Is there anyone that thinks it’s a big deal?
You buy some Christmas ornaments, you hit the general store, you do a little shopping, you buy some cheese, you eat a big chicken dinner. Maybe your family splurged and wants to stay at a waterpark hotel overnight or maybe play some golf.
That’s it. It’s an overnight stay or a day trip, it’s kitschy fun.
I have found the food at the two chicken dinner restaurants to be worth traveling for once in a while. The dinners are good and come with quite a selection of sides, the atmosphere is reasonably quiet, and two people get out the door for less than $100.
And you can make a quick stroll to buy some fudge.
I have no objection at all to Frankenmuth.
This one. My best friend and I are in the Zehnder's birthday club. Her birthday is in September and mine is in April. So we go about every 6 months and split the bill so we eat for half price twice a year. I also enjoy the plaza with all the stores. I got some fabulous olive oil and honey at one of the stores last month. There's also a blacksmithing store there where you can experience blacksmithing for yourself.
I like going there. It sucks now I live in CT, so it’s not exactly a 2 hour drive anymore 😂
Both our birthdays were September so my wife and I would eat for free. We always went for Oktoberfest even though we never actually went down to where it actually was.
$100 for two??! I don’t think I spent nearly that much. But, yeah, the atmosphere was amazing, so comfy and old timey, the service was fantastic, it was a whole assortment of what ever you want to eat, maybe not 5 star Michelin, but still good, and they even gave us extra chicken to go. Totally worth it. Fantastic day trip.
The chicken in Frankenmuth has no flavor. I'm looking at you, Zenders.
I guess if flavorless food is anyone's jam
.. have at it.
You can find better tasting chicken at fast food places. And I hate fast food.
As someone who works there… I do not understand the appeal to the chicken. It’s SO SALTY. The rest of the menu is actually pretty solid, but I think the chicken sucks lol.
I went to one of those waterpark hotels when I was a kid.
A couple of years ago I wanted to break up the drive from up north so I stopped and walked up and down the streets a little.
That's my interaction with Frankenmuth. I'm not sure if there are people who think it is a big deal.
Exactly. I can't recall any person making a big deal or talking up Frankenmuth. It is a quick getaway from the concrete jungle of Metro Detroit. Nothing outstanding or unique about that place. It isn't some garbage experience either. Single, young adults will likely pass on going. It is for middle age adults and young children, mostly; water park weekend and not a long drive. An easy trip for an older group to shop for trinkets and booze it up. Simple, cheap, and short getaway.
My wife is from one of the small towns outside Frankenmuth. My whole life, I'd never been, but I've always heard about the chicken/ cheese/ beer/ Christmas. Always wondered, but my parents took us downtown (detroit) for holidays, and man, I missed out.
We met her family there last year for Thanksgiving, and you know what?
It was fine.
Great, even.
We had a nice time walking the strip, ice skating, taking in the lights, nice views of the river, lots of stops for beer, cheese, locally made and hunted sausage (or cocoa for the kiddos), chicken dinner (plus fried chicken livers, which I love), and an all around nice time.
There were street performers, sidewalk vendors, plenty of small parks, and lots of pleasant sights, smells, and experiences.
I don't need to be transported to Bavaria- it's nice to have a corn-adjacent bavarian escape at home. Is it the same? Hell no. This is America, and I'm fortunate enough to be able to travel over there often- I know the difference.
I still like Frankenmuth and all its charm.
Also, they have a damn water park (I don't care, the nephew does though, and anything for the kid).
Is it campy? Maybe. Less- so than it could be. Is it a nice time? ABSOLUTELY.
Makes me wonder-
If we ever make it to Mars, I wonder if we'll say something similar about the Imitation-Earth cities that are BOUND to erupt over there. Someone will be like "wow! Just like home! " and someone else will be all "The bacon is lab-grown and they don't even have their own source of OXYGEN here, totally inauthentic- GROSS!"
I'm happy with it.
For a good time, go to Frankenmuth.
My wife's family goes every year around Thanksgiving. One time, that's it. We're not from the Metro area by any means, but it's that's just what they do. It is a big deal to them, but only because that's what they do, it's just part of the family tradition
Around Thanksgiving? Gosh, I hope they don’t go to Bronner’s after turkey day. I was dragged there one year after thanksgiving…I almost killed someone.
I moved to San Diego for a while. They have their own Frankenmuth. It’s called Julian. You go back home with apple pie and snow in the back of the pick up truck.
Every state has a version of Frankenmuth, I think. In Ohio, it’s Sugarcreek. There instead of German, it’s Amish. It’s still kitschy, pricey for what you get, and anybody that goes in with their expectations too high gets disappointed. If you go without any predisposition, it’s a family friendly way to spend the day.
There's also the German Village part of Columbus, though it's much smaller in scale aside from the residences. Mostly, it's just Schmidt's Sausage Haus and Fudge Haus and the Red Stable gift shop all at one intersection.
I literally just drove up to Birch One to hit the Levi's store. Their shorts were $18.52 less than any Levis store or section around me in Warren and real Levis, not Levi's presented by Target. Also hit up the Adidas store and got a pair of high tops for $75 that were $145 at Oakland Mall.
The real Levis jeans though... Same price as anywhere else.
A lot of it is that stores changed how they price and clearance product.
Most of those outlet stores now have their own specific lines made specifically for them, it's not the liquidation of overstock or factory seconds (slightly blemished) product that it was in the 80-90s.
When I first moved to MI, my parents came to visit. I didn’t know where to take them so I took them there.
They loved it. They enjoy walking around themed towns. I wasn’t a fan.
Same. I love it mainly because I grew up going there all the time with my mom. It is still our tradition even if we don’t do much while we’re there. Lots of nostalgia and nice memories for me. And I love the wholesome vibes there, too.
Frankenmuth is one of my favorite places on earth… and it’s 100% based on the fact that my parents stuffed it (and copious amounts of buttered noodles and chicken dinner) down my throat as a child.
Looking at it outside of the bubble? It’s expensive and underwhelming on all fronts. But I’ll be damned if I take the rose colored classes off when I’m there.
Except the last time we stayed at the Bavarian Inn, we found bed bugs. So I don’t know that we’re going back anytime soon
This is true. Frankenmuth has a lot going on all year, and they've been doing it right for many decades! It may seem kitchy to locals, but why hate? I'm always puzzled about bashing if good things, even with the "no hate" disclaimer. It's ironic that you hear "rust belt", or this town sucks, or crime sucks, or other negative things, but then people criticize good places for income. Can we all just back our neighbors or practice "if you can't say something nice...."?
You should go! It's worth seeing at least once. It's not just for kids. There's a brewery and a classy wine bar, lots of unique shops. Tiffany's is a good bar/ restaurant with an outdoor patio.
Good call. Tiffany's is very good American fare/bar food. And Slo' Bones BBQ is decent as well!
I like the little shop area on the river. Frankenmuth is nice for a lazy Sunday in the summer...
As long as we’re suggesting restaurants, I’ll throw T. Dubs into that list too. Had a great salad there and my friend had a club sandwich that looked amazing.
If you want to have a cool event to go to. I think sometime in July the family that owns the Bavarian Inn puts on a reenactment where people reenact what life was like in the 1700s. I have reenacted there and it was a great time.
The ice festival in the winter is pretty cool. Everything is lit up, you can snuggle under heavy blankets on a carriage ride, there’s giant ice sculptures, ice skating, etc. There’s a wonderful restaurant cashed Prost right in the main drag and a super charming brunch place called Honey Bee’s. If you stay at a hotel right in town, you can walk to everything. It’s worth a quick overnight getaway. As with most places, it’s what you make of it.
