Outdoors + Nature

• Be surrounded by 35,000 colorful blooms at Dow Gardens — and travel the nation’s longest canopy walk four stories high into the trees!
• Cruise through the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge along the Wildlife Drive — a breathtaking 6.5-mile auto tour route.
• Explore 19 miles of trails at Chippewa Nature Center, or take a guided evening kayak trip with a naturalist.
• Conquer ziplines & rope bridges at Frankenmuth Aerial Park, and look for dazzling Glow Nights this summer.
• Hop onto the Great Lakes Bay Regional Trail — and stop by Ray’s Bike Shop or Nor’East Outdoors to rent your rides.
• Bring your binoculars to the Saginaw Bay Birding Trail, a natural habitat for 200 species of birds.
• Golf two of Michigan’s must-play public courses, The Fortress and Apple Mountain, or choose from more than a dozen others.

Guided Boat Tours

• Relax aboard Frankenmuth FunShips, and sip wines paired with handmade chocolates while you’re on the water.
• Dine & dance to live bands on-deck aboard Bay City Boat Lines, or enjoy a relaxing guided river tour.
• Take a wildlife ecotour with Johnny Panther Quests Adventure Trips through the “Everglades of Michigan.”
• Board the 150-passenger Bavarian Belle Riverboat for a narrated history tour of Frankenmuth and enjoy the view from the canopied upper deck.

Tours + Experiences

• Discover the enchanting gardens of the Great Lakes Bay along our curated, self-guided Gardens Tour.
• Take in the gorgeous summer scenery on a horse-drawn carriage ride with Fantasy Carriage Company or H&H Acres and Carriage Service.
• Pedal through Frankenmuth on a 16-person bike when you book the PedAle Trolley, or buy single seats on an evening pub crawl.
• Coast into great times when you reserve the Sunrise Pedal Trolley to cruise through Bay City (and bring your own beverages along)!
• Relax in cool comfort on the Golden Ticket Trolley when you hop aboard for a narrated tour of Frankenmuth.
• Tour the Alden B. Dow Home and Studio, an oasis of mid-century modern architecture.
• Marvel at more than 400 other architectural gems, guided by the Mid-Century Modern Midland mobile app.

Shopping

• Shop 100 designer & name-brand stores at prices of up to 65% off at Birch Run Premium Outlets.
• Explore 40 stores at Frankenmuth River Place Shops, and find clothing boutiques to fudge kitchens — even wine tasting!
• Meander through “Michigan’s Largest Village of Unique Shops” at Pride and Country Village, each one housed in a historic farm building.
• Stroll seven unique shops inside a cobblestone-lined castle at the Bavarian Inn Castle Shops.
• Experience the magic of Christmas — even in the midst of summer — at Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland, the world’s largest Christmas store.
• Wander through SVRC Marketplace, sampling from unique eateries & sweet shops while browsing yarn to beads.
• Find handcrafted, artisan goods at Serendipity Road, Creative Lane, or Amazin’ Mitten.
• Uncover unique treasures at My Secret Garden and Botanica Modern Market, with gifts to clothing, apothecary & plants.
• Get your fill of home décor, gifts, and garden items inside Violets Blue, Little House, Lumberman’s Mercantile, G.T. Homestead, and Warmbier Farms.
• Choose from the curated racks inside Omoni Boutique or Fran & Dot Boutique — and leave with a bright & fresh new summer wardrobe!
• Find fashions & fabulous accessories at Abby’s of Frankenmuth, Adorn Boutique, White House Boutique, Rapunzel’s Boutique, Ellie & Isabelle, Sassy & Chic Boutique, or Margos & Co.

Antiquing

• Get lost within Michigan’s largest antique mall, Bay City Antiques Center/Bay Antique Center, and shop multiple floors & 400 booths.
• Peruse 70 antique vendors & six specialty shops inside the Antique Warehouse, then grab a bite to eat at the cafe.
• Stroll through 90 booth spaces stocked with antiques & vintage goods at the Freeland Antique Mall.
• Get your fill of nostalgia at Americana Company Antiques, with unique antiquities & local memorabilia.
• Be inspired by reimagined pieces of mid-century modern furniture at Retro Attics Studio, open Saturdays only.
• Enjoy a vintage, antique, and upcycle shop, Court Street Antiques, inside a historic building brimming with character!
• Discover The Little House Antiques that’s been delighting shoppers for over 40 years with collectibles to vintage kitchenware.
• Travel to Thrifty Treasures Antiques & More to shop 20 dealers offering jewelry, glassware, furniture, and primitives.
• Get your hands on interesting garden décor & vintage galore from 60 vendors at Around the Farm Antiques.
• Find furniture to rare memorabilia at Michiganders Antiques and Collectibles.
• Visit The Vintage Greenhouse to explore a collection of antiques, vintage furniture, and local art oddities.
• Search for storied treasures inside The Antique Center, with collectibles & antiques of all kinds.
• Antiques, vintage goods, thrifted items — find it all inside Timeless Trading Company.

