24 Charming Hours in Frankenmuth, Michigan – An Exciting Guide!
We are in love with the quaint, “Little Bavaria” on the east side of Michigan, called Frankenmuth! About once per year, my hubby and I get a desire to visit there and soak in the lovely feelings of it. There are plenty of ways to fill your time during a weekend getaway in Frankenmuth and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what you find and experience there. Check out an exciting guide for our 24 charming hours in Frankenmuth, Michigan!
Where We Stayed
The nature of the type of Frankenmuth getaway you desire is largely based on where you decide to stay. What’s great about it is you can stay right in the heart of the town, within walking distance to almost everything, or you can opt to stay in a nearby town, like Birch Run, with also offers great outlets and a full day there. We have camped down the road at Genesee Otter Lake Campground for a family vacation. Another trip, my coworker and I stayed in the Holiday Inn right in town to enjoy a piece of Frankenmuth while coming home from a conference. My husband and I had a romantic getaway in Frankenmuth and opted to stay at the Marv Herzog Hotel for our anniversary.
What we truly loved about the Marv Herzog is how charming and pleasant it was. We got a great deal on booking.com for our January anniversary getaway, and we were not disappointed one bit! Our view from the balcony in our room was so beautiful, as it looked over the little town, and we loved this unique overlook of a place we had seen multiple times.
The hotel offered free breakfast with the biggest variety and spread I had ever seen! Not to mention the complimentary beverages in the evening in their main lobby. The staff who served us were so friendly and helpful, and we enjoyed chatting with the wonderful lady who kept breakfast up. It was truly one of the best experiences we have had in Frankenmuth, or on any weekend getaway as a couple for that matter. Of all the Frankenmuth hotels we’ve visited, this one was a winner!
Scenery & Ambiance
There is an out-of-Michigan…out-of-American feel when you step into the world of Frankenmuth. This small town, situated near Michigan’s thumb side of the state, actually makes you feel like you’ve strolled into a quaint village in Germany. The Bavarian character provides a true feeling of getting away from the usual. We love the scene of Frankenmuth as it offers uniqueness without the overly chaotic. We tend to enjoy getaways more on the slow, leisurely side, and Frankenmuth sure provides in this area. I enjoyed strolling around early before people were out and about to take photos of the area one morning.
Things to do in Frankenmuth
Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland
Every time we visit Frankenmuth, Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland is a MUST. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is; just do it. After all, they are open 361 days a year. We always discover something new and are fondly reminded of things from the previous time. Walking into Bronner’s will make you feel like a kid again…at Christmas. The displays are fun and beautiful, and you’ll be wanting to heed the photo opportunities.
There are all sorts of treasures and gifts, unique enough to fit anyone on your list. You can literally find something for anyone you know at Bronner’s. Not only do they have decorations for your Christmas season, but they are packed full of other surprises and delights, like mugs, cookie jars, villages, special treats, and much more!
We like to cover Bronner’s during the first part of our day to beat crowds and just start the day out with a jolly feeling. This is one thing that you have to do in Frankenmuth.
Lunch in Frankenmuth
By the time we leave Bronner’s, we’re usually scouting out lunch. When you are looking for eating options in Frankenmuth, you will not be disappointed. We favor having crepes for lunch at La Crepe De Jour, which offers a fun, taste-of-France setting, great coffee and hot drink options, as well as the pièce de résistance, their delicious crepes. They are located in with the River Place Shops.
There are DOZENS of options that will please anyone in the group, including our 4 year old on one trip, who had the Banana & Nutella crepe. They offer options for sweet crepes, breakfast crepes, and savory crepes, made right to order in front of you. The entire experience was fun and satisfying and gave us fuel to continue our day with shopping and exploring.
A Unique Shopping Experience
Since having lunch right in the River Place Shops, that is where we start our exploring! This area offers so many stores that you wouldn’t see anywhere else in a charming, Bavarian setting. One of our favorite places to hit up is Charlin’s Book Nook, where we always find a stack of books to bring home for our daughter or ourselves. This used book store is PACKED with every genre and subject and you can’t go wrong with the prices.
The River Place Shops don’t stop there. In your sauntering you’ll come across many other distinctive storefronts, begging for you to explore them. From treats to one-of-a-kind treasures, you will love what there is to taste, discover, and learn about, getting excited for what is next. It truly is a special experience.
There are so many varieties of shops in this spot that you could spend entire afternoon here, but if you continue down the main drag, over the Cass River, you’ll discover even more awesome places you don’t want to miss. Be sure to check out the Castle Shops as part of the Bavarian Inn & Restaurant, where you will find even more items to be surprised by. Decorative steins, mouth-watering delicacies, specialty beers and cheese, and even fun for the young ones with you. There is much more to be seen here.
What’s for Dinner?
There are a myriad of options for dinner in Frankenmuth. You can go with a classic pizza from Lazy Dog Pizza, which we favor for a good night in. They load on the fresh ingredients and serve up a savory and very satisfying pie. The service was phenomenal and friendly. We can’t wait to go back!
For our anniversary, we opted for fancy and decided to try the famous, massive dinner at Zehnder’s Restaurant. We don’t often opt for more expensive, but we didn’t leave disappointed one bit. The amount of food (all you can eat) was well worth our experience. You’ll get an old-fashioned taste of hospitality and a banquet chicken dinner, complete with all the side comforts, dessert, and even a few things I had never tried before. We had a great time and enjoyed our dinner and service. We even got to bring leftovers home, along with a couple of commemorative friends.
Bonus: Birch Run Outlets
If you have time, or love to shop, be sure to check out the Birch Run Outlets just down the road from Frankenmuth. We enjoy perusing those when we are passing through. You could easily spend an entire day there, or plan and ladies trip!
You will NOT be disappointed visiting Frankenmuth! Whether you are planning a romantic getaway, family vacation, or just a weekend away, it is a unique experience in a small town in Michigan. There are so many options and varieties for lodging, dining, shopping, and experiencing a new place. There are even more things you can do there not covered in this post, like learning about the history and festivals all throughout the year!
Have you ever been to Frankenmuth? What do you love most about it?
