Top Things to Do in Frankenmuth
The greeting around Frankenmuth is "willkommen" (the German word for welcome), and you're sure to feel the warm sentiment and German inspiration all throughout your getaway in Michigan's Little Bavaria! After all, Frankenmuth may only be about three square miles in size, but more than 3 million visitors come each year to experience every memorable inch within it!
While here, will you get your hands into a German pretzel rolling experience, or enjoy being served world-famous chicken dinners? Should you walk the iconic covered wooden bridge or ride across in a horse-drawn carriage? Fudge or taffy, St. Julian Winery or Frankenmuth Brewery? The answer is all of the above — and then some! Let this guide give you a taste of the top things to do in Frankenmuth:
Downtown Frankenmuth
Zehnder's
Bavarian Inn Restaurant | @griselda_gushta
Taste World-Famous
Golden-Fried Perfection
Comfort food known around the globe crowns this Frankenmuth food scene — come ready to sink your teeth into two delicious options!
Bavarian Inn Restaurant | @consistently_curious
Zehnder's or Bavarian Inn? Situated directly across the street from one another, both Zehnder's Restaurant and Bavarian Inn Restaurant serve world-famous, family-style chicken dinners. Both pay homage to German heritage, both serve authentic German delights like Schnitzel and Sauerbraten, and both offer exquisite dining experiences.
So, Zehnder's or Bavarian Inn? The answer can only be both! Set aside time to experience each and be sure to explore their lower-level shops and delightful bakeries.
Bavarian Belle Riverboat | @brettmartinphotos
Zehnder's Splash Village | @consistently_curious
Find New Ways To
Enjoy the Water
Whether you'll zoom down waterslides together or take a relaxing river cruise, Frankenmuth has water play perfected.
Zehnder's Splash Village
Go Wild at Waterparks: Dive right into the 50,000-square-foot mecca that is Zehnder's Splash Village Hotel & Waterpark — one of only a few waterparks in the nation offering two distinct waterparks in one, both with a retractable roof! Or, ride the waterslides and enjoy indoor, 18-hole mini-golf at Bavarian Inn Lodge, home to the largest family fun center inside any Midwest hotel.
Cruise the Cass: Enjoy the picturesque Cass River that flows through Frankenmuth on a narrated sightseeing tour aboard the Bavarian Belle Riverboat, a Wine & Chocolate Tasting River Tour with Frankenmuth FunShips, or a self-guided paddle with Frankenmuth Kayak Adventures.
Frankenmuth Aerial Park
Zip + Climb
Frankenmuth Aerial Park
Test your limits, soar to new heights, and feel like you're flying! An obstacle course set high in the treetops with options for all skill levels, this wooded park combines ladders, rope bridges, and ziplines for the ultimate adventure!
Downtown Frankenmuth
Ride in Style: Book the PedAle Trolley for a city tour of Frankenmuth (possibly a pub crawl) on a 16-passenger bike. Too few riders for the whole trolley? Buy single seats on Thursday- or Saturday-evening bar-hopping tours! Or, climb aboard the 28-passenger Golden Ticket Trolley to enjoy an interactive, themed tour of town, narrated and guided by a local!
Choose Your Chariot: An absolute must while you're here, snuggle in for a horse-drawn carriage ride through historic streets with Fantasy Carriage Company, just south of Zehnder's Restaurant, or Frankenmuth Carriage Company, by the Bavarian Inn Glockenspiel Tower.
Catch the Show: Speaking of the Bavarian Inn Glockenspiel Tower, a 35-bell carillon and illuminated clock with figurine movement (all imported from Germany), enjoy when it chimes daily at 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, and 9pm.
Eat + Drink in Frankenmuth
The German word for cheers, raise your glass while at Prost! Wine Bar & Charcuterie and build tasting boards to enjoy with tap wines. And don't leave Frankenmuth without wine sampling at St. Julian, or without slipping into Frankenmuth Brewery — Michigan's oldest microbrewery — to taste more than 150 years of brewing tradition.
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Cass River in Frankenmuth | @jimmytaylorphoto
Explore River Place: Styled in Frankenmuth's European village theme, experience more than 40 unique storefronts at Frankenmuth River Place Shops. Have an old-time photo taken, taste gourmet cupcakes, fudge, and toffee, or enjoy wine tasting with Modern Craft Winery while you browse inside Michigan's largest bead store, Bead Haven.
Shop the Scene: From the year-round Frankenmuth Farmers Market to the Frankenmuth Cheese Haus and its 270 cheeses (including chocolate-flavored cheese), to clothing inside Adorn Boutique, Rapunzel's, or White House Boutique, enjoy all the many options for shopping in Frankenmuth!
Festivals in Frankenmuth
From the traditional Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival each summer to Frankenmuth Oktoberfest in fall — it's always festival season in Michigan's Little Bavaria. Enjoy them all!
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Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland
Make Merry Memories: Not only can you experience the wonder of Christmas 361 days a year at Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland, but the magical location offers more than 50,000 trims and gifts (many customizable) that make perfect souvenirs!
See Something Sweet: Watch taffy pulled or fudge hand-paddled right before your eyes! Pop into Frankenmuth Taffy Kitchen, Frankenmuth Fudge Kitchen, or Zak & Mac's Chocolate Haus and choose something tasty for the trip home.
Bringing the kids? Add these outings to your list!
Grandpa Tiny's Farm | @x_stina
Make Farm Friends: Save time to tour Grandpa Tiny’s Heritage Farm, a working heritage farm where you can pet (and even help feed) all kinds of adorable farm animals!
Cool Off Outside: Beat the heat and splash for free at Frankenmuth Jaycee Spray Park, where water play is fully accessible for all ages & abilities!
Taste Sweet Victory: Find your way through twists & turns inside Ultimate Mirror Maze, then try The Vault Laser Beam Challenge and on-site River Sweets Candy. Or, play more than 40 arcade games inside River Place Game Room and find delicious rewards at SugarHigh Bakery and SugarRush Sweets & Treats!
Browse for Fun: Take the kiddos into Toyberg for giggles of delight, wooden toys, and puzzles up to 1,000 pieces, or step inside Rau’s Country Store to find nostalgic candies the whole family will love!
See Little Faces Light Up: Climb in the car, pajamas and all, and end your evening with waffle cones from Jaami’s Ice Cream & Treats as you take a drive down 25 Christmas Lane — Bronner’s half-mile holiday light display that shines bright every night of the year!
Whether you'll ride through on a riverboat or a charming, horse-drawn carriage — you're sure to enjoy your getaway in Michigan's Little Bavaria! Learn More
Things To Do
Find yourself immersed in German heritage, dine on world-famous flavors, experience Michigan's oldest microbrewery, indulge in fantasy carriage rides, and remember what it feels like to unwind. You’re in Frankenmuth for the weekend with nothing but time, and good times are definitely ahead!
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Author
Jen W. O'Deay + Go Great Lakes Bay
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