Waterfront Dining

• Watch boats float by while savoring fresh catch on the decks of Real Seafood Company, grab a picnic table down by the water at H2O’s Waterside Grill, or refresh with comfort food & cold microbrews by the riverside at Frankenmuth Brewery.

Outdoor Dining

• Relax with tap wines & regional charcuterie on Prost! Wine Bar & Charcuterie’s sun-soaked patio, taste tavern favorites & handcrafted cocktails in a lush courtyard setting at ONe eighteen, or soak up summer evenings on The Rooftop @ The Station 100, with elevated bites, classic cocktails, fine wines — and unmatched views overlooking Frankenmuth.

Food Trucks

• From Wonder Burger’s ground-fresh-daily burgers (served on toasted Brioche buns) to Nom Nom Ninja’s award-winning hibachi wraps — and a full fleet of barbecue options — our local food trucks will be dishing up everything under the sun this summer!

Beer, Wine + Spirits

• Sip your Raspberry Hibiscus Lemonade or Hazy IPA in the summer sun at Three Bridges Distillery & Taproom, on a streetside patio perched at the center of The Commons Refreshment Area.
• Gather on the sun-soaked patio at Prost! Wine Bar & Charcuterie to discover six tap wines. Sip samplers like Rosé All Day or refreshing spritzes like Lethal Lemon.
• Taste 150 years of brewing tradition while soaking up river views at Frankenmuth Brewery, Michigan’s oldest microbrewery!
• Bask in the beautiful backyard beer garden of Midland Brewing Company with pints of Copper Harbor Ale — at a picnic table, or by the fire pit.
• Slip inside Old Town Distillery by Wonder to taste vodka, rum, whiskey, or Moonshine — and watch for food trucks to pop up!
• Slow down while sipping handcrafted beers at North Peak Brewing Company, and be transported to the wonders of Up North.
• Linger in a laid-back space at Oracle Brewing Company and sample inventive sours to IPAs.
• Relax with artisan cocktails inside The Public House, where only freshly squeezed citrus & house-made syrups make the menu.
• Nestle into the cozy setting at Neighbors Natural Wine & Bottle Shop for wine-forward cocktails & natural wine pours.
• Gather ‘round at Nord Social, a Nordic-inspired neighborhood hangout serving one-of-a-kind house cocktails.
• Relax with street eats & cold pints on the laid-back patio at Loggers Brewing Company.

Live Entertainment + Nightlife

• Catch a comedy show or concert inside Midland Center for the Arts, The Temple Theatre, The Dow Event Center, State Theatre of Bay City — or outdoors at Jolt Credit Union Event Park.
• Take in a Great Lakes Loons Minor League Baseball game from stadium seats, or a blanket on the lawns!
• Head into Stardust to bowl for strikes, but stay for axe-throwing, four escape rooms, and The Taproom, with 41 draft craft brews.
• Feel the nostalgia at Brinstar while playing pinball & arcade games — and sample from 12 beer options on tap.
• Get into retro gaming fun at Crazy Quarters Arcade — and test your skills on classic arcade games & dozens of pinball machines.
• Enjoy an immersive experience at 906 Lapeer, with escape rooms, indoor GellyBall, axe-throwing, and a professional haunted house.
• Unravel cryptic clues at Great Lakes Escape Game or Code Breakers Escape & Puzzle Rooms and get out before your time is up!

History + Museums

• Explore the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum aboard the U.S.S. Edson, a permanently moored National Historic Landmark.
• Venture through the Michigan Heroes Museum, featuring displays that honor Michigan veterans.
• Discover fascinating history inside a French chateau-style castle, the Castle Museum of Saginaw County History.
• Schedule a personally guided tour of the Autism History Museum to discover the history of autism in a space that celebrates neurodiversity.