family?
Here's your place.
Closer then the dells...a bit on the pricey side...but a hell of a lot of fun.
We stayed in a villa...which was extremely comfy and well taken care of. Of course the decor took on a hunters cabin out in the woods feel, which was done beautifully.
Had such an amazing view from out the back porch/balcony.
Water park was not extravagant...and my old butt fell off my tube in one of the slides (whoops!)...but their wave pool and lazy river was a lot of fun.
The amusement park was AWESOME!! Especially for an old kid like myself...had to get on the tilt o whirl and the flying bobs before we left out for the day.
The surrounding area of Utica is absolutely beautiful...Starved Rock only a few minutes away.
One of my favorite places for a day drive...a lot of great hiking and amazing waterfalls to check out.
If you can't afford staying the night...I recommend even buying the $20.00 wristband and enjoying BOTH the water and amusement park for the day - sure can't beat that!! -
Review from Lisa M.
Tinley Park, IL
2/19/2011
We have been here twice and had a good experience both times.
I wouldn't call this a cheap trip for my family, nor would I call it overly expensive either. Does it compare to the Dells, no. Is it a good weekend activity that is 1 hr from the southwest Chicago suburbs, yes.
It is my opinion that Grizzly Jack's is geared towards younger kids. I would guess that 10/11 would be the age that kids would find this place boring after an hour or so. Keep that in mind when reading some of the less than favorable reviews.
The Enchanted Forest arcade & mini amusement park, located on the property, is a nice place for younger kiddies too.
As far as crowds are concerned: The water park is a tad on the small side, especially when compared to the Dells. If the resort were to be "sold out", I could see that being an issue.
Overall we really enjoy this place. Great for young kids. -
Review from Bob K.
Normal, IL
1/6/2011
Good for kids 10 and under or for those who have never been to an indoor waterpark. Compared to the Kalahari or Great Wolf Lodge, this waterpark is tiny and boring. Older kids will get bored after an hour or two of the waterpark.
The hotel is nice, but the breakfast buffet was awful. We enjoyed a pizza and nachos for dinner at the restaurant in the amusement park building.
The best part of the stay was actually the unlimited rides at the indoor amusement park. Plenty of variety of rides for 3 year olds on up!
Your stay will include admission to their water park and indoor amusement park. They provide shuttle service to both locations, which is very prompt. -
Review from Patricia K.
Chicago, IL
7/13/2008
After two visits (one for a wedding, 3 nights; one for a family weekend, 2 nights) I have certainly experienced Grand Bear's many amenities.
Only minutes from Starved Rock, it is a better alternative to the Starved Rock Lodge. While still retaining a log cabin theme, it is extremely well put together. The decor is made mostly of logs but is sturdy and clean.
The first visit, I spent one night in a Villa and the other two nights in the hotel. My second visit was in a Log Cabin. Both visits, all three accommodations, were consistently great. The Log Cabin was clearly my favorite. It is not that unlike the Villa. However, the added space is great. Being able to sleep 18 people, it was perfect for our family weekend. We all fit comfortably both while sleeping and while hanging out between parks. The kitchens in both the Villa and the Log Cabin are a great benefit. They certainly did not compromise in size or quality when putting it together. You have everything you need at your finger tips.
The waterpark is pretty well put together. A lazy river, two decent slides, two kids slides, a wave pool, a hot tub, and a couple little pools.
The amusement park was a good time. There was a good mix of carnival rides. The fact that it is indoors and pertinent makes for better quality in the rides maintenance. We had an encounter with an unpleasant worker but within moments, the manager took care of it. We enjoyed that there was a bar inside. The kids can go off on their own to the rides (no tickets needed) and we could sit back at the bar, relaxing.
The Sunday Brunch is fantastic. Definitely add this to your list of things to try while there. -
Review from Joanna L.
Tonopah, AZ
8/4/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Minimal rides, a couple small water slides. The water park at Grizzly Jack's and Enchanted Forest amusement park think a lot of themselves, when in reality, they're a little wanna-be family resort.
And there's no reason for a burger to take a half hour to make, sorry. -
Review from Sandy A.
Elmwood Park, IL
10/6/2009
I stayed in the hotel section of the resort last year during the Vintage Wine Festival and had a blast. This year we returned with a larger group and stayed in a cabin. OMG this place was huge. It was very spacious and well kept. There are 3 large bedrooms and all the sofa's were pullout beds. In total you can have up to 18 people sleeping here and be comfy. We had a balcony that overlooked the lake and were in walking distance to the resort (for the pool) and near the amusement park. The kids in our group loved it, and of coarse the adults enjoyed the lazy river.