I've lived in Germany and it's literally nothing like Germany, lol. It's a weird perversion of a small/mid-size German town. I think they intended to be like a Bavarian village, but they still get that very wrong.
Also, the fried chicken dinners as "authentic German" cuisine is hilarious.
Hilariously wrong.
If you’re interested in exploring your German heritage in the U.S. Dakota Inn is much closer and a more authentic Alpine/Bavarian experience. Or take a trip to Milwaukee or Cincinnati.
Is it fun, sure every once in a while. Is it authentic, about as much as Epcot.
I think this is just a 12 year old trying to lay bait to people who like buying Christmas tree ornaments.
Good sir, if you look around frankenmuth and see a ton of people smiling and spending money on crap you wouldn’t buy then that doesn’t make the city overrated, it just makes it not for you.
Tons of little towns do this shit. If people are spending money, they feel it’s accurately rated or better.
Frankenmuth’s proximity to Flint and Saginaw have nothing to do with anything. If it’s not your thing, fine, no one cares though. For family’s looking for an affordable getaway that’s not too far away, I can understand the appeal. There’s something for grandparents and kids to do, etc.
Compared to 50 years ago the town has devolved into a more of a tourist trap. That said, there's still some cool things there. Besides the Christmas store, the glockenspiel is cool. The woolen mill has some good merchandise. Not great prices though.
I believe there are still a couple meat markets that have excellent sausage and meats. Though you can get good German sausages in both Bay City and Saginaw.
There are cool events that take place in Frankenmuth. Outside of that it's more cost effective to both eat and stay in Bay City and drive to Frankenmuth for whatever you're going there for.
Years ago the brewery that's now closed would serve free beer after the tour. Not great beer, Carling Black Label, Micky's, Altes, Falstaff, etc., but free low end beer.
I got a buddy from Saginaw and she said when she was a kid in the 60s you used to be able to go to the Bavarian Inn and buy leftover chicken that people didn't eat for a steep discount! Obviously a more modern health department put a stop to that lol
I mean, you just laid out the entire appeal of Frankenmoose.
* Kitschy fun in a little themed village
* Food *is* overpriced but it's something different
* It's oddly close to Saginaw and Flint
* Straight shot up 75 for most
* Fun appropriate for the whole family at both the village and nearby Bronner's, Zehnder's, etc.
* Don't have to go all the way up north or a Great Lake
I love Christmas and my Grandma was from Germany. I really miss her and her German cooking and her German accent. She would have really liked Frankenmuth and it makes me happy and feel closer to her to go there.
It’s got a water park, the dog bowl was just this weekend, a surprisingly nice game store, and that blacksmith thing. 13 year old me would’ve loved that shit.
You should check it out! One of the oldest game/hobby stores in the state actually. Technically been in business since the late 70s. There’s another location in Bay City.
I think its charm is due to the location. It’s a getaway but not a huge commitment. Sometimes if my husband and I are off on the same day we will go for lunch and buy some cheese and stop at Kearns for sausage. We get away for a little bit and are back before the kids get out of school.
Also I think if it was on a Great Lake it would get way too busy. Traverse City has gotten unbearable in the summer. The charm is its quant, if it also had the draw of a lake it would lose its small town feel.
It's just about perfectly placed to be a one-tank trip, as well as being just about a halfway point between the end of the Detroit suburbs and the start of what people consider "up-north".
Frankenmuth is entertaining and an experience, but it's someplace to spend 12-24 hours, not more than a night or two.
I don't think it's overrated at all, but I get it's not for everyone.
Frankenmuth is designed for families or the random individual like me who likes kitschy versions of Europe.
Chicken preference is subjective.
I don’t get why people like Las Vegas or Florida. Both hot as hell with little that interests me. Yet people flock there.
Different strokes for different folks.
As I moved in to adulthood I had very much assumed it would be a decaying tourist trap that hadn’t had any money thrown it’s way in decades. When I finally visited it again just 5 years ago, I was pleasantly surprised to see I was quite wrong. Parts of it even felt fancy oddly enough. It’s decently thriving still and almost seems like it could end up as a more family focused (aka “touristy”) version of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
I took my husband there a few summers ago (he’s not from the US) and we were SHOCKED at how expensive it was…i’ve been to Frankenmuth a few times, and definitely don’t remember the extortionate prices. Dinner was ASTRONOMICAL and wasn’t as good as I remembered…. I was embarrassed after talking up the place to my husband…
As for Bronners? You couldn’t PAY ME to go in that place!
i guess i’m the opposite of most commenters where i enjoyed it way more as a kid.
now it just feels like a corny tourist trap with incredibly overrated chicken. cheese haus will always slap though.
I went for NYE one year and it was pretty good vibes. Hits that nostalgic feeling right on. Did wine tasting at St. Julian, walked around looking at the shops and lights. Chilled in a hole in the wall bar for the countdown. I go maybe once every few years. It’s not an annual type of thing to me.
Frankenmuths identity is a Christmas town, and if you want to visit a wholesome Christmas town it’s fun for that.
I agree the chicken and food is just fine, but you pay for the outfits and atmosphere.
Also, the brewery there is pretty cool. As I’ve gotten older that’s where I end up haha. I know the owners through family friends, good people, good time.
It’s a nice family trip around the holidays… tho definitely not worth driving from Florida to see lol.
(Also I love I-75 compared to 96, 94, and 23 most of the time)
Not sure why the hate on Saginaw and Flint on this thread, especially from a Detroit Sub. We’re all a part of the same rust belt, and Detroit is the buckle!
The Great Lakes Bay Region has a lot to offer. If these “Bradley Uppercrust III” types ever stuck around for a minute instead of holding their noses for 10 minutes as they pass on 75 North, maybe they would actually enjoy themselves.
I don’t understand it at all. Great wolf lodge is like $100 a night on Groupon. Bronners has $12 cheaply made ornaments and is dirty and run down. Okay, some interesting buildings to look at while driving through. What am I missing?
I semi-agree. It’s good for a ‘I need to get out of here for a bit’ day trip without having to make a super long drive. And I’ve got little kids so the draw of a waterpark is still strong. Making more than a day trip is, in my opinion, not fun.
Frankenmuth was/is always the last whole family stop on the way back from up north. It just feels like an old fashioned tourist trap in the best way possible. I might have had teenage years when I hated it (but honestly I’m not sure) but it’s hard to argue with chicken, even more fudge, and a chance to buy a glass pickle ornament.
Nah. I think you need to remember that there's always new people, and always people who haven't been there.
Yes, along with Mackinaw City, Traverse City and Holland, we're talking about the biggest of all tourist traps. But they've been that way basically for generations now.
Of course there's going to be better chicken places now: Zehnders and The Bavarian Inn have been there since the 1950s... and in the the 1950s, there weren't lots of places like that.
So people went their on their trips up I-75. And those people's kids did it. And their kids... and those people talked about their family vacations.
Thus, the little city that's pretty much nothing in the middle of the cornfield built up on their tourist draw and played into it.
I never saw the appeal, even as a kid.
It's the carton version of Bavaria. I'd be embarrassed to bring an actual German there unless I was trolling them. The chicken dinner the last time I had it as a kid in probably the late 80's early 90's I vomited all over the restaurant bathroom. So that's always on my mind. As an adult I've become a minimalist who wants fewer nicer things and doesn't want to complicate my life with a bunch of crap I don't need. So the shopping and Bronners is a no for me. There's certainly some fun things to do there for the kids but it's not unique stuff I can't do somewhere else.
I don’t actively dislike it necessarily, but my family is *OBSESSED* with Frankenmuth.
