Add Little Bavaria, aka Frankenmuth, Michigan to your mitten state Bucket List! A beautiful small town filled with big German spirit; everything from the architecture, to the food, to the year-round festivities screams Little Bavaria. The streets are lined with vivacious flowers and beautiful shops filled with shopping and restaurants, spirits and more. Take it all in with a ride through town on an amazing horse drawn carriage, or get some exercise on the PedAle Trolley for some adult fun. For the whole experience take a narrated tour of Frankenmuth on a riverboat cruise! Find the Bavarian Belle Riverboat at the Waterfall and take a trip down Cass River.
It is always Christmas in Little Bavaria! You’ve seen the billboards far and wide for Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland and here it is! Open 361 days a year means everyday is Christmas in Frankenmuth, Michigan. Bronner’s is nothing but Christmas, as you drive through the parking lot you’ll be surrounded by amazing Christmas decorations and you’ll truly start to feel the spirit. Take a quick tour of the Silent Night Memorial Chapel; a replica of the original chapel in Oberndorf/Salzburg, Austria, where “Silent Night” was sung for the very first time! Lining the walkway to the Chapel are the lyrics to Silent Night in several different languages; this is a cool addition to an already awesome destination. Take your time shopping, and don’t leave without getting your own personalized Christmas tree ornament; the perfect souvenir from your trip to Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland!
Frankenmuth is full of history, take an interactive tour through time at the Frankenmuth Historical Museum. Then experience some history hands on with the Bavarian Blacksmith Experience! Forge your own dagger, knife, and more under the guidance of an experienced blacksmith. This is sure to be an experience you will never forget. Visit the Michigan Heroes Museum and honor the great men and women of Michigan’s past and present. Take in Little Bavaria with a walk on the Holz-Brücke Covered Bridge, and check out Glockenspiel Tower; which houses a magnificent 35-bell carillon, a beautiful figurine movement and an illuminated clock, all imported from Germany!
Take the kids to the Bavarian Inn Lodge Family Fun Center for some mini golf, arcade games, and Ratskeller Café. For some outdoors fun head to the Frankenmuth Aerial park for awesome ziplines and rope courses! Have some fun on a Frankenmuth Kayak Adventure or trying to escape at Great Lakes Escape Game. Go shopping at Frankenmuth River Place Shops; here are the coolest little shops with the beautiful Bavarian architecture. Even if you don’t plan on buying anything, walk through the shops, take in the atmosphere, and see the fountain, fairy gardens, and much more!
Make sure to take the family to the world-renowned Ultimate Mirror Maze for some fun and try their new attraction ‘The Vault” a laser beam challenge that’ll make you feel like your a real spy. Go mining for gemstones at Thunder Bay Mining Company, and your kids will never forgive you if you don’t take them to Zehnder’s Splash Village! With over 50,000 square feet of aquatic fun the whole family is going to love it here!
For a small town in Michigan, Frankenmuth still has quite a few lodging options. Stay in one of the many hotels, like Zehnder’s, or embrace Michigan’s great outdoors and spend a weekend camping or cabining at Jellystone Park. For a girls trip plan a stay at Just Us Girls Crafting Retreat for a super unique fun relaxing experience, or to really experience that small town feel stay in one of the beautiful Bed & Breakfasts in Little Bavaria.
Come to Little Bavaria in Frankenmuth, Michigan and experience the overwhelming German spirit that this little town embraces. It is so beautiful and so quaint you will feel like you stepped out of a story book. If you are looking for an excuse to come to Frankenmuth just pick one of the many year-round festivities going on in Little Bavaria. Plan your Frankenmuth, Michigan Road Trip today, and maybe we’ll see you there!