The only downfall is that due to the firehazards, grills are not allowed, but that was ok. Our first night we at in Utica at Canal Port and the next night there was an all you can eat italian buffet that was part of the package.
Definitely returning next year and staying in the Cabin again. -
Review from Troy A.
Lombard, IL
4/24/2011
Just returned from three days at the Grand Bear Resort and thought it would be a good time to write my first ever review. Our family bond was difinitely strengthened during our time there. Not because of the wonderful experience provided by Grand Bear Resort, but because of the experiences our family went through as a result of the Grand Bear Resort providing HORRIFIC SERVICE. A quick summary:
Be cautious of the jacuzzi's in the Villas - upon turning on the bubbles we were greeted with black debris.
We waited 20 minutes for a server in the restaurant. Once our order was finally taken it was incorrect. There was also an error with the check.
Some amusement park attendants allowed our son to ride without measuring to see if he was tall enough. When my son attempted to ride when other attendants were present he was denied. Hard to explain to a three and a half year old.
There are nine rides at the amusment park but they only employee five attendants to operate. As a result the attendants rotate randomly, without warning or a system.. Explaining to my children why they waited patiently in line for the ride to be suddenly closed was another character building experience.
The "kind of free but not really" breakfast buffet featured a 30 minute wait in line and an omlette chef that was 0 for 2 due to her inability to follow instructions and flip omlettes.
The waterpark was gross and it was obvious that there was little to no effort to clean on a daily basis. But not as gross as the locker rooms which we became more interested in avoiding than using.
Needless to say. We won't be going back. -
Review from Brent W.
11/5/2008
This is exactly what you'd expect from a place located about 50 mi SW of the Chicagoland area. Do not come here expecting lavish resort style treatment and amenities, it ain't happening - at least not in this era. It's a mid range lodge located in one of the more aesthetically appealing parts of North/Central IL, Starved Rock and probably wouldn't make it anywhere else....it's basically a mini Wilderness or Kalahari up in the WD.
It's sat on a nice piece of land offering up views of the surrounding wooded hills and lakes. The concept, while gimicky, does seem to work in this neck of the woods, and if you have a child under five, it's a no brainer, they will enjoy themselves.
The hotel rooms are decent, cabins are better, and both are pretty contrived in appearance, but completely sufficient. Waterpark is good again, for kids under a certain age bracket, beyond that I could see them getting bored rather quickly. They also have a small indoor amusment park but only checked it out in passing. Mini golf coarse, decent sized arcade where I dominated the missus in b-ball (ner !) and the many walking trails round out GBL's amenities.
The restaurant has a substantial Brunch on Sunday which we checked out, and for $15 it was a huge spread, carving and omlett stations, the nine...this would have cost at least double were it in Chicago. The food quality was pretty good, not exceptional but certainly exceeded the $15 price tag.
We stayed here for a wedding and it was a-ok. -
Review from Amaliya L.
Chicago, IL
3/23/2010
We recently booked a last minute weekend trip to Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort.
We were amazed at what a fantastic time we all had.
Because we booked at the last minute our only options were their vacation villa or their cabin. The vacation villa is an 1800 square foot, 2 story townhouse that comfortably sleeps 9 so we invited another couple and their little one to join us. (From their website:
Each vacation villa features a fireplace & television in the living room, a kitchen and dining area, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, a patio and 2 balconies. The kitchen is complete with all major appliances, a coffee pot, toaster, dinnerware, utensils for 8, and basic cookware. A full size washer and dryer are also included. The Master Bedroom has a king size bed, sofa, fireplace, television, a private vanity and a whirlpool tub. The second bedroom has two queen size beds and a television.)
It was absolutely amazing. It was even better than we anticipated. It was the perfect way to travel for a family with young children. We packed snacks, drinks and food preparations for a nice dinner. We even utilized their washing machine and dryer. It was so comfortable, that I could have easily lived there for months.
Our stay also included admission to their water park and indoor amusement park. They provide shuttle service to both locations from your villa. I was shocked that each time that we called, a shuttle appeared within minutes. We barely had time to put our coats on.
The water park is connected to the main hotel. They also feature an arcade and a restaurant. I would highly recommend foregoing their grand breakfast. For $7, you get sausage, biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, toast and fruit. Drinks are separate. You can also pay extra for their omelet station. I am not sure if it is supposed to be a one time trip or a buffet. They gave us styrofoam plates that were not particular strong. Food was not very good in my opinion. What is breakfast without bacon??? We will definitely be cooking our own breakfast for the next trip. The main hotel also offered visitors the opportunity to take pictures with real bear cubs, wolf pups and a baby kangaroo for $10. They also have in possession the giant snowman that used to greet visitors at Santa's Village. It was very cool.