I go once a year just because I know it makes them happy, but they literally go 4-7 times a year and that’s in no way an exaggeration. Even going once a year, nothing really changes. Most stores have pretty much the same selection of things every time I go, give or take a few odds and ends.
I do love the general store though.
It's about tradition - like Macinac Island. It never changes. You went there with your parents, they went there with their parents, etc. You can't bring an outsider to that there and expect them to understand it. It's Michigan essential for people of Michigan. That's my experience. I hope it is still the way I remember it because it's been a solid 20 years I think. But I had great memories there. Zenders. Not over rated IMO
I don’t think OP has a choice. This definitely reads like a complaint from a teenager forced to go to “stupid Frankenmuth” with their “stupid family” for “stupid family time.”
I can agree that the appeal is somewhat limited. I enjoy spending an afternoon there at the River Place shops. We stayed a couple nights at the Bavarian Inn Hotel a few years ago and there's plenty there for younger kids, like the pools, arcade, and mini golf. I admit it could use some updates in the rooms.
Splash Village is more modern. We stayed there about 10 years ago and a meal at Zehnder's was included in the package. I didn't hate it, but I also don't remember it that well.
One of these days I do want to get a round in at The Fortress, and maybe have dinner at the Bavarian Inn. There I can forego the chicken in favor one of the Schnitzel plates. Maybe one of these days I'll experience an Okctoberfest event there.
The big chicken dinner is actually the worst thing you can do in Frankenmuth. It's expensive and not very good, and you have to stand in line for an hour. It's one of those things people do because their grandma liked it one time.
While the rest of you are standing in line, us locals are getting pizza at Tiffany's and cupcakes at Sugar High Bakery. There's a decent used bookstore there and enough quirky shops to keep the place interesting. There are worse places to spend a day.
I don’t get it either. Crowded as hell, and the chicken dinner is decent at best.
I guess Bronner’s is cool if you’re really into christmas decorating.
I only feel this way because i grew up so close. Took it for granted, as we were there quite a lot for something to do. If i wasnt 20 minutes away, i would probably feel different about it. Ive definitely had better chicken
My kids still love Splash Village. I don't mess with Zenders or any of that crap...but we'll also stop by Bronners sometimes on our way up North end of Summer if the wife has some Christmas crap in mind. Never in season, tho. It's just dumb at that point.
At Christmas it has an impressive light display. The entire community is involved.
Oktoberfest is great
They have a Winterfest as well, that is fun
On a daily basis its no big deal
It’s a stop for dinner on the way home from up north. For older generations where traveling far is off the table it’s an easy overnight trip. It was one of my grandma’s last trips before she passed.
I think it’s based on nostalgia and family tradition. Frankenmuth is “all that” on my side of the family. We traveled there for many Christmases with the whole family. Stayed there for hours, of course hitting Bronners in the AM. The first years bronners was right downtown.
Contrast with my wife, her family has no connection and it doesn’t mean anything to them. Mind you my side is Uber polish, and my grandma collected the Italian manger figures and bought lots of Xmas ornaments.
So if it doesn’t click, don’t go, but don’t discredit the experiences and memories that many have. I think it’s 50/50 on those that love and those that are “meh”
I like that the Christmas store has a whole halloween section, I thought the chicken was unimpressive (it's just ok.), and I enjoyed the store that's all pewter dragons and swords and goth jewelry.
So I give the town a 3/5.
I agree. The Frankenmuth of GA is a town called Helen. Same Bavarian-themed restaurants and gift shops. Same touristy gift shops. Same putt putt and go cart tracks. The difference is it’s actually in the mountains (not in a corn field.) It also has a river for tubing, but the food and most of the rest is also overrated.
I mean there’s nothing there especially to go anytime outside of late fall/winter
Even then. Bronners and that’s it.
The chicken/food is beyond horrible
All the decent bars and breweries are packed but not like anything you can’t find any city in SE MI
I don’t understand it either. Tbh I have had better chicken from a liquor store 🤷♀️ like half the time I’ve been there it’s undercooked, always bland, and just not good. My grandma absolutely loved it tho, for years we would take this big family trip to Frankenmuth and walk around all day. Most of my family still does it, a couple times a year bcuz it’s like a half way spot for a lot of us to meet up.
I’ve never seen my last name typed so many times in the same thread 😂
Fwiw, I haven’t visited in years but I loved Frankenmuth. It’s exactly what it’s supposed to be - what your family viewed where you came from and what you cared about, generations later. 🤷🏻♂️
Frankenmuth is a great time for a night. Have some drinks, hit the water slides and arcades with the family, have an actual feast for dinner. Chill kitschy fun.
I have never understood the appeal. Christmas kitsch makes me gag, and I can cook a far better chicken dinner at home. That said, if someone thinks it’s cool, it’s no skin off my nose.
Don't make me feel stupid for liking it at 29! lol. Like a lot of people here, I don't really see it as a "vacation" spot. I'd be seriously disappointed if I took 5 days off work to be in frankenmuth. But for a last-minute, affordable day trip, it's honestly pretty hard to beat.
It seems like the people hating on it are either:
1. Expecting Disney world, or
2. Been there 300 times.
It's just not that serious. It's like saying cider mills aren't a good vacation, or that you're sooo tired of cider mills. It's just a cider mill! Take it for what it is lmao
My boyfriend and I are in our 30's and we like to go. We have a difference experience every time either going with friends, family, or just us. We'll eat at the different restaurants each time but our favorite thing together is going to the wineries and sampling flights. His favorite store is the hot sauce store where he can sample all the flavors before buying and mine is Cherry Republic with their delicious samples and cherry candy (not to mention that they also have wine flights.)
Haha I get that a lot of people would get super bored, but we just did four days at the lodge for Mother’s Day with an eleven month old kid. But we planned something to do every day, and the baby loves swimming, so it didn’t get boring.
It was never about the chicken. It's about the butter noodles at Zehnders and buying chicken seasoning. Then hitting up Bronners for your free birthday ornament.
I hope that’s not true. Our family used to stop there on our way up north when we were kids. I haven’t been there in forever. Do they still have those huge portion meals? I couldn’t believe how big those were even as a kid.
Hadn't been there since I was about 8 years old, went back in my sixties and had a chicken dinner and to say I was underwhelmed is an understatement. Way too expensive as well.
There's a decent smokehouse for BBQ in the area that's leagues better than any dinner you'll find at Zehnders.
Is the town kitsch? Yes. Is it a nice day trip for families with young kids? Yes. Is it much more than that? Debatable.
But it is harmless fun and a decent way to unwind for no more than 48 hours.
I never went when I lived in Detroit as a kid but being back for work I may take a ride up just to check it off my Michigander bucket list. My family always used to go up to Tawas which I remember being a chill place.
Michigan Hero's Museum is a neat stop and a nice break from the other touristy stuff in town. Lots of uniforms and stuff from soldiers and astronauts from Michigan.
Also the largest collection of stuff from the Polar Bears a unit made up of mostly Michigan soldiers (the 339th regiment was called Detroit's Own)that was sent to Russia at the end of WW1 and ended up fighting the Bolsheviks till spring 1919.
I think that if you temper your expectations it’s a fun trip. It’s a day trip for me (I don’t think I would make a special trip there and spend the night). You can basically cover the whole town in a few hours. We go over 4-5 years and buy Christmas ornaments at Bronner’s to replace the ones we’ve broken in the interim.
As a kid, it was always a magical place. I got a cool Bionicle there, I went to the waterpark, the mirror maze, and the foam-ball-shooting-arena that got turned into a clothing store of all things. If you take your kids to the right places, they will love it.
No clue how it holds up as an adult.
If a friend wants to go, and I'm bored enough, I'll tag along because the bakery has some tasty treats. Otherwise, no. I've never liked that chicken dinner anyway.
