The kids are so excited! Your family has arrived for a weekend getaway and everyone is giddy to get going! But — it’s unexpectedly freezing, downright downpouring — it’s a blustery snowstorm outside! Now what, parents?
When you planned on clear skies & sunshine, but Mother Nature has something different in mind — look to this guide for weatherproof ways to spend the day indoors as a family in Frankenmuth!
Know Before You Go The weather won’t matter one bit when you're inside one of Frankenmuth’s epic indoor waterparks!
Be one of the first families to experience Bavarian Blast at Bavarian Inn Lodge — Michigan's biggest indoor waterpark & family fun center — when it opens in 2025! Forget all about the weather while exploring 16 new waterslides, a rip-roaring wave pool, and a not-so-lazy river. Tackle the laser tag arena, three-story ropes course, skyscraper rock climbing walls, indoor mini-golf, and even mini-bowling!
Read More +Dive into 50,000 square feet of family fun & high-fives inside Zehnder's Splash Village Hotel & Waterpark, with tube slides, lazy rivers, a six-story family raft ride, on-site arcade, and poolside dining options! Splash Village offers half- or full-day waterpark passes, and family packages, too!
Read More +Breakfast: Every family member will find happiness inside K's Cafe, with fresh & delicious fruit smoothies, breakfast burritos & bagel sandwiches, and baked goods. Taste a touch of Paris at La Crepe du Jour (the kids are sure to want the S'mores Crepe), or start the day Louisiana-style with hot, fresh, fritter-like donuts (dusted with plenty of powdered sugar) from N'Orlins Beignets & Coffee or N'Orlins on Main Street.
Follow your noses into the lower-level bakeries of Zehnder’s Restaurant or Bavarian Inn Restaurant for fresh-baked breakfast sweets & treats — and enjoy perusing downstairs gift shops with apparel, wines, cheeses, toys, and unique gifts.
Mid-Morning: Watch their eyes light up inside Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland, an epicenter of merriment with more than 50,000 trims & gifts — including hand-personalized ornaments, the perfect family souvenir!
Take the kiddos into Toyberg for giggles of delight, wooden toys, and puzzles, and step into Rau's Country Store to find nostalgic candies the whole family will love!
Lunch: Catch lunch inside Pasty Haus for pasties, brats, paninis, corndogs, and tasty bubble tea, or head into T-Dub's for pizza & specialty sandwiches served with fries or house-made salt & vinegar chips. Enjoy Sicilian pizza, homemade pasta, and hearty sandwiches inside Tiffany's Food & Spirits, complete with kids' menu selections from grilled cheese to linguine pesto.
Mid-Afternoon: Experience the irresistible flavors of Frankenmuth together! Taste delicious fudge or taffy, prepared right in front of your eyes, at Zak & Mac’s Chocolate Haus, Frankenmuth Fudge Kitchen, or Frankenmuth Taffy Kitchen.
Whether it’s raining, snowing, or blowing outside, visit Frankenmuth River Place Shops for more than 40 indoor shops & attractions all in one place! Find your way through twists & turns inside the Ultimate Mirror Maze — then try The Vault Laser Beam Challenge and treat yourselves to on-site River Sweets Candy! Play more than 40 arcade games inside the River Place Game Room and find sweet rewards at SugarHigh Bakery and SugarRush Sweets & Treats.
Dinner: With German music in the air & inviting aromas all around you, forget about the bad weather and experience "Little Bavaria” as your family dines on world-famous chicken dinners, fittingly served family-style, at Bavarian Inn Restaurant or Zehnder’s Restaurant.
Evening: After dinner, spend time together throughout the lower levels of either restaurant to shop baked goods, unique gifts, and souvenirs. Bring the family into Frankenmuth Brewery for “dog-gone good” Frankie’s Root Bier, a craft soda brewed in small batches, and discover award-winning craft brews on tap for the “big kids”!
Or, end your evening with hand-rolled waffle cones from Jaami's Ice Cream & Treats as you take a family drive down Bronner's 25 Christmas Lane to enjoy more than 100,000 twinkling lights & animated decorations any time of the year!
Travel to Frankenmuth, Michigan for a weekend with your family and be ready for all kinds of over-the-top fun! This town is known as “Little Bavaria,” but it’s home to two of Michigan’s top indoor waterparks and the world’s largest Christmas store, making it a must-stop for more than 3 million who visit annually.
Read More +By: Jen W. O'Deay | Updates: Go Great Lakes Bay | Jen is a Saginaw native and owner of Feel These Words, an independent copywriting studio & home to the free "5 Day Website MiniBoost". Jen specializes in writing that connects, delivered through website copy, branded content articles, and WingWoman writing services. You'll find Jen camping with her family, laughing, and at feelthesewords.com