This was our first water park, so I do not have anything to compare it to. Some say that it is small, but for us it was perfect. The lazy river was a blast as was their water slide. They had plenty of life guards and I did not feel that my 4 year old was in any danger. They also allow you to wear flotation devices where I have heard that many water parks do not. Even though this resort is geared towards families, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was neither annoying nor obnoxious. During our stay, the other kids that we encountered were very well behaved. I hardly noticed them.
My only complaint about the water park is that the locker rooms reeked like a urinal. It was so intoxicating that we opted to use the lockers outside of the locker rooms to store our clothing. I didn't want to chance stinking up our stuff. I hate changing in public places, so my son and I already had our swim gear on underneath our street clothes. I am so thankful for that.
I'd also like to note that the water park is a relatively safe place. My husband had left his coat, wallet, and blackberry hanging in the locker room for 2 hours. He had forgotten to lock it up. Surprisingly, it was still there and nothing was missing. I wouldn't recommend testing your luck though.
The amusement park is also perfect. They feature both kid friendly and adult rides. It's not huge, but the perfect amount to whet your appetite. We were able to ride several of the rides 3 times each, and the wait time was minimal. The adults had as much fun as the kids. The food inside the amusement park was actually very good.
We will definitely return to Grizzly Jack's, hopefully for a longer visit in the summer. There are many things to do in the area, such as hiking, horseback riding and antiquing.Listed in: Kid Culture, Parks, Pools, Water Parks and…
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Review from laura s.
Chicago, IL
2/21/2011
Soooo disappointed. Family headed to the resort to spend Christmas Eve together. Booked the luxury cabin to include 3 fireplaces and 2 jacuzzis. Very difficult to find our cabin as the holiday decorations covered the individual addresses. Finally found it and when we walked in we were greeted with freezing cold blasts of air. Apparently they don't turn on the heat when they know guests are coming. Tried to turn on main fireplace and it didn't work. Three maintenance calls later, got it going but never did get the other two fireplaces going. Then when we went to enjoy the jacuzzi, we found that the one in the master bedroom didn't work either.
Registered a list of complaints with the front desk upon check out and was told we would hear from management to discuss. Accepted that as is was Christmas Day after all. Tried not to be a Scrooge. Never heard from anyone, even after several emails to follow up. Apparently they don't care whether anyone ever comes back or recommends the place. Too bad. Telling anyone who asks to stay away from the place. Paying for broken fireplaces and jacuzzis is just not right. Wonder if they will ever contact me?Comment from Brett S. of Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort 4/23/2011
While we may have had some failures during your stay, please… More » -
Review from Erin R.
Chicago, IL
2/21/2010
Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort is basically a fifth grader's wet dream. And it's probably not all that bad if you're the parent of a fifth grader because you can drink beer pool-side while your munchkin runs him/herself ragged on the lazy river, water slides, wave pool and hot tub. Unfortunately, I neither have nor am a fifth grader and was thus, totally exhausted from the experience. We brought our 1 year old into the baby pool where we had to protect her from too-big kids trying to stomp on all the babies. We were completely overwhelmed by the shear number of kids and teens and adults in the small-ish waterpark. Our eyes are still burning from the highly chlorinated pool - a necessity with all those people running around.
The key to staying at Grizzly Jacks is to rent out a Vacation Villa. If you're at the resort with another family, it is actually cheaper to get a villa that sleeps 6 adults very comfortably, has cooking wares, and a living room. The resort also has a decent arcade where I won enough tickets (skeeball champ, baby!) to win a few bracelets and some pixie stix. Yum.
There is also a small indoor amusement park with several fun-in-a-scary-way rides. I shared a seat with a strange 10 year old and we screamed our faces off while the rides whipped us around.
The food at Grizzly Jack's is, in a word, terrible. TERRIBLE. Take my advice and skip the resort-provided breakfast, drive the 5 minutes into Utica, and save yourself the money and the indigestion.
It was a fun weekend but I think I need a few years to recover before we will consider a return trip. -
Review from Larry D.
Carol Stream, IL
8/11/2010
The fifth anniversary is no big deal. In the five years the resort has grown lesser in value and cleanliness. Of greatest disappointment Is the overall grunge of the water park and rooms filthy floors. Add the closing of jacks restaurant leaves options extremely limited. Basically we've been here before, but won't be back.