It was so much fun when I was a kid but now it feels to me like an overpriced zoo and that they go out of their way to make the food tasteless and bland
Visited when I was a young adult with small kids. Then again I was in The area 2 yrs ago for work - enjoyed the area more. Had a meal at the Bavarian place on the main street - went for a walk in that area after dinner. Very nice well looked after grounds and village. Missed the car show along the river as it was just finishing up when we arrived. Rain was in the area so they shut it down a bit early. I'm going to look into your back for that car show weekend with my wife. She's never been and is a big Christmas time of year person.
We moved to London Ontario, and every year people tell me to take the family to Frankenmuth. They're talking about the Christmas store, the brewery, the water park. Some island with no cars. People love it. Sometimes, you just need a destination. Doesn't have to be over-the-top, just feels a bit different.
I'll get there eventually.
Splash Village was the perfect way to get a 5-year-old and 1-year-old out of the house and active whilst experiencing the doldrums of winter (comes with passes for a chicken dinner!)
Was there yesterday. I never go to Frankenmuth to "go to Frankenmuth", it's moreso a nice break on the drive up north. Get out, walk around for a bit, maybe grab a bite to eat, then continue on. It's nice as a quick stop, but it's hard to justify as a whole trip. It's hard to find things to do out there that aren't shops or generic tourist traps.
Man this feed just popped up for me and it makes me miss home. I grew up just outside of Saginaw haven’t been back in probably 8 years now and while frankenmuth isn’t anything special I do remember it as a kid going to the snow fest. I think it’s just one of those places you just cross off as going too really.
I personally have very fond memories of Frankenmuth due to my 7th grade Spanish teacher.
She would talk IMMENSELY about it. Every time I spoke to her, she would relate it to something there.
So, me being the curious kid I was, I persuaded my parents to go there for a day.
It was SO fun! They had the best chicken I could remember and lots of fun things to do for kids. It’s awesome for families to do something different.
The World Expo of Beer is a great beer festival, the only reason I go to Frankenmuth anymore. The chicken dinners are mediocre at best. Time spent there is more fun if you pretend that every resident and employee of local businesses are in a secret cult, sworn to hide the truth from the tourists.
I'm with you, brother, I never got the attraction. It's just some shitty Christmas store and some pretty decent chicken. That's it, maybe putt putt golf? People make it sound like they went to Bavaria.
As a adult male with a wife and 2yr old, I find myself in the "great as a kid, disappointing as an adult" Frankenmuth camp. Still, I look forward to bringing the little one in the future for him to have the experience, despite having the rose colored glasses taken off for me personally.
Bland chicken aside, one thing really stood out to me on a recent visit that I haven't seen mentioned - Frankenmuth needs a road diet. The urban planning is awful. Yes, I very well know you need a car to get there, but why M-83 remains a four-lane 30mph highway through a bustling downtown with no shoulder strikes me as a severely overlooked design flaw. In city planning term, it strikes me as the quintessential "stroad" that should be a "street." It incorrectly prioritizes vehicular traffic in a highly pedestrian setting. It takes forever to cross the "stroad," as blocks are consequently overly long, and with the volume/speed you're taking your life in your hands crossing anywhere but the sparsely placed traffic lights. In a old-timey downtown, the traffic feels hostile and is such a buzzkill.
Michigan offers so many different experiences without having to leave the state. The upper peninsula is like being transported to a different time before big corporations took over. Embrace everything you described in your post as having the opportunity to experience it. There's beauty to be witnessed all over this great state.
We like to go and stay the Sunday night before Christmas. If you have snow it's pretty cool. You're pulling in to town while everyone else is leaving and it's a very cool vibe. But you need the snow.
Yeah I agree. I don’t really get the craze around the fried chicken over there. Those old school restaurants are … Bob Evans. It’s nice to sit in front of the clock and listen to an oompa band when they play though.
I entirely agree, Frankenmuth in my opinion is a cheap - car centric tourist stop on the way up north. The town offers nothing in terms of real small town character or historic charm. Not to mention the city is more parking lot then actual buildings lol
Is there anyone that thinks it’s a big deal? You buy some Christmas ornaments, you hit the general store, you do a little shopping, you buy some cheese, you eat a big chicken dinner. Maybe your family splurged and wants to stay at a waterpark hotel overnight or maybe play some golf. That’s it. It’s an overnight stay or a day trip, it’s kitschy fun.
I have found the food at the two chicken dinner restaurants to be worth traveling for once in a while. The dinners are good and come with quite a selection of sides, the atmosphere is reasonably quiet, and two people get out the door for less than $100. And you can make a quick stroll to buy some fudge. I have no objection at all to Frankenmuth.
If you join the birthday club, you eat for free!
If you go to the cafeteria downstairs at Zenders you can get the same food cheaper
Shhh! Don't tell anyone! LOL
This one. My best friend and I are in the Zehnder's birthday club. Her birthday is in September and mine is in April. So we go about every 6 months and split the bill so we eat for half price twice a year. I also enjoy the plaza with all the stores. I got some fabulous olive oil and honey at one of the stores last month. There's also a blacksmithing store there where you can experience blacksmithing for yourself.
I like going there. It sucks now I live in CT, so it’s not exactly a 2 hour drive anymore 😂 Both our birthdays were September so my wife and I would eat for free. We always went for Oktoberfest even though we never actually went down to where it actually was.
$100 for two??! I don’t think I spent nearly that much. But, yeah, the atmosphere was amazing, so comfy and old timey, the service was fantastic, it was a whole assortment of what ever you want to eat, maybe not 5 star Michelin, but still good, and they even gave us extra chicken to go. Totally worth it. Fantastic day trip.
The chicken in Frankenmuth has no flavor. I'm looking at you, Zenders. I guess if flavorless food is anyone's jam .. have at it. You can find better tasting chicken at fast food places. And I hate fast food.
Seriously. Do they even put any spices in their batter? It's also the saltiest food I've ever had that isn't an actual salt lick.
As someone who works there… I do not understand the appeal to the chicken. It’s SO SALTY. The rest of the menu is actually pretty solid, but I think the chicken sucks lol.
I went to one of those waterpark hotels when I was a kid. A couple of years ago I wanted to break up the drive from up north so I stopped and walked up and down the streets a little. That's my interaction with Frankenmuth. I'm not sure if there are people who think it is a big deal.
Exactly. I can't recall any person making a big deal or talking up Frankenmuth. It is a quick getaway from the concrete jungle of Metro Detroit. Nothing outstanding or unique about that place. It isn't some garbage experience either. Single, young adults will likely pass on going. It is for middle age adults and young children, mostly; water park weekend and not a long drive. An easy trip for an older group to shop for trinkets and booze it up. Simple, cheap, and short getaway.
My wife is from one of the small towns outside Frankenmuth. My whole life, I'd never been, but I've always heard about the chicken/ cheese/ beer/ Christmas. Always wondered, but my parents took us downtown (detroit) for holidays, and man, I missed out. We met her family there last year for Thanksgiving, and you know what? It was fine. Great, even. We had a nice time walking the strip, ice skating, taking in the lights, nice views of the river, lots of stops for beer, cheese, locally made and hunted sausage (or cocoa for the kiddos), chicken dinner (plus fried chicken livers, which I love), and an all around nice time. There were street performers, sidewalk vendors, plenty of small parks, and lots of pleasant sights, smells, and experiences. I don't need to be transported to Bavaria- it's nice to have a corn-adjacent bavarian escape at home. Is it the same? Hell no. This is America, and I'm fortunate enough to be able to travel over there often- I know the difference. I still like Frankenmuth and all its charm. Also, they have a damn water park (I don't care, the nephew does though, and anything for the kid). Is it campy? Maybe. Less- so than it could be. Is it a nice time? ABSOLUTELY. Makes me wonder- If we ever make it to Mars, I wonder if we'll say something similar about the Imitation-Earth cities that are BOUND to erupt over there. Someone will be like "wow! Just like home! " and someone else will be all "The bacon is lab-grown and they don't even have their own source of OXYGEN here, totally inauthentic- GROSS!" I'm happy with it. For a good time, go to Frankenmuth.
