We came across Frankenmuth when we were looking for a Valentine’s Day weekend getaway. And this Michigan’s Little Bavaria turned out to be the perfect choice. This charming town is packed with German heritage, history and spirit. Famous for its chicken dinners, toy-town like architecture, and the world’s largest Christmas store, this town definitely has something to make everyone feel “Willkommen”. Here’s what we did on our 2 day trip to Frankenmuth.
DAY – 1
The first glimpse of Frankenmuth is this cute arch across the highway welcoming you into the town.
Our first stop was at the Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland where you can experience Christmas 361 days a year. It is also the largest Christmas store in the world that spreads across 27 acres with both indoor and outdoor decorations. A half mile stretch decorated and lit up with 1000s of lights led us to the main store. The store itself is a giant with every possible christmas decoration you could imagine. We did indulge in a little bit of Christmas shopping in the middle of February haha.
They also have a Silent Night Memorial Chapel which is a replica of the original chapel in Salzburg, Austria where “Silent Night” was first sung. It is a destination all on its own.
When we entered the main street of Frankenmuth, I instantly fell in love with the vibe of the town and its cute storybook like buildings. We went straight to the famous Bavarian Inn for lunch. After a 30 minute wait, we were taken to our table. We ordered their special family style chicken dinner which was served with many sides and the meal ended with their popular orange vanilla sorbet. We loved the entire theme of the restaurant and the exquisite dining experience. After a yummy meal, we headed out to the Castle shops which were below the restaurant itself and bought some cute home decor and souvenirs.
We walked along the cobbled streets to the wood covered bridge which spans the Cass River in Frankenmuth. It is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. As it was cold, we couldn’t really take a walk along the bridge, but I’m definitely going back to Frankemuth again so saving some things for trip 2 😀
Our next stop was the River Place Shops which is my most favourite part of Frankenmuth. Styled to recreate the authentic Bavaian village setting, this place offers a very unique shopping experience. They have an array of cafés, restaurants, candy shops and specialty stores. You can have an old-time photo taken, enjoy wine tasting, play a board game, taste gourmet cupcakes and the Harry Potter famous Butter Beer, or even sit back with a book in their super cute Bookstore.
After our eventful day and a lot of shopping, we finally checked into our hotel and relaxed for sometime before heading out for dinner. There are so many family-run cafes and restaurants along the main street of Frankenmuth and we went to a place called Tiffany’s which was there since 1904 😀 It was a live bar and grill with a very vibrant ambience. If you happen to go this place, definitely try their ravioli and also the classic cheesecake.
DAY – 2
Apart from the mom and pop shops, Frankenmuth is also known for its cheese, homemade chocolates and cuckoo clocks. That was pretty much our day 2. Our first stop was at the Cheese Haus. This is an amazing place with more than 150 varieties of cheeses and many live counters for us to do cheese tasting. 😀
We then visited the Frankenmuth Historical Museum where explored the museum through a self-guided tour with the audio clippings of locals discussing the history of this Bavarian-influenced village. The museum featured several galleries with artifacts that tell the story of the initial Frankenmuth community and its foundation.
Our next stop was the Chocolate Haus where we got to do some chocolate tasting. We went to the River Place Shops for lunch and some more shopping before heading back home 😀
Overall, Frankenmuth is one of the cutest towns that I have visited and it is definitely a must visit place for the perfect magical weekend getaway. ❤
The Travelista Tales 