Comment from Brett S. of Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort 8/11/2010
Thank you for your feedback. We have done some… More » -
Review from Robyn T.
1/27/2009
I was pretty impressed with my recent stay at Grizzly Jack's. I came for a couples weekend...we were probably the only adults there sans kids, but hey why not right? We certainly felt like kids!
Including in the price of your room is admission to the water park (jacuzzi, wave pool, lazy river and 2 water slides -- I don't recommend the one that you go on without an inner tube!); the amusement park (rides that shake and flip you around - not good for anyone that is prone to dizzy spells); and the arcade (you've got to love games where you can win tickets!)
The rooms were nice enough, but I recommend bringing your own soap and shampoo. Loved the whole forest/tree theme they had going on.
There is a restaurant that was closed when we were there as well as 2 snack shops.
If you go expecting loud crazy kids you won't be disappointed. Meanwhile if you're the parents of those kids...well, I'm sure your kids will have a great time! -
Review from Noah C.
1/26/2010 1 Check-in Here
This is the second year we have taken our daughter to Grand Bear for a winter get away and we have had a great time both years. The water park is a little small but the perfect size for younger kids. They have a couple of nice small slides perfect for kids 3 - 10 and a little play area that is designed for kids. The lazy river is small and short but again perfect for the younger kids. The wave pool is small but the waves throw you around and make it a lot of fun. I have read a few reviews about Grand Bear and people complain about the water park being cold during the winter... well, it is winter in Illinois. It is a little cold inside the water park, not freezing, not unbearable, just a little chilly. Get past it and get in the water. We had fun, it wasn't THAT cold. I have also read reviews about the chlorine levels being so high that peoples eyes and skin were burning, NOT TRUE. I have been to many indoor water parks and my eyes have burned plenty from the chlorine in the air but that was not the case at Grand Bear.
The indoor amusement park was a lot of fun for our daughter. There are many rides for her to go on but they are not all kiddie rides. She was too short to ride a few that were designed for older kids. The food was average but we only ate one late meal after a few drinks, so it was good for me! Mostly fried foods and pizza. They have ribs and burgers but I'd say stick to the bar food at the amusement park.
We stayed in on of the vacation villas and were once again very impressed with them. The kitchen was clean and allowed us to cook breakfast both days and dinner one night. This is a great way to save a couple bucks. The staff was nice and helpful. I would definitely suggest this place as a great get away location for families with younger kids. I can see how older kids or adults without kids could be bored here. I would like to see Grand Bear add Internet access to the villas, (although my wife liked that I was not on the computer all weekend!) -
Review from Irving S.
Freeport, IL
4/2/2011
This place should be shut down by the Health Department. Overly priced, poorly run. The place is under-staffed and the the staff they have are poorly trained. Room prices are high and everything is extra. We just got home after spending only one night of a two night stay. Rooms were dirty and poorly maintained. No hot water in the room this morning. The breakfast buffet was terrible. One kid was working his heart out to re-stock the food, bus the tables and field complaints. The omelet bar was so dirty it was sickening. The omelet cook was either high or mentally challenged. She kept reading her texts while trying to cook. When we complained about anything we were told they did not expect to get the crowd they had this weekend. Huh? They didn't look at the number of people that had reservations?
Big time ripoff. Beware. Do not spend your hard earned money at this ripoff water park. Water park was small and the over-chlorinated water was cold. Life guards were more interested in playing around then doing their jobs. STAY AWAY! -
Review from Aaron P.
Oglesby, IL
6/10/2008
Took them a couple years to change the menu. For an "upper scale" restaurant you would think this would happen rather often. The food here is alright cooks are mostly middle age kids. If you are looking for a nice dinner you can go to Starved Rock Lodge. If you have kids and such I would stick at GBL. Also the bar here, unlike Starved Rock which has its own room, is only a little area of the resaurant. Wait staff is friendly and nice, as well as prompt.
As for the resort, it is good for the kids. If you are going for yourself for a weekend get away you should go to Starved Rock Lodge. -
Review from Jennifer W.
Tinley Park, IL
11/27/2009
Well my family and I have enjoyed the last 3 nights at Grand Bear and I must say I am floored by what a great place it is. My kids would have like to have stayed for longer but we must get back to reality. If you are going there I would recommend that you bring a couple of families with you to spread the cost out. We stayed in a cabin and it was amazing it had 2 whirlpool tubs for god sakes. We loved it maybe you can to.