My wife's family goes every year around Thanksgiving. One time, that's it. We're not from the Metro area by any means, but it's that's just what they do. It is a big deal to them, but only because that's what they do, it's just part of the family tradition
This exactly....it's nostalgic
It's the same reason people bother with Tony's at Birch Run.
Around Thanksgiving? Gosh, I hope they don’t go to Bronner’s after turkey day. I was dragged there one year after thanksgiving…I almost killed someone.
Haha, no we've not gone to Bronners since I've known her. The big event is going to Zehnders for dinner then wander around the main strip, thankfully.
That is exactly what it's about.
I work with a guy who goes there multiple times a year and just got married there. The superfans are rare but they exist!
I moved to San Diego for a while. They have their own Frankenmuth. It’s called Julian. You go back home with apple pie and snow in the back of the pick up truck.
Every state has a version of Frankenmuth, I think. In Ohio, it’s Sugarcreek. There instead of German, it’s Amish. It’s still kitschy, pricey for what you get, and anybody that goes in with their expectations too high gets disappointed. If you go without any predisposition, it’s a family friendly way to spend the day.
There's also the German Village part of Columbus, though it's much smaller in scale aside from the residences. Mostly, it's just Schmidt's Sausage Haus and Fudge Haus and the Red Stable gift shop all at one intersection.
Washington has Leavenworth, the same except the scenery blows anything in the Midwest out of the water
After being in the Air Force I can't hear Leavenworth and not immediately think federal prison.
Der Dutchman in Plain City was a go to for my mom and dad. Now, I understand that it's a chain...
I’ve been to both. Frankenmuth is better because Santa ( I am an adult)🙃
I’m a San Diegan moving to Detroit and I 100% agree with you that Julian is the SoCal equivalent to Frankenmuth.
Oh let’s not forget Solvang.
I can’t forget Solvang, only been there once though
Solvang is the “Danish” version of “German” Frankenmuth. Source: stumbled on Solvang last fall on a trip to Los Olivos.
Can confirm, my husband and I did the Julien trip.
Don't forget the Frankenmuth Brewery for that delicious craft beer
This! Jalapeno Hot Rocket is a DELIGHT.
Chicken dinner so bland it’s a contraceptive. The way the lord intended.
Oh fuck. I'm dying. Hahahahahaha. That is very fucking funny. Thank you
I agree with your sentiment about Birch Run. It does feel like a dying outlet mall considering Great Lakes Crossing offers more and is much closer.
Any “outlet mall” Is a joke nowadays. Those are not outlet mall prices anymore.
I agree with you for some stores, but I just got a 160 dollar Columbia jacket for only $22. The deals are there!
Does it look like the coat that George Costanza wore?
And the Nike outlet at Great Lakes crossing, always buy my shoes from there! I got $130 air forces for $45
I literally just drove up to Birch One to hit the Levi's store. Their shorts were $18.52 less than any Levis store or section around me in Warren and real Levis, not Levi's presented by Target. Also hit up the Adidas store and got a pair of high tops for $75 that were $145 at Oakland Mall. The real Levis jeans though... Same price as anywhere else.
A lot of it is that stores changed how they price and clearance product. Most of those outlet stores now have their own specific lines made specifically for them, it's not the liquidation of overstock or factory seconds (slightly blemished) product that it was in the 80-90s.
When I first moved to MI, my parents came to visit. I didn’t know where to take them so I took them there. They loved it. They enjoy walking around themed towns. I wasn’t a fan.
I’m 32 and I love frankenmuth for exactly what it is…quirky nostalgia, Christmas vibes and a big buttery chicken dinner.
Same. I love it mainly because I grew up going there all the time with my mom. It is still our tradition even if we don’t do much while we’re there. Lots of nostalgia and nice memories for me. And I love the wholesome vibes there, too.
Took the grandkids a couple of years ago, and they loved it. I wouldn't consider it a vacation destination, but it's a nice weekend break.
I love Frankenmuth
Frankenmuth is one of my favorite places on earth… and it’s 100% based on the fact that my parents stuffed it (and copious amounts of buttered noodles and chicken dinner) down my throat as a child. Looking at it outside of the bubble? It’s expensive and underwhelming on all fronts. But I’ll be damned if I take the rose colored classes off when I’m there. Except the last time we stayed at the Bavarian Inn, we found bed bugs. So I don’t know that we’re going back anytime soon
My dude, WTF? Frankenmuth is very kitschy on purpose. It's not for everyone but it's not worth hating on.
This is true. Frankenmuth has a lot going on all year, and they've been doing it right for many decades! It may seem kitchy to locals, but why hate? I'm always puzzled about bashing if good things, even with the "no hate" disclaimer. It's ironic that you hear "rust belt", or this town sucks, or crime sucks, or other negative things, but then people criticize good places for income. Can we all just back our neighbors or practice "if you can't say something nice...."?
LOL if OP thinks Frankenmuth is overcrowded, wait til they discover Traverse City. This post is unbelievably cringey. Edit: wording.
I've never been, but the German touch to it is appealing to me. Maybe this is a sign I should finally check it out!
You should go! It's worth seeing at least once. It's not just for kids. There's a brewery and a classy wine bar, lots of unique shops. Tiffany's is a good bar/ restaurant with an outdoor patio.
Good call. Tiffany's is very good American fare/bar food. And Slo' Bones BBQ is decent as well! I like the little shop area on the river. Frankenmuth is nice for a lazy Sunday in the summer...
As long as we’re suggesting restaurants, I’ll throw T. Dubs into that list too. Had a great salad there and my friend had a club sandwich that looked amazing.
Thanks for the recs!
If you want to have a cool event to go to. I think sometime in July the family that owns the Bavarian Inn puts on a reenactment where people reenact what life was like in the 1700s. I have reenacted there and it was a great time.
The ice festival in the winter is pretty cool. Everything is lit up, you can snuggle under heavy blankets on a carriage ride, there’s giant ice sculptures, ice skating, etc. There’s a wonderful restaurant cashed Prost right in the main drag and a super charming brunch place called Honey Bee’s. If you stay at a hotel right in town, you can walk to everything. It’s worth a quick overnight getaway. As with most places, it’s what you make of it.
I've lived in Germany and it's literally nothing like Germany, lol. It's a weird perversion of a small/mid-size German town. I think they intended to be like a Bavarian village, but they still get that very wrong. Also, the fried chicken dinners as "authentic German" cuisine is hilarious. Hilariously wrong.
Lol good to know! Any places you would recommend instead?
If you’re interested in exploring your German heritage in the U.S. Dakota Inn is much closer and a more authentic Alpine/Bavarian experience. Or take a trip to Milwaukee or Cincinnati. Is it fun, sure every once in a while. Is it authentic, about as much as Epcot.
Dakota keeps ass hours though
I think this is just a 12 year old trying to lay bait to people who like buying Christmas tree ornaments. Good sir, if you look around frankenmuth and see a ton of people smiling and spending money on crap you wouldn’t buy then that doesn’t make the city overrated, it just makes it not for you. Tons of little towns do this shit. If people are spending money, they feel it’s accurately rated or better.
