I stayed at a cartoon-themed hotel in Pennsylvania for $150 a night. It was 1 minute away from an amusement park and had great food.

• I took my 9-year-old son to the Cartoon Network Hotel in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and he loved it.

• Our $150 standard room was bare bones but had playful elements and a theme that my kid enjoyed.

• Even though the hotel was geared toward a younger audience, I still had a nice time there.

My husband and I took our son to the Cartoon Network Hotel during our trip through the Northeast.

Traveling with a tween can be hard. My once-predictable 9-year-old is suddenly harder to gauge and labels many activities as "cringe."

When I planned a family vacation to the Philadelphia area, I wanted to find something exciting to distract my son from the otherwise educational aspects of our trip.

So, I booked a room at the Cartoon Network Hotel, a family-friendly resort managed by Palace Entertainment, for $150 per night.

The property is located in an unlikely place: Pennsylvania Dutch Country.

Our trip through Lancaster, Pennsylvania, offered my Florida-based family a glimpse of a quieter life. Alongside its horse-drawn buggies and quaint farmhouses, we found the Cartoon Network Hotel.

The multicolor building stands out from the surrounding countryside because of its bold design, which features towering statues of "Adventure Time" characters Finn and Jake on top of the entrance.

Even from a distance, the building looked like pure fun. I just needed to figure out if my tween agreed.

I think Cartoon Network's programs are great for kids who aren't quite teenagers yet.

My fourth grader has only recently slipped into tween territory, which usually spans between 9 and 12 years old.

He's still phasing out animated TV shows as he moves toward age-appropriate YouTube videos and reality content. With a target audience between the ages of 6 to 12, Cartoon Network is a fun station for him to watch during these in-between years.

My son enjoys some of the network's tween-oriented programs. As a parent, I find plenty of subtle humor in the shows and can enjoy them as well.

So, I was excited to see what the themed hotel had in store for us.

The Cartoon Network-themed lobby was whimsical and bright when we entered.

Cartoon Network's programming is mostly lighthearted, and that feeling carried through to the hotel when we arrived.

The decor is far from subdued. Sketches of characters from the channel's popular shows adorn nearly every available space on the inside and outside of the building.

The hotel's vivid design elements distracted me from the layout, which features long corridors and exterior entrances that reminded me of a motel.

Our room had a theme centered around "The Amazing World of Gumball," one of my son's favorite shows.

Each room is themed around one of six popular Cartoon Network shows: "Adventure Time," "The Amazing World of Gumball," "We Bare Bears," "Steven Universe," "The Powerpuff Girls," and "Ben 10."

When we booked our stay at the hotel, we could choose our room type but not the room theme. My son had certain preferences, so I was concerned we'd end up in a room with a theme he didn't like.

Luckily, we stayed in a standard room with two double beds that was centered around "The Amazing World of Gumball," a show he enjoys. The theme was rather minimal, with throw pillows and matching covers designed to look like the show's characters.

It was an apt setting for my tween, who didn't seem to find it cringe.

Our room was simple but offered fun elements for my tween to enjoy.

Coming from our home in Orlando, my family is no stranger to over-the-top themed hotels.

We routinely pass properties that resemble a tropical Hawaiian oasis, a Victorian spa retreat, and a mid-century beach resort. Our room at the Cartoon Network Hotel was a bit utilitarian in comparison.

However, the accommodation's simplicity was paired with playful accents, like a squishy beanbag chair that my son loved.

At just under $150 per night, the room was a bargain compared to many other themed properties I've visited.

We had the most fun with the hotel's amenities and lobby area.

The hotel's common areas outshined our room during our stay.

When we stepped outside our door, we found numerous fire pits, indoor and outdoor pools, an outdoor movie-viewing area, and more.

The hotel's lobby was also brimming with character. The elevator displayed animated Cartoon Network stars that danced as we made our way between the floors.

My son was drawn to the arcade, which offered a variety of games and virtual-reality experiences.

In addition to the arcade, the property also has simple amusements, like scavenger hunts, cornhole, character meet-and-greet opportunities, and, of course, a gift shop full of tempting souvenirs.

Framed sketches and concept art are also on display, which I thought was a tasteful touch that allowed us to see how a cartoon character takes shape over time.

The hotel's restaurant was surprisingly enjoyable, even for adults.

We dined at Cartoon Kitchen, the on-site restaurant, which was unexpectedly delightful.

I'll admit that my expectations were low, but our dishes — which were named after talking bears, dogs, and other creatures — were super flavorful and well-prepared.

There was entertainment here as well, as screens placed throughout the room showed animated Cartoon Network characters preparing their own dishes.

The bar offered specialty coffees in the morning and cocktails in the evening. We could also order Instagrammable snack items that my inner child thoroughly enjoyed.

We had a blast at the nearby theme park, which was within walking distance of the hotel.

When it came time to leave the hotel each day, we had plenty to do in the surrounding area.

We took part in hands-on activities, like pretzel-making, and sampled ice cream at Turkey Hill. We were most excited to visit an amusement park called Dutch Wonderland.

It has some small roller coasters that offer manageable thrills for tweens looking to inch their way up to more intense theme-park attractions.

The park is owned by the same company as the Cartoon Network Hotel, and it's an easy walk between the two properties.

Our visit happened to coincide with Dutch Winter Wonderland, a seasonal event with thousands of lights. Our entire family enjoyed the celebration together.

At the end of the day, the Cartoon Network Hotel offered the perfect spot for my tween to unwind.

After days spent making memories and enjoying quality time together, I felt OK giving my son time to plug back in and have fun.

The Cartoon Network Hotel was the perfect spot to do just that. This carefree setting helped bridge the sometimes awkward gap between childhood and teenage years.

Admittedly, a few of the hotel offerings skewed a little young for my son, and I'm not sure he'd find this setting as suitable in a couple of years.

However, I didn't see a single eye roll or hear the word "cringe" escape his lips. I'll count that as a major win.

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