Located just over an hour from the Canada/USA border is Michigan’s Little Bavaria. The community of Frankenmuth that was founded in 1845. There are a great number of things for you and your family to do in Frankenmuth. With festivities year round, the town welcomes visitors with Bavarian hospitality regardless of the season. Whether it’s a day trip for the family or a weekend retreat with friends, Frankenmuth is the perfect destination to recharge, renew and refresh. From fantastic food, unique shopping and live entertainment, to rich historical beauty and culture, it’s the ideal departure from the ordinary every day. Visit anytime and count the ways you can enjoy everything the town of Frankenmuth has to offer.
If you have never had the pleasure of experiencing Bavarian hospitality I highly recommend you visit Frankenmuth. Great for couples, great for family, great for all.
5 Things to do in Frankenmuth, Michigan
Eat Family style dinners
Frankenmuth is well known for their famous chicken dinners. You can order them by the plate or family style. All of the restaurants seem to offer this option and it is an unique way of dining. You can order the family style dinners with chicken or other German specialties. These yummy dinners include breads, soup, salads and sides, endless meat and dessert. Your table is brought large family sized dishes and when it gets low, you just request more. This dining experience is so tasty and so much fun. A great way to enjoy your company and relax while eating an authentic German meal.
Drink Wine & Beer
German Beers are very popular world wide. i personally am not a beer drinker however I love wine. In Frankenmuth there is wine and beer everywhere. Imported German beers are offered in the restaurants and stores. Large bottles and small. We had some wine and loved it.
If you love collectables you can purchase Beer Steins or handpainted wine glasses in one of the shops in town. A fun way to take a little Bavaria home with you.
Frankenmuth also has a Brewery. With award winning lagers and ales the Frankenmuth Brewery is celebrating 150 years of tradition. The brewery was built in 1862 and is one of Michigan’s largest breweries. The brewery has a fabulous restaurant and offers tours for free of the brewery . If you like what you see and taste you can buy some beer to go in their store. For events related to beer, Frankenmuth hosts the World Expo of Beer in the spring and Oktoberfest in the Fall.
Watch Candy being made
Just walking down the main street of Frankenmuth you will see all the homemade fudge stores with people looking through the windows. I remember seeing at least 4 of them and everyone of them offered a sample. You can go in and see them making fudge, peanut brittle and taffy. The people making it are dressed in Bavarian wear and so friendly. They explain every step and every detail. Walking down the street and discovering these hidden gems makes for a great afternoon especially if you have a sweet tooth like me.
Some of the places you can go to check out homemade sweets are; Frankenmuth Fudge Kitchen, Cheese Haus (where they make chocolate cheese) , Frankenmuth Taffy Kitchen, Zak’s Fudge and Zak’s Kandy Haus. If you prefer baked goods over candy, no worries. There are plenty of bakeries around as well that smell oh so good 🙂
Horse drawn Carriage ride
A great way to see Frankenmuth and get a feel for the history is by horse drawn carriage. You can see them set up along the main street and outside of the larger,more popular restaurants. You can choose a historic tour or a tour of the attractions. Rides start at $40 and run throughout the year.
Celebrate Christmas all Year long
The moment you enter Frankenmuth any month of the year, you are greeted by Huge Christmas displays and signage. As you approach Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland you will see light displays and the Silent Night Chapel. Bronner’s is the World’s largest Christmas store. Open 361 days a year you can but every ornament you can imagine. Displays, ornaments and personalized items are just a few of what you will find in the enormous store. Walking through the store with Christmas carols playing puts you in a great mood all year long. A must see spot for all Christmas lovers during their visit. Having many family members with unique names, I love that they offer free personalization to ornaments with purchase. So people who can never find their name on something, can there. Items start from affordable and go up to very extravagant. The christmas store is a fun place to visit.
Hopefully this gives you a glimpse of what Frankenmuth has to offer. It is one of our favorite family destinations.
Gingermommy is a Canadian mom to four. You can find her ranting, reviewing and more over at Tales of a Ranting Ginger.
Elizabeth Lampman is a coffee-fuelled Mom of 2 girls and lives in Hamilton, Ontario. She enjoys travelling, developing easy recipes, crafting, taking on diy projects, travelling and saving money!
Darlene W
Friday 16th of September 2016
I have heard of this town but have never visited, will do maybe this year
kathy downey
Saturday 20th of August 2016
I have to add this to my bucket list for sure it sounds amazing,and i do love a sip of wine!
kathy downey
Thursday 2nd of April 2015
This sounds like such an interesting place
kathy downey
Monday 1st of September 2014
I have never heard of this place before but would sure love to visit there
Jenny
Thursday 14th of August 2014
Frankenmuth actually has 2 breweries. There is the Franenmuth Brewery and just outside of town is the Black Forest Brewery. The Black Forest Brewery has more traditional German food, and the Frankenmuth Brewery has more American fare.