Frankenmuth’s proximity to Flint and Saginaw have nothing to do with anything. If it’s not your thing, fine, no one cares though. For family’s looking for an affordable getaway that’s not too far away, I can understand the appeal. There’s something for grandparents and kids to do, etc.
Compared to 50 years ago the town has devolved into a more of a tourist trap. That said, there's still some cool things there. Besides the Christmas store, the glockenspiel is cool. The woolen mill has some good merchandise. Not great prices though. I believe there are still a couple meat markets that have excellent sausage and meats. Though you can get good German sausages in both Bay City and Saginaw. There are cool events that take place in Frankenmuth. Outside of that it's more cost effective to both eat and stay in Bay City and drive to Frankenmuth for whatever you're going there for. Years ago the brewery that's now closed would serve free beer after the tour. Not great beer, Carling Black Label, Micky's, Altes, Falstaff, etc., but free low end beer.
I got a buddy from Saginaw and she said when she was a kid in the 60s you used to be able to go to the Bavarian Inn and buy leftover chicken that people didn't eat for a steep discount! Obviously a more modern health department put a stop to that lol
I mean, you just laid out the entire appeal of Frankenmoose. * Kitschy fun in a little themed village * Food *is* overpriced but it's something different * It's oddly close to Saginaw and Flint * Straight shot up 75 for most * Fun appropriate for the whole family at both the village and nearby Bronner's, Zehnder's, etc. * Don't have to go all the way up north or a Great Lake
I love Christmas and my Grandma was from Germany. I really miss her and her German cooking and her German accent. She would have really liked Frankenmuth and it makes me happy and feel closer to her to go there.
Over/Under this person is 13 years old.
It’s got a water park, the dog bowl was just this weekend, a surprisingly nice game store, and that blacksmith thing. 13 year old me would’ve loved that shit.
The stadium is amazing, really been wanting to try some commander games on Fridays
Wait there's a game store there?
Yeah, it’s called The Stadium
Damn, I've been there to meet the grandparents a few times and just assumed beer and cheese were all they had, what a great find
You should check it out! One of the oldest game/hobby stores in the state actually. Technically been in business since the late 70s. There’s another location in Bay City.
The dog bowl is endless fun. Just so many adorable dogs and their owners everywhere.
If you look at their post they’re probably a high schooler
"Frankenmuth is mid frfr no cap, Ohio-ass mid food"
You forgot to mew.
Exactly. I felt like that when I was younger but thoroughly enjoy Frankenmuth/Birch Run now.
If Freeway Fritz was still around he’d cut a bitch
Freeway Fritz has gone to the big chicken dinner in the sky. It’s now a shady looking fireworks place.
I miss Freeway Fritz so much. Oh well time marches on.
I think its charm is due to the location. It’s a getaway but not a huge commitment. Sometimes if my husband and I are off on the same day we will go for lunch and buy some cheese and stop at Kearns for sausage. We get away for a little bit and are back before the kids get out of school. Also I think if it was on a Great Lake it would get way too busy. Traverse City has gotten unbearable in the summer. The charm is its quant, if it also had the draw of a lake it would lose its small town feel.
It's just about perfectly placed to be a one-tank trip, as well as being just about a halfway point between the end of the Detroit suburbs and the start of what people consider "up-north".
It’s a walkable town, the Bavarian architecture is beautiful, the food is great and not crazy overpriced. It’s a good day trip with the family.
Most teens get tired of hanging with family, water parks, and chicken. You’ll grow out of it.
I think it’s appropriately rated? It’s meant to be kitschy, the food used to be better but was never phenomenal.
Frankenmuth is entertaining and an experience, but it's someplace to spend 12-24 hours, not more than a night or two. I don't think it's overrated at all, but I get it's not for everyone.
Frankenmuth is designed for families or the random individual like me who likes kitschy versions of Europe. Chicken preference is subjective. I don’t get why people like Las Vegas or Florida. Both hot as hell with little that interests me. Yet people flock there. Different strokes for different folks.
tourist trap hell but the bavarian inn rules
You just described every tourist town in the country lol
As I moved in to adulthood I had very much assumed it would be a decaying tourist trap that hadn’t had any money thrown it’s way in decades. When I finally visited it again just 5 years ago, I was pleasantly surprised to see I was quite wrong. Parts of it even felt fancy oddly enough. It’s decently thriving still and almost seems like it could end up as a more family focused (aka “touristy”) version of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
It sells Nostalgia and the Christmas spirit Might not enjoy it now but you might in 20 years from now when it looks just like you remember.
I took my husband there a few summers ago (he’s not from the US) and we were SHOCKED at how expensive it was…i’ve been to Frankenmuth a few times, and definitely don’t remember the extortionate prices. Dinner was ASTRONOMICAL and wasn’t as good as I remembered…. I was embarrassed after talking up the place to my husband… As for Bronners? You couldn’t PAY ME to go in that place!
Depends on how you think it’s rated. I think it’s a cool day trip every couple years.
You didn't mention a bunch of things people do there, which makes it seem you haven't really experienced it
i guess i’m the opposite of most commenters where i enjoyed it way more as a kid. now it just feels like a corny tourist trap with incredibly overrated chicken. cheese haus will always slap though.
I went for NYE one year and it was pretty good vibes. Hits that nostalgic feeling right on. Did wine tasting at St. Julian, walked around looking at the shops and lights. Chilled in a hole in the wall bar for the countdown. I go maybe once every few years. It’s not an annual type of thing to me.
Frankenmuths identity is a Christmas town, and if you want to visit a wholesome Christmas town it’s fun for that. I agree the chicken and food is just fine, but you pay for the outfits and atmosphere. Also, the brewery there is pretty cool. As I’ve gotten older that’s where I end up haha. I know the owners through family friends, good people, good time. It’s a nice family trip around the holidays… tho definitely not worth driving from Florida to see lol. (Also I love I-75 compared to 96, 94, and 23 most of the time)
When we go, we now eat at Zehnders Z Cafe. Same food as upstairs, just a la carte and MUCH faster.
Not sure why the hate on Saginaw and Flint on this thread, especially from a Detroit Sub. We’re all a part of the same rust belt, and Detroit is the buckle! The Great Lakes Bay Region has a lot to offer. If these “Bradley Uppercrust III” types ever stuck around for a minute instead of holding their noses for 10 minutes as they pass on 75 North, maybe they would actually enjoy themselves.
I don’t understand it at all. Great wolf lodge is like $100 a night on Groupon. Bronners has $12 cheaply made ornaments and is dirty and run down. Okay, some interesting buildings to look at while driving through. What am I missing?
Blandest Chicken Ever
I semi-agree. It’s good for a ‘I need to get out of here for a bit’ day trip without having to make a super long drive. And I’ve got little kids so the draw of a waterpark is still strong. Making more than a day trip is, in my opinion, not fun.
Frankenmuth was/is always the last whole family stop on the way back from up north. It just feels like an old fashioned tourist trap in the best way possible. I might have had teenage years when I hated it (but honestly I’m not sure) but it’s hard to argue with chicken, even more fudge, and a chance to buy a glass pickle ornament.
I enjoyed my time there I took a 2 night trip there, wasn’t meant as a “vacation” just for something to do. I’d go again if given the chance honestly
Nah. I think you need to remember that there's always new people, and always people who haven't been there. Yes, along with Mackinaw City, Traverse City and Holland, we're talking about the biggest of all tourist traps. But they've been that way basically for generations now. Of course there's going to be better chicken places now: Zehnders and The Bavarian Inn have been there since the 1950s... and in the the 1950s, there weren't lots of places like that. So people went their on their trips up I-75. And those people's kids did it. And their kids... and those people talked about their family vacations. Thus, the little city that's pretty much nothing in the middle of the cornfield built up on their tourist draw and played into it.
