Planning a visit
Things to do in Frankenmuth
Frankenmuth packs a lot into a few walkable blocks of Main Street along the Cass River. Here's what visitors come for, what's free, and what's worth planning around, sorted so you can build your day fast.
The Frankenmuth classics
1. Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland
A giant Christmas store, open year-round except a few holidays. Parking is free, and so is the 20-minute "World of Bronner's" video.
2. A family-style chicken dinner
The town's signature meal is served at the Bavarian Inn Restaurant (713 S. Main St.) and Zehnder's (730 S. Main St.), right across the street from each other.
3. The Glockenspiel
The Bavarian Inn's Glockenspiel tower plays and tells the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin with moving figures. It's free to watch from the street.
4. Walk Main Street
Bavarian-style storefronts, cheese and fudge shops, and the Social District, where adults can carry a drink between participating businesses. See our Main Street route.
5. River Place Shops
A shopping village at 925 S. Main St. with a winery, a distillery, a bar and grill, Cherry Republic, a game room and seasonal festivals.
6. Frankenmuth Brewery
A brewery on Main Street (425 S. Main St.) with food, kids' menus, and house root beer for non-drinkers.
Free things to do
7. The Gnome Hunt
Find 15 of the 40+ gnomes hidden in local businesses and claim a prize at the Visitor Center. How it works
8. Mural Finder
Check in at 10 murals around town for a prize. Details
9. Historic Walking Tour
Red signs with QR codes and short videos at historic sites, from the Frankenmuth Historical Association.
10. The Cheese Haus Figurienspiel
A free 10-minute show about cheese on Main Street.
11. Bronner's Christmas Lane
Over 100,000 lights along Bronner's half-mile drive, lit every evening from dusk.
12. Free coupon book and Visitor Guide
Pick both up at the Visitor Center, 635 S. Main St., which also has public restrooms and free parking behind it.
Frankenmuth with kids
13. Indoor waterparks
Zehnder's Splash Village and the Bavarian Inn Lodge's waterpark run year-round, with day passes as well as hotel stays.
14. Arcades and indoor mini golf
The Bavarian Inn Family Fun Center has 160 arcade games and an 18-hole indoor course, and River Place has a game room.
15. Paint an ornament at Bronner's
The Paint-n-Go station lets kids decorate their own ornament (weekends only from January to April).
16. Root beer at the brewery
Frankie's Root Bier and orange cream soda are on the menu, and kids are welcome. The zero-proof route lists more.
Drinks and nights out (21+)
17. The Main Street Bar Crawl
Ten stops from St. Julian to the riverfront, with routes for beer, wine, cocktails or zero-proof. Plan your route or print a map.
18. The Bavarian Bierpass
Collect 15 stamps around town for a limited-edition t-shirt. Details
19. Wine tasting
St. Julian's tasting room (127 S. Main St.) and Modern Craft Winery at River Place.
20. Get home safe
Rides are scarce late at night, so plan before your first drink. Your options
Rainy or cold days
21. Frankenmuth Historical Museum
The town's story from the 1845 settlers onward, at 613 S. Main St., open year-round. Read the short version.
22. Michigan Heroes Museum
More than 140 displays honoring Michigan's military heroes and astronauts, at 1250 S. Weiss St.
23. A long lunch and a slow shop
Winter weekdays are the calmest time in town. Frankenmuth in winter
Plan around a festival
24. The big festivals
Zehnder's Snowfest, the World Expo of Beer, the Bavarian Festival, Auto Fest and Oktoberfest. See the calendar
25. The Christmas season
From the day after Thanksgiving, the whole town goes all in on Christmas, with lights, an ice rink and the Stop & Snap photo hunt.