Where to Play, Eat, and Stay in Frankenmuth, Michigan’s Little Bavaria

When I first drove under the Willkommen banner in downtown Frankenmuth, I felt like I was visiting Epcot at Disney World. “Michigan’s Little Bavaria” is not a theme park, but like the Disney pavilions I’ve strolled, Frankenmuth charmed me with its cuisine, scenery, and shopping. The city’s history is integral to its traditional dining experiences and year-round festivals.

Only eight years after Michigan became a state, Frankenmuth was founded in 1845 by 15 missionaries from Neuendettelsau, Germany, who sought to convert Indigenous Ojibway (or Chippewa) people. The word “Frankenmuth” means “courage of the Franconians.” This perspective is seen in the town’s St. Lorenz Church, Frankenmuth Historical Museum, and Frankenmuth Woolen Mill.

Known for its holiday magic and German heritage today, Frankenmuth is worth a trip for Michiganders or travelers from out of state. On my first-ever visit, Main Street kept me occupied with hours of experiences, including the world’s largest Christmas store.

Things to do in Frankenmuth

Photos: Photo: Michael Deemer/Shutterstock and Allison McClain Merrill

Frankenmuth’s proudest claim to fame is Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the world’s largest Christmas store. I couldn’t grasp its vastness until I set foot in the 80-year-old establishment. Bronner’s gets wildly busy as the holidays approach, but for Christmas in July, the crowd was manageable.

On a tour with Autumn Bronner, I learned that Wally Bronner started the business in his parents’ basement at age 16 in 1945. He saw a need for Christmas signs and decorations, and the business expanded immensely from there. Some of Wally’s original artwork is still on view in Bronner’s today. Ornaments, nativity scenes, toys, trees, lights, stockings, and Christmas villages abound in the store, which I perused for a couple of hours during my Frankenmuth stay.

“Every ornament that you could possibly think of, we have,” Autumn Bronner says.

Glittering lights and life-size displays extend toward the ceiling with backdrops painted by in-house artist Eileen Boone. I’m a Christmas person through and through, and I bought two ornaments in complementary colors, one Romanian and one hand-painted by Odawa Nation artist James Jacko. I eyed a wintry Dickens village and a large Fontanini nativity scene. There were even Halloween villages that would delight Disney and Harry Potter fans.

Bronner’s Silent Night Chapel is open during store hours.

“It’s an exact replica of the Silent Night Chapel in Obendorf,” says Bronner. “Wally actually got special permission to do that replica here. He had to go through the Austrian government.”

Photos: Allison McClain Merrill

Frankenmuth is known as a faith-based community, so it also made sense to visit St. Lorenz Church, the town’s founding church, to see its stained glass windows that tell a story of Frankenmuth.

One wall of windows is about “beginnings,” says Frankenmuth expert Herb Zeilinger. A rendering of St. Lorenz Church in 1880 commands attention with its vivid hues of red and magenta. Dorothea Craemer, the congregation’s first schoolteacher, is shown below instructing Chippewa children.

The opposite wall features a theme of “proclamations.” The Franconian settlers aimed to convert Native Americans to Christianity. As seen in a window, August Craemer proclaimed his Christian faith, and Chief Bemassikeh said in response, “Teach my people the truth,” says Zeilinger. It’s important to continue examining both the Indigenous and Franconian history of this destination city.

Across from the Frankenmuth Historical Museum is Michigan’s oldest woolen mill, the Frankenmuth Woolen Mill, which has been making products on-site since 1894. Cotton is washed in bathtubs in 180-degree water and spun in an extractor, then dried and processed naturally. The carding machine now in use was built in the 1870s and put into production in the 1930s. Clients can have their comforters laundered in-store on Thursdays.

Comforters, pillows, socks, dryer balls, furniture dusters, coasters, “woozies” (wool coozies), and more are on sale at the shop. Smaller groups can see production through a glass window while they shop, and an interactive tour is available on the main floor.

Where to eat in Frankenmuth

Photo: Allison McClain Merrill

A long-standing tradition in Frankenmuth is the family-style chicken dinner, which is associated with the Zehnder family. William and Emilie Zehnder bought the New Exchange Hotel in 1928 and started serving their chicken on Mother’s Day in 1929. In 1950, the Zehnder family purchased the Fischer Hotel across the road.

The New Exchange Hotel became Zehnder’s restaurant, which now seats 1,500 people in its dining room, and the Fischer Hotel became the Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn. But before that, in the late 1800s, Margaretha Kern reportedly became the first person in Frankenmuth to serve such a chicken dinner for a party. Hotelier Theodore Fischer then specialized in the meal.

The chicken dinner is a revered custom in the area today. When I went to Zehnder’s, I decided to go off the beaten path and try the chicken in phyllo dough. I asked for both of the sauces, parmesan and raspberry coulis. The latter was my favorite. The meal came with noodle soup and bread, and I somehow had some room for a baked potato. I grabbed a delectable butterhorn pastry from the downstairs bakery for the road.

Elsewhere in Frankenmuth, my mornings revolved around the Michigan operation Creation Coffee. I enjoyed a honey lavender latte and avocado toast on multi-grain with hot honey. I had no idea the hot honey would blow my mind.

I had lunch at Prost Wine Bar & Charcuterie, an intimate eatery with nice bar seating for a solo lunch. My appetizer, the honey-whipped ricotta and ciabatta, was like a decadent dessert. Tomato and sweet corn risotto provided a good savory counterpoint. Pair all this with the sparkling wine if you fancy a non-alcoholic drink.

That evening, the Frankenmuth Brewery had another fun alcohol-free offering: a blueberry ginger beer mocktail, which I drank between bites of a pulled pork sandwich and kale slaw. The brewery was founded in 1862 and overlooks the Cass River, so outdoor seating is especially pleasant when the weather allows.

If you think you’ll want a nightcap, book the Frankenmuth FunShips Chocolate and Wine Tour, which pairs five chocolates with five wine samples. The hour-long boat ride on the Cass River was a chance to unwind at the end of the day as ducks swam around and the large Bavarian Belle tourist ship sailed by.

Where to stay in Frankenmuth

Photo: Allison McClain Merrill

There are several chain hotels within walking distance of a true Frankenmuth experience, along with the Bavarian Inn & Lodge (home to Michigan’s largest indoor waterpark). Visitors who want a more elevated experience will appreciate The Mill at Zehnder Park, a four-room boutique hotel which is slated to open in 2026. Until then, I hope to make a day trip in the winter for some fudge, chicken, cheese, clocks, wool, and even a Christmas reindeer.

Getting to and around Frankenmuth

Photo: Robert Koernke/Shutterstock

The closest airport to Frankenmuth is MBS International Airport (MBS) in Freeland, Michigan, about 35 to 40 minutes away by car. Though small, MBS has daily nonstop flights via Delta or United Airlines to and from two major hubs, Chicago and Detroit. This may be convenient for some travelers. However, Michiganders may find it easier to drive. I came in from the Detroit area and drove under two hours. For more flight options, Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) is also a little under two hours away.

Once in Frankenmuth, getting around is easy. The downtown area is highly walkable, with shops, restaurants, and attractions clustered along Main Street. Rideshares like Uber and Lyft are available but may have limited service during off-peak hours. During festivals and holidays, visitors can enjoy trolley rides or horse-drawn carriages, while some hotels also offer shuttles for guests.

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