Why Frankenmuth, Michigan Will Always Be One of My Favorite Getaways

Some destinations become special because of one unforgettable trip. Frankenmuth, Michigan is different for me. It has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

I grew up in Detroit, and a drive north to Frankenmuth was always a treat. Long before I moved to Florida more than 20 years ago, Frankenmuth was one of those special Michigan getaways I enjoyed again and again.

Sometimes we would make it a day trip, and sometimes we would stay overnight and turn it into a little vacation. Either way, arriving in Michigan’s “Little Bavaria” always felt like we had traveled much farther from home than we actually had.

And I’ve certainly never been a one-season Frankenmuth visitor!

During my years in Michigan, I visited Frankenmuth in spring, summer, fall and winter, including trips when the town was covered in snow. Every season gave Frankenmuth a different personality, and after so many visits over the years, there are certain experiences I still associate with a trip to Frankenmuth.

Come Hungry for Frankenmuth’s Famous Chicken Dinners

Let’s start with the food, because for me, you simply cannot talk about Frankenmuth without talking about chicken!

I’ve eaten at both of the famous chicken-dinner institutions in town, Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth and the Bavarian Inn Restaurant, and those big family-style meals are part of the Frankenmuth experience.

I love the chicken, of course, but I also love everything that comes along with it, especially the potatoes and all those wonderful side dishes filling the table.

This isn’t a grab-a-quick-bite kind of meal. It’s the kind of meal where everyone sits around the table, passes bowls and platters, talks, eats too much and somehow still considers dessert.

That’s part of what I love about Frankenmuth. Food isn’t simply something you fit between attractions. It’s part of the destination.

Save Room for Sweets

Then there are the candy shops!

I have a difficult time walking past a candy shop anywhere, so Frankenmuth has always been dangerous territory for me.

Part of the fun of walking around town is wandering into the candy stores, bakeries and specialty shops and discovering something else to take home. Fudge, chocolates, old-fashioned candies and baked treats all seem perfectly at home here.

Even after one of those enormous chicken dinners, I can somehow find room for something sweet!

Visit Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland

You don’t have to wait until December to experience Christmas in Frankenmuth.

Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland is one of those places you really have to see at least once, although I’ve certainly been there more than once! Known as the world’s largest Christmas store, it has become one of Frankenmuth’s signature attractions.

Walking through seemingly endless displays of ornaments, decorations, Christmas trees and gifts is an experience in itself.

And when you visit Frankenmuth in the snow, the entire experience feels even more magical.

But that’s one of the things I like about Frankenmuth: Christmas doesn’t disappear when winter ends. You can walk into Bronner’s in the middle of summer and suddenly find yourself thinking about Christmas trees and ornaments.

Stroll Through Downtown Frankenmuth

You don’t need an elaborate itinerary to enjoy Frankenmuth.

Some of my favorite memories are simply of walking around town.

The Bavarian-inspired architecture gives downtown its distinctive character, and Main Street is filled with shops, restaurants and places that make you want to stop and look around.

Frankenmuth River Place Shops adds even more shopping, dining and entertainment along the Cass River. It’s the kind of destination where wandering is actually part of the attraction.

Take your time. Browse the stores. Buy some candy. Stop for a photo. Cross the covered bridge. Sit for a while.

Frankenmuth is a place worth experiencing rather than rushing through.

Take a Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride

Horse-drawn carriages fit Frankenmuth perfectly.

Carriage rides continue to be offered through town, and there’s something wonderfully old-fashioned about seeing Frankenmuth from a carriage instead of through a car window.

They’re especially romantic when you’re visiting as a couple, and during the holiday season, when downtown is decorated and illuminated, the experience feels like something from a Christmas movie.

Explore the Cass River

The Cass River runs right through the Frankenmuth experience.

During the warmer months, visitors can see town from a completely different perspective aboard the Bavarian Belle, a paddlewheel-style riverboat offering cruises along the Cass River.

There are also opportunities for kayaking and other outdoor activities around the river.

That’s another reason I’ve always appreciated Frankenmuth in different seasons. A snowy Frankenmuth getaway and a sunny summer day along the Cass River can feel like two completely different trips.

Spend Some Time at Heritage Park

Heritage Park is another place to enjoy some time outdoors in Frankenmuth and serves as a gathering place for recreation, festivals and community events.

It’s a nice change of pace if you’ve been shopping and eating your way through town and want some fresh air.

Depending on when you visit, you might also find one of Frankenmuth’s many annual festivals or special events taking place around town. Frankenmuth really is a year-round destination.

