Frankenmuth
by Sandra Merville Hart
A friend of mine spent a long weekend in the quaint Michigan town of Frankenmuth. She and her husband had such a fun time exploring, shopping, and eating delicious meals that we planned a short vacation getaway.
My husband and I went with family for a long weekend. It’s a beautiful German village. If you stay in the middle of town as we did, you’ll be within easy walking distance of most shops and restaurants because the main part of the village is about a mile long.
Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland will put you in the mood for Christmas no matter what time of year you visit! The world’s largest Christmas store is packed with unique items, decorations, and ornaments—all beautifully arranged. It even has a snack bar. My husband found a Christmas gift for me and shooed me away to another end of the vast store the size of 1 ½ football fields. I didn’t see the gift yet but I hope it’s from one particular display. 
The river was too high for us to take a riverboat cruise on the Bavarian Belle. Instead, we spent an enjoyable afternoon strolling the cobblestone paths at Frankenmuth River Place, making some fun purchases, and eating ice cream.
We ate at several restaurants and liked all of them. The Bavarian Inn Restaurant stands out for me. Two people ordered the fried chicken that they’re rightly famous for and I ordered a new German dish. Another restaurant I particularly liked was Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth. The fine dining restaurant had a long wait so we ate at the cafeteria style one on the lower level—a delicious choice for lunch.
If you want to try your hand at pretzel making, reserve a spot weeks ahead. Indoor waterparks and ziplining are other family fun adventures to include in your visit.
All in all, it’s a great place for a fun family weekend.
Sources
“Fun Things to Do in Little Bavaria,” Frankenmuth Michigan’s Little Bavaria, 2021/07/26
