German immigrants first settled Frankenmuth in 1845. Since then the town has been transformed into a quaint Bavarian village. One of Michigan’s top tourist attractions, Frankenmuth first got its notoriety as a town that served great food at a reasonable price. Some restaurants still serve the chicken that made Frankenmuth famous, but Frankenmuth has much more to offer. Besides traditional Bavarian fare, the many shops and beautiful buildings alone are worth a visit.
Bronners - Largest Christmas Store in the World
One of their claims to fame in Frankenmuth is the largest Christmas store in the world, Bronners Christmas Wonderland. Even though Bronners is a Christmas store, they are open year round. They boost a ½ mile long Christmas Lane that glistens with thousands of twinkling Christmas lights. While there, visit the Silent Night Memorial Chapel.
Frankenmuth German Restaurants
Strolling the main street there are plenty of Bavarian restaurants to choose from. One of the most popular German restaurants is the Bavarian Inn. The Bavarian Inn serves most of the traditional Bavarian delights including the famous chicken of Frankenmuth. Some of the traditional Bavarian dishes served up include Sauerbraten (Marinated Beef Roast), Bratwurst, Kasseler Rippcehn (Smoked Pork Loin) and Jager Schnitzel (Pork Loin). After a long day of window-shopping, enjoy a big cold mug of Hofbrau Beer, imported straight form Munich.
The Jager Schnitzel at the Bavarian Inn is delicious. They take tenderloin of pork; layer it in breadcrumbs and cheese and than pan-fried it to a golden brown. It’s then smothered in mushrooms and mushroom gravy. Looking at the two pictures below, the meal came in two sessions. The first session comes with soup, 3 different kinds of fresh baked bread, coleslaw, bean salad, cranberry salad and some other kind of salad. The second session came with Jager Schnitzel, dressing, mashed potatoes with gravy, buttered pasta, hot vegetables and ice cream.
Frankenmuth German Themed Shops
Specialty shops abound in Frankenmuth. Many of the shops cater to the German theme and of course there are plenty of gift shops. Some of the German specialty shops include:
- Cheese
- Sausage
- Jams and Jellies
- Toys
- Leather Goods
- Cuckoo Clocks
- BreadsFudge
Frankenmuth Family Fun Attractions
Some of the attractions include the Bavarian Belle, a 149-passenger paddle wheel riverboat. Smaller boats such as paddle boats and motorized boats are also available at Frankenmuth Fun Ships. For the young ones, a visit to Grandpa Tiny’s Farm may be in order. Frankenmuth also has several museums that tell the rich history of the area.
Frankenmuth has something for everyone. The multitude of inns, restaurants, shops and attractions, all with a German theme makes Frankenmuth a perfect family vacation. If a trip to Michigan is in on the agenda, Frankenmuth is must stop.
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