Discover Frankenmuth’s German Heritage

The Bavarian theme isn’t simply decorative.

Frankenmuth was settled by German Lutheran immigrants in 1845, and that heritage remains an important part of the community’s identity.

Visitors interested in learning more about the town can explore the Frankenmuth Historical Museum and take the self-guided Frankenmuth Historic Walking Tour through downtown. The area also includes historic St. Lorenz Lutheran Church and other sites connected with Frankenmuth’s earliest settlers.

Knowing some of the history makes the architecture, traditions and food you’ll encounter around town even more meaningful.

Frankenmuth Brewery and a Long Brewing Tradition

Frankenmuth’s German heritage naturally includes beer.

Frankenmuth Brewery traces its brewing history back to 1862, giving the community a brewing tradition that stretches back generations.

Today, visitors can still enjoy the brewery along the Cass River as part of Frankenmuth’s food and drink scene.

Even if you’re not a beer enthusiast, the history behind brewing in Frankenmuth is another fascinating piece of the town’s story.

Frankenmuth Has a Rock-and-Roll Story, Too

Here’s something else I love about Frankenmuth: one of my favorite bands, Greta Van Fleet, got its start right here!

The Grammy-winning rock band was formed by musicians who grew up in the Frankenmuth area, and their hometown remains an important part of the Greta Van Fleet story.

Even the band’s unusual name has a local connection. It was inspired by the name of Frankenmuth-area resident Gretna Van Fleet.

And Greta Van Fleet fans now have another reason to visit Frankenmuth. Haus of Greta, located on Main Street, is an unofficial museum and merchandise shop dedicated to the band. Fans can browse autographed memorabilia, rare band items, collectibles and other pieces celebrating Greta Van Fleet and its Frankenmuth roots.

I love that a town I’ve always associated with Bavarian traditions, chicken dinners, Christmas, candy shops and childhood memories also happens to be the hometown of one of my favorite bands.

Who would have thought that little Frankenmuth would produce rock stars heard around the world?

Make It an Overnight Getaway

Although Frankenmuth is easy to enjoy as a day trip, I’ve done both day trips and overnight visits over the years, and staying overnight lets you slow everything down.

Instead of worrying about fitting everything into a few hours, you can enjoy dinner, shop, explore downtown and experience the town in the evening.

Families have even more reasons to stay today, with indoor waterpark experiences at Bavarian Inn Lodge and Zehnder’s Splash Village.

That makes Frankenmuth much more than a place to stop for lunch. It’s easy to turn a visit into a full weekend getaway.

Visit Frankenmuth in Every Season

If someone asked me for the “best” season to visit Frankenmuth, I wouldn’t pick just one.

During my years living in Michigan, I visited throughout the year, and that’s part of why the destination remains so vivid in my memory.

Spring brings the town back outdoors. Summer is wonderful for walking, river activities and festivals. Fall gives you that unmistakable Michigan autumn atmosphere.

And winter?

I’ve been in Frankenmuth with snow on the ground, and it is beautiful.

There’s something about Bavarian buildings, twinkling lights, Christmas decorations, a warm chicken dinner and Michigan snow that just works.

Why Frankenmuth Still Means So Much to Me

I’ve traveled to destinations around the world, but there’s something special about returning to the places connected to your own memories.

For me, Frankenmuth is one of those places.

Growing up in Detroit, a trip to Frankenmuth felt like a little vacation without having to travel very far. There was always something to look forward to: the drive up, the Bavarian buildings, browsing the shops, buying candy, eating that enormous chicken dinner and sometimes staying overnight before heading home.

I’ve lived in Florida for more than 20 years now, but Frankenmuth is still one of those Michigan places that immediately takes me back.

I can picture the Bavarian buildings, the shops filled with sweets, the snow-covered streets and, of course, those enormous chicken dinners with all the potatoes and sides.

That’s what makes Frankenmuth special to me. It isn’t simply somewhere I’ve visited.

It’s part of my memories of growing up in Michigan.

And after writing about all of this again, I think I’m overdue for another visit.

Preferably one that includes a very large chicken dinner!

Love Michigan Food? Keep Exploring

Frankenmuth’s famous chicken dinners are also part of a much bigger Michigan food story for me. Growing up in Detroit, some of my favorites included Coney Dogs, Buddy’s Detroit-style pizza, White Castle sliders, Polish food in Hamtramck, and even the Blue Moon ice cream I loved as a kid.

If you’re hungry for more Michigan nostalgia, read my article, Foods You Have to Try in Michigan: My Detroit Favorites & Michigan Classics.