It's located off Highway 120 near the Interstate 5 interchange, about an hour from Merced.
The company's CEO says the 29-acre property is the perfect place to open the state's second location, in addition to Anaheim.
CEO Murray Hennessy explains, "Right here in Manteca, we can access so many population centers, San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, Fresno, and even people coming to and from Yosemite."
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The resort is expected to have a major impact on the local economy through tax revenue and the hiring of 600 employees. That's in addition to 2,000 construction workers.
Crews are now working quickly to finish the 95,000 square-foot indoor water park. It will have similar features to the one in Arizona, with a variety of slides and play areas, plus a lazy river and wave pool.
Staff members say it's designed to be safe with no long lines and comfortable conditions year-round.
Greg Waldron is the Corporate Director of Water Parks for Great Wolf Lodge. He says, "We tend to keep our indoor water parks at about 84 degrees air temperature, and we keep the water about 2 degrees cooler about 82-83."
There's also an outdoor pool and an indoor adventure park that includes miniature golf, a ropes course, and an arcade plus several dining options.
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Hennessy says, "You book it, show up, have fun."
The resort features 500 rooms, and an overnight stay includes two days at the water park. Standard rates start at $199 per night, but you can save up to 30 percent if you book by March 10.
Day passes may be available eventually, but not during the launch, which the company just announced is happening earlier than expected.
"We're really pleased to announce that we're going to open Great Wolf Northern California one month early, July 1st," says Hennessy.