The little tourist town of Frankenmuth is located North of Flint and is also known as Michigan’s Little Bavaria. When you pass the welcome sign (entering from the south), the first thing you see is Christmas! Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland is right there with their over the top Christmas Decor. Once you get to the downtown area, you will notice that the architecture starts to look a little different than traditional American small towns. The German Heritage pours out of this little town through every aspect. The shops, the food, the hotels, the shopping centers, and uniforms worn by staff all boast German style.
Last weekend, we took a quick overnight trip to experience what this town has to offer. I had such a wonderful time with all of my kids (ranging in age from 15-29) Over the span of two days, we turned on our tourist caps and tried our best to do, see, and taste everything!
Our first stop was Bronner’s. I had never been to this massive Christmas store and it was definitely a spectacle. Imagine the largest Christmas store you have ever seen… now times that by 10 and you have Bronner’s. It is awe inspiring! Every time you think you are at the end of the store, you turn a corner and there is more. There are several restrooms and a snack bar!
The Castle Shops at the Bavarian Inn Restaurant are like a hidden gem. The Bavarian Inn Restaurant is on the main floor and below the restaurant, through maze-like hallways, there are several little shops including a bakery, fudge shop, candy store, wine shop, a toy store and a couple other stores with knick knacks, clothing, and decor.
Amongst the downtown area eateries is a gem of a place called Prost! “Prost” is the German word for “Cheers”. This Wine Bar and Charcuterie, is a posh spot to enjoy a small bite and some delicious drinks. The atmosphere is elegantly fun, with a splash of chill.
We stayed at the Bavarian Inn which could possibly be a destination in and of itself. Inside the hotel, there are 2 restaurants, 1 lounge, 4 pools, 2 waterslides, 1 mini golf course, and 1 very expansive arcade complete with tickets and prizes. (We probably spent way too much money on games, but it was fun and worth it!) It is located within walking distance to the downtown area and the River Place shops. There is an amazing wooden covered bridge that you can either walk or drive across, which is pretty amazing. (Pro Tip: If you get the wine package add on to your room….take a wine bottle opener or you will have to go to the gift shop and spend $10 on one as it is not included)
Of course we had to experience one of the World Famous Chicken Dinners! There are two places to experience a phenomenal Chicken dinner: Bavarian Inn Restaurant or Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth. We made a reservation (through OpenTable) for 7:00pm. Due to Covid regulations, they were at a limited capacity, so I highly recommend making a reservation. This dinner was so amazing! The fried chicken was literally THE BEST fried chicken I have ever had! I started dinner like a good little blogger and took some photos of all the appetizers and starters, then I got so excited for the Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing and all the fixin’s that I totally forgot to take pictures of it. Luckily I found a few nice photos on Zehnder’s Media page (thanks Zehnder’s)
Getting coffee at The Harvest coffeehouse is a must! I HIGHLY recommend this coffeehouse. I am very particular about my coffee and this is the third time I have tried Harvest coffee and they make a fantastic Latte! (note: my family owned and operated a coffee house for a couple decades so we tend to be pretty picky about our coffee and how it is made)
We made our way to La Crepe du Jour Creperie and cafe for some brunch crepes. OH MY Gracious sakes alive… These crepe’s were so delicious! Every single one of us LOVED our crepe, they were made so perfectly. There are so many flavors/fillings to choose from I probably could live on these forever and not tire of them. AND the theming of this cute little creperie is fantastic!
The Great Lakes Escape Game is so fun! None of us had ever experienced an escape room game and while this isn’t really a German ‘thing’, we still had to do it. I am so glad we did. Our game master was fantastic and explained everything very well and was a lot of fun. The game itself was challenging, fun, and rewarding (because we escaped!) Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos of this experience, but they took one of us!
Walking around Frankenmuth is just so relaxing and fun. There are little surprises around every corner. Wineries, distilleries, food, music, games, horse drawn carriage rides, clothes, candles, souvenirs, specialty stores, souvenirs, fudge, chocolate, gifts, museum, cheese, and more.
I hope that someday you find your way to this quaint little town for a visit. For those wondering about Covid safety. I am happy to report that everyone seemed to be compliantly wearing a mask. A Lot of people were actually wearing them while walking outside as well (let’s be real, it’s like a scarf tied to your ears in the winter in Michigan!) The arcade was frequently cleaned (touch points wiped down). Pools required a reservation (this was an issue for us… we made reservations but they were still packed when we got there…and no masks in the pool for obvious reasons…thus, we did not enjoy the pools or hot tub because of that.) Tables in restaurants were appropriately spaced. Everywhere we went had implemented safety protocols for reducing the spread of the Coronavirus. We felt very safe the entire time we were in Frankenmuth.
Have you ever been to Frankenmuth? What is your favorite thing to see/do/eat there? If you haven’t been, do you plan to go? Comment below and let me know! Don’t forget to like this post and share it! Thanks for reading!
The Mouse Traveler 