Frankenmuth – Frankenmuth, German heritage with small-town appeal (Updated 2024)

 

Frankenmuth: a charming tiny town with a German background To enjoy the finest of small-town living visit this charming village

With a rich history, excellent shopping, and a plethora of cultural activities, Frankenmuth welcomes millions of tourists each year. This small city has rich Bavarian origins and resembles a German town. It has all the amenities you would expect from a German town, including cultural events and Bavarian restaurants, stores, and buildings. It is home to two of the biggest independently-owned restaurants in the United States, both of which serve delicious fried chicken meals, in addition to the largest Christmas store in the world. Experience the warmth and charm of Frankenmuth for yourself by taking a stroll through the flower-filled public gardens, riding a carriage through the town, or gliding down the Cass River in a passenger paddleboat.

One-of-a-Kind Adventure & Food

The name “Zehnder” is a big one in this city. Built in the Bavarian style, Zehnders of Frankenmuth includes Splash Village Hotel and Waterpark, a famed restaurant, a marketplace and a championship golf course within its expansive borders. Avoid the cold by hitting the slide at the indoor water park or tee-off on the course, then feast on a family-style chicken dinner at historic Zehnders Restaurant. Leave with a signature trinket from the marketplace. For more thrills and good eats, head to Bavarian Inn Lodge and waterpark and Bavarian Inn Restaurant, where traditional Michigan sides like cranberry relish and Stollen (fruit and nut bread) come with every meal. Still feeling intrepid? Frankenmuth Adventure Park offers five levels of climbing in their aerial adventure forest.

 

Travel Through History in Frankenmuth

There’s no better way to enjoy the slow and easy pace of Frankenmuth than on board the Bavarian Belle Riverboat, a paddlewheel-style vessel. Your tour guide relays the history of the city as you observe it from the water. Have a date night with Frankenmuth Funships, which offers wine and chocolate tastings as you cruise the Cass River. To take in the cheerful shopfronts here, sign up for one of the city’s horse carriage tours. For a broader – and tastier – perspective, stop into the Frankenmuth Historical Museum or spend an afternoon at Lager Mill, a brew store and museum. Don’t miss the glorious stained glass windows of St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, the area’s oldest, which offers tours daily.

 

Magical Shopping

You’ll feel as though you’re in a true Bavarian village at River Place Shops, which has more than 30 boutiques and attractions. Find everything from fudge to Irish items, as well as a distillery, a maze for the kids and a nature gift shop.  You can’t visit Frankenmuth without visiting Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland, the biggest Christmas store in the world. Find ornaments, collectibles, trees, lights and much more as you wander through this gorgeously-decorated holiday paradise, which is open year round.