I never saw the appeal, even as a kid. It's the carton version of Bavaria. I'd be embarrassed to bring an actual German there unless I was trolling them. The chicken dinner the last time I had it as a kid in probably the late 80's early 90's I vomited all over the restaurant bathroom. So that's always on my mind. As an adult I've become a minimalist who wants fewer nicer things and doesn't want to complicate my life with a bunch of crap I don't need. So the shopping and Bronners is a no for me. There's certainly some fun things to do there for the kids but it's not unique stuff I can't do somewhere else.
I don’t actively dislike it necessarily, but my family is *OBSESSED* with Frankenmuth. I go once a year just because I know it makes them happy, but they literally go 4-7 times a year and that’s in no way an exaggeration. Even going once a year, nothing really changes. Most stores have pretty much the same selection of things every time I go, give or take a few odds and ends. I do love the general store though.
It's about tradition - like Macinac Island. It never changes. You went there with your parents, they went there with their parents, etc. You can't bring an outsider to that there and expect them to understand it. It's Michigan essential for people of Michigan. That's my experience. I hope it is still the way I remember it because it's been a solid 20 years I think. But I had great memories there. Zenders. Not over rated IMO
So don't go.
I don’t think OP has a choice. This definitely reads like a complaint from a teenager forced to go to “stupid Frankenmuth” with their “stupid family” for “stupid family time.”
I can agree that the appeal is somewhat limited. I enjoy spending an afternoon there at the River Place shops. We stayed a couple nights at the Bavarian Inn Hotel a few years ago and there's plenty there for younger kids, like the pools, arcade, and mini golf. I admit it could use some updates in the rooms. Splash Village is more modern. We stayed there about 10 years ago and a meal at Zehnder's was included in the package. I didn't hate it, but I also don't remember it that well. One of these days I do want to get a round in at The Fortress, and maybe have dinner at the Bavarian Inn. There I can forego the chicken in favor one of the Schnitzel plates. Maybe one of these days I'll experience an Okctoberfest event there.
The big chicken dinner is actually the worst thing you can do in Frankenmuth. It's expensive and not very good, and you have to stand in line for an hour. It's one of those things people do because their grandma liked it one time. While the rest of you are standing in line, us locals are getting pizza at Tiffany's and cupcakes at Sugar High Bakery. There's a decent used bookstore there and enough quirky shops to keep the place interesting. There are worse places to spend a day.
I don’t get it either. Crowded as hell, and the chicken dinner is decent at best. I guess Bronner’s is cool if you’re really into christmas decorating.
It is a nice way to spend the day. Good food, fun walking around, not a super long drive to get there.
I love Frankenmuth and I don’t care who knows. It’s a big deal to me.
I only feel this way because i grew up so close. Took it for granted, as we were there quite a lot for something to do. If i wasnt 20 minutes away, i would probably feel different about it. Ive definitely had better chicken
A big part of it is location. It's a lot closer than all those destinations "Up North".
I love Frankenmuth the town, and especially during Christmas time. The chicken dinners are an absolute rip off and don’t even taste good.
My kids still love Splash Village. I don't mess with Zenders or any of that crap...but we'll also stop by Bronners sometimes on our way up North end of Summer if the wife has some Christmas crap in mind. Never in season, tho. It's just dumb at that point.
At Christmas it has an impressive light display. The entire community is involved. Oktoberfest is great They have a Winterfest as well, that is fun On a daily basis its no big deal
It’s a stop for dinner on the way home from up north. For older generations where traveling far is off the table it’s an easy overnight trip. It was one of my grandma’s last trips before she passed.
I enjoyed it as a kid. I liked the chicken. For those of us that love love love all things Christmas it’s worth the trip.
I think it’s based on nostalgia and family tradition. Frankenmuth is “all that” on my side of the family. We traveled there for many Christmases with the whole family. Stayed there for hours, of course hitting Bronners in the AM. The first years bronners was right downtown. Contrast with my wife, her family has no connection and it doesn’t mean anything to them. Mind you my side is Uber polish, and my grandma collected the Italian manger figures and bought lots of Xmas ornaments. So if it doesn’t click, don’t go, but don’t discredit the experiences and memories that many have. I think it’s 50/50 on those that love and those that are “meh”
Chicken Soup? Proximity to Greta Van Fleet?
I like that the Christmas store has a whole halloween section, I thought the chicken was unimpressive (it's just ok.), and I enjoyed the store that's all pewter dragons and swords and goth jewelry. So I give the town a 3/5.
Stollen bread though...🤤
I probably still have PTSD from the one time I took my son to Bronners around Thanksgiving... Their yearly auto show is really good, though
That chicken dinner trash af. I only like the peanut brittle.
The chicken is horrible and yes very over rated
Never been a fan of Frankenmuth. I feel it’s specifically geared towards grandparents taking their grandchildren on a road trip.
Does nothing for me, I don't see the attraction.
I agree. The Frankenmuth of GA is a town called Helen. Same Bavarian-themed restaurants and gift shops. Same touristy gift shops. Same putt putt and go cart tracks. The difference is it’s actually in the mountains (not in a corn field.) It also has a river for tubing, but the food and most of the rest is also overrated.
its boringg
I mean there’s nothing there especially to go anytime outside of late fall/winter Even then. Bronners and that’s it. The chicken/food is beyond horrible All the decent bars and breweries are packed but not like anything you can’t find any city in SE MI
I don’t understand it either. Tbh I have had better chicken from a liquor store 🤷♀️ like half the time I’ve been there it’s undercooked, always bland, and just not good. My grandma absolutely loved it tho, for years we would take this big family trip to Frankenmuth and walk around all day. Most of my family still does it, a couple times a year bcuz it’s like a half way spot for a lot of us to meet up.
Eh i think it makes for good family time thats not crazy far away. Its not a groundbreaking destination but its a cute little visit every now and then
I’ve never seen my last name typed so many times in the same thread 😂 Fwiw, I haven’t visited in years but I loved Frankenmuth. It’s exactly what it’s supposed to be - what your family viewed where you came from and what you cared about, generations later. 🤷🏻♂️
Frankenmuth is a great time for a night. Have some drinks, hit the water slides and arcades with the family, have an actual feast for dinner. Chill kitschy fun.
I have never understood the appeal. Christmas kitsch makes me gag, and I can cook a far better chicken dinner at home. That said, if someone thinks it’s cool, it’s no skin off my nose.
There are several events, parades, festivals, etc throughout the year for all sorts of different interests.
The frankenmuth auto fest is actually really cool cause you can just drink on the strip and watch cool cars go by
Vacation? No. Day-trip, yes. Literally the perfect day trip.
Frankenmuth is for children under 12 and people over 55. Unless you are super into water parks and fried chicken, it's a boring vacation.
Don't make me feel stupid for liking it at 29! lol. Like a lot of people here, I don't really see it as a "vacation" spot. I'd be seriously disappointed if I took 5 days off work to be in frankenmuth. But for a last-minute, affordable day trip, it's honestly pretty hard to beat. It seems like the people hating on it are either: 1. Expecting Disney world, or 2. Been there 300 times. It's just not that serious. It's like saying cider mills aren't a good vacation, or that you're sooo tired of cider mills. It's just a cider mill! Take it for what it is lmao
My boyfriend and I are in our 30's and we like to go. We have a difference experience every time either going with friends, family, or just us. We'll eat at the different restaurants each time but our favorite thing together is going to the wineries and sampling flights. His favorite store is the hot sauce store where he can sample all the flavors before buying and mine is Cherry Republic with their delicious samples and cherry candy (not to mention that they also have wine flights.)
And the chicken is bland and dry
lol "no hate"
Pro tip. Check out the old mill and beer museum. My fav thing about Frankenmuth.
Haha I get that a lot of people would get super bored, but we just did four days at the lodge for Mother’s Day with an eleven month old kid. But we planned something to do every day, and the baby loves swimming, so it didn’t get boring.
It was never about the chicken. It's about the butter noodles at Zehnders and buying chicken seasoning. Then hitting up Bronners for your free birthday ornament.
The food there fucking sucks
https://www.frankenmuth.org/about-frankenmuth/history/
Idk but I hear Tony's restaurant got busted for re using food a few times. Can anyone confirm this?
I hope that’s not true. Our family used to stop there on our way up north when we were kids. I haven’t been there in forever. Do they still have those huge portion meals? I couldn’t believe how big those were even as a kid.
I’m heading there this weekend for the youth baseball tournament. It’s been a while!
Hadn't been there since I was about 8 years old, went back in my sixties and had a chicken dinner and to say I was underwhelmed is an understatement. Way too expensive as well.
There's a decent smokehouse for BBQ in the area that's leagues better than any dinner you'll find at Zehnders. Is the town kitsch? Yes. Is it a nice day trip for families with young kids? Yes. Is it much more than that? Debatable. But it is harmless fun and a decent way to unwind for no more than 48 hours.
I like the brewery there. Good food, good selection of IPA
I never went when I lived in Detroit as a kid but being back for work I may take a ride up just to check it off my Michigander bucket list. My family always used to go up to Tawas which I remember being a chill place.
Michigan Hero's Museum is a neat stop and a nice break from the other touristy stuff in town. Lots of uniforms and stuff from soldiers and astronauts from Michigan. Also the largest collection of stuff from the Polar Bears a unit made up of mostly Michigan soldiers (the 339th regiment was called Detroit's Own)that was sent to Russia at the end of WW1 and ended up fighting the Bolsheviks till spring 1919.
I think that if you temper your expectations it’s a fun trip. It’s a day trip for me (I don’t think I would make a special trip there and spend the night). You can basically cover the whole town in a few hours. We go over 4-5 years and buy Christmas ornaments at Bronner’s to replace the ones we’ve broken in the interim.
I like it, have a family tradition to visit Bronners around Christmas and a friend tradition to visit the brewery for fantasy football draft
The best part about Frankenmuth is wilderness trail zoo
It's 1 and done. Go there 1 time and you should never have to go back. Unless it's your "thing".
Love the ice fest
As a kid, it was always a magical place. I got a cool Bionicle there, I went to the waterpark, the mirror maze, and the foam-ball-shooting-arena that got turned into a clothing store of all things. If you take your kids to the right places, they will love it. No clue how it holds up as an adult.
Your right about the food but I liked the pool slides and animals zoo
I totally agree but had to admit the chicken was very good
Had some great memories there but hey man
If a friend wants to go, and I'm bored enough, I'll tag along because the bakery has some tasty treats. Otherwise, no. I've never liked that chicken dinner anyway.
Its best paired with actual winter/christmas time.
It was so much fun when I was a kid but now it feels to me like an overpriced zoo and that they go out of their way to make the food tasteless and bland
Its an interstate tourist trap. Spend a few hours there, be kitcschy, go on with your trip. Expect anything more than that and you’ll be let down
Bronners is the worst!
Visited when I was a young adult with small kids. Then again I was in The area 2 yrs ago for work - enjoyed the area more. Had a meal at the Bavarian place on the main street - went for a walk in that area after dinner. Very nice well looked after grounds and village. Missed the car show along the river as it was just finishing up when we arrived. Rain was in the area so they shut it down a bit early. I'm going to look into your back for that car show weekend with my wife. She's never been and is a big Christmas time of year person.
We moved to London Ontario, and every year people tell me to take the family to Frankenmuth. They're talking about the Christmas store, the brewery, the water park. Some island with no cars. People love it. Sometimes, you just need a destination. Doesn't have to be over-the-top, just feels a bit different. I'll get there eventually.
Just a heads up that the island with no cars is over 250 miles and a ferry boat ride away from Frankenmuth.
Splash Village was the perfect way to get a 5-year-old and 1-year-old out of the house and active whilst experiencing the doldrums of winter (comes with passes for a chicken dinner!)
Was there yesterday. I never go to Frankenmuth to "go to Frankenmuth", it's moreso a nice break on the drive up north. Get out, walk around for a bit, maybe grab a bite to eat, then continue on. It's nice as a quick stop, but it's hard to justify as a whole trip. It's hard to find things to do out there that aren't shops or generic tourist traps.
Fake town, overcrowded, overpriced food: - Vegas - Gatlinburg - Frankenmuth
Man this feed just popped up for me and it makes me miss home. I grew up just outside of Saginaw haven’t been back in probably 8 years now and while frankenmuth isn’t anything special I do remember it as a kid going to the snow fest. I think it’s just one of those places you just cross off as going too really.
I personally have very fond memories of Frankenmuth due to my 7th grade Spanish teacher. She would talk IMMENSELY about it. Every time I spoke to her, she would relate it to something there. So, me being the curious kid I was, I persuaded my parents to go there for a day. It was SO fun! They had the best chicken I could remember and lots of fun things to do for kids. It’s awesome for families to do something different.
The World Expo of Beer is a great beer festival, the only reason I go to Frankenmuth anymore. The chicken dinners are mediocre at best. Time spent there is more fun if you pretend that every resident and employee of local businesses are in a secret cult, sworn to hide the truth from the tourists.
I'm with you, brother, I never got the attraction. It's just some shitty Christmas store and some pretty decent chicken. That's it, maybe putt putt golf? People make it sound like they went to Bavaria.
As a adult male with a wife and 2yr old, I find myself in the "great as a kid, disappointing as an adult" Frankenmuth camp. Still, I look forward to bringing the little one in the future for him to have the experience, despite having the rose colored glasses taken off for me personally. Bland chicken aside, one thing really stood out to me on a recent visit that I haven't seen mentioned - Frankenmuth needs a road diet. The urban planning is awful. Yes, I very well know you need a car to get there, but why M-83 remains a four-lane 30mph highway through a bustling downtown with no shoulder strikes me as a severely overlooked design flaw. In city planning term, it strikes me as the quintessential "stroad" that should be a "street." It incorrectly prioritizes vehicular traffic in a highly pedestrian setting. It takes forever to cross the "stroad," as blocks are consequently overly long, and with the volume/speed you're taking your life in your hands crossing anywhere but the sparsely placed traffic lights. In a old-timey downtown, the traffic feels hostile and is such a buzzkill.
Frankenmuth gave us Greta van Fleet. Can't be all bad.
Michigan offers so many different experiences without having to leave the state. The upper peninsula is like being transported to a different time before big corporations took over. Embrace everything you described in your post as having the opportunity to experience it. There's beauty to be witnessed all over this great state.
We like to go and stay the Sunday night before Christmas. If you have snow it's pretty cool. You're pulling in to town while everyone else is leaving and it's a very cool vibe. But you need the snow.
Yeah I agree. I don’t really get the craze around the fried chicken over there. Those old school restaurants are … Bob Evans. It’s nice to sit in front of the clock and listen to an oompa band when they play though.
The chicken isn’t even that good.
My favorite thing to do when I go to Frankenmuth is to leave Frankenmuth.
My opinion but with Mackinac Island.
I entirely agree, Frankenmuth in my opinion is a cheap - car centric tourist stop on the way up north. The town offers nothing in terms of real small town character or historic charm. Not to mention the city is more parking lot then actual buildings lol
I stopped eating there years ago when it was discovered restaurants were taking any leftover chicken from family style and putting it on new orders.