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Willkommen zu Frankenmuth!

Frankenmuth is a small, german-themed village in Mid-Michigan that attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world. Frankenmuth holds many secret gems, like the Worlds largest Christmas store, amazing chicken dinners, and German Heritage plastered left and right, but what makes it special to me is that it's my home. One of my ancestors was one of the first, original 13 settlers that arrived to start this beautiful town in 1845, and we've been dwelling here ever since.

So, from a local to the tourist, let me tell you the 9 places you absolutely have to go to on your next (or first) Frankenmuth Adventure.

1. Famous Chicken Dinners

From Bavarian Inn Restaurant or Zehnder's Restaurant

If you come to Frankenmuth and don't have a chicken dinner, did you really even go to Frankenmuth? There are two different places famous for their chicken dinners, Bavarian Inn Restaurant and Zehnder's Restaurant. Originally, Zehnder's bought Fischer's hotel, and it became the Bavarian Inn Restaurant. Each restaurant was run by brothers Tiny and Eddie Zehnder until the 1980's when they became two separate corporations. Now, the restaurants are run separately by third-generation cousins. Zehnder's is an Early American themed restaurant, while Bavarian Inn is a German themed restaurant. Both places are famous for their family style chicken dinners however, the chicken is made with practically the same recipes. It's the experience, side dishes, and other recipes that make the two restaurants so unique. Combined, they serve nearly 2 million meals each year! My favorite between the two is Bavarian Inn, but try them both out and see which one is your go to.

2. Bronner's Christmas Wonderland

Ever been in a Christmas store? I can guarantee it doesn't compare to this one. No matter what time of year you come, visiting the largest year-round Christmas store in the world is a must. Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland is the size of two and a half football fields, all under one roof, and all Christmas! Founder, Wally Bronner started as a sign maker and was asked to work on some Christmas decorations, eventually opening a small Christmas store, that tripled its size, expanding in the stores around it. In the 1970's it exploded into what it is today! Now, you can see Santa, get personalized ornament's, and find the most amazing decorations you will ever see. Take a few hours to get lost in Christmas and visit Bronner's while you're here.

3. The Frankenmuth Cheese Haus

The Frankenmuth Cheese Haus is a Engel Family Favorite, and will fulfill every cheese craving you have ever had. Not only do they have over 100 different types of cheese, but they also have wines, meats, candies, and fun novelties inside the store. You can taste test every type of cheese, so make sure you ask to try their chocolate cheese, and one of the aged cheeses. Their cheese spreads are made fresh inside the store, and contain no preservatives, and that's what makes them so addicting. You have to buy yourself either a garlic or horseradish cheese spread; I grew up on both of these and consider them an absolute necessity to any fridge.

4. The Glockenspiel

The 50 foot, 35 belled Glockenspiel is attached to the Bavarian Inn Restaurant and tells the story of the Pied Piper every day at noon, 3, 6 and 9 pm. They tell the story of the rat plague in Hamlen, Germany, complete with wooden sculptures going around on the track as the story progresses. Glockenspiel experiences are not of the American norm, and experimenting something of German heritage without leaving our boarders is extraordinary.

5. The Bavarian Inn Lodge

The Bavarian Inn Lodge has 360 European-themed gust rooms. Each guest room is specific to a local, Frankenmuth family, and features pictures and information provided from the families. (Ask for one of the Engel suite's when you check in to see rooms featuring my family!) The lodge has 4 indoor pools, 3 whirlpools, and 2 waterslides, 160 video and redemption games, 18 holed putt putt and a cafeteria style restaurant called the Ratskeller, complete with a full bar. The COO of the lodge calls the fun center a "living room water park" because they have the pool, bar, putt putt, video games, Ratskeller and sitting area's all under one roof.

I might be biased about the Lodge, since the COO is my father, but growing up spending my free time in the fun center, watching children play in the play place my grandmother painted, and spending my parents money playing arcade games for hours makes the lodge one of my absolute favorite places!

6. Prost Wine Bar and Charcuterie

Prost is an amazing new(er) addition to Frankenmuth, that is a local favorite and something you cannot miss when you're in my little town. Prost has a list of about 70 wines, 6 wines on tap, 21 different cocktails and 25 different beers. Outside of their mind-blowing meals, they also have charcuterie boards, that feature different types of mouth-watering meats, cheeses, and accompaniments. Prost likes to even keep it local, by featuring meats made local, german meat markets and using local, Greg Rummel's maple syrup in their cocktail called the "sapsucker." Not to mention, Prost has a patio right on main street with an awesome fireplace bar. While you're at Prost, I recommend you order the German Heritage Charcuterie board, the sapsucker cocktail, and the Rosé "Sex" by L. Mawby on tap.

7. The Covered Bridge

Tiny Zehnder had the idea to build the covered bridge to provide more parking for the two restaurants. They broke ground in 1978, and took 2 weeks to pulled it across the Cass River using 2 oxen. The bridge is 239 feet long and weighs 230 tons. Today, it is now the main entrance to the Bavarian Inn Lodge, and thousands flood to the bridge to take portraits and propose to their loved ones! And fun fact, this is where my dad proposed to my mom 33 years ago!

8. Kern's Sausage

Kern's Sausage is a family owned business that makes and smokes 34 different Bavarian Style Sausages. Not only do they have their meats, but they also have a selection of cheese's, bakery goods, and miscellaneous items straight from Germany! Their family recipes is my families favorite; I've grown up eating their Summer Sausage on sandwiches and Braunschweiger on crackers. We even buy their special bratwurst sauce for cook out's at our house! Check some out, and bring them home to your family to have a special German night.

9. St. Lorenz Lutheran Church

The founding of Frankenmuth and St. Lorenz Lutheran Church were founded simultaneously. As I said before,13 settlers arrived in what is now Frankenmuth in 1845. A year later, 90 more settlers arrived. They came to spread Christianity to the Chippewa Indians in the area, which resulted in the founding of St. Lorenz Lutheran Church. Today, the church seats 2,000 people, has a congregation of 5,000 and is known for its remarkable stain glassed windows. One side of the stain glassed windows tell the story of Frankenmuth, and the other side tells the story of the birth of Christ and the founding of the Lutheran Church. The stained glass window's aren't the only thing gorgeous about this church. The artwork, the alter, the paintings, and the organ are all beautifully structured to fit exactly inside St. Lorenz

This church is important to not only Frankenmuth's history, but my families history. My grandparents, my parents, and my aunt and uncle were wed at this church. My grandpa, my dad, my brother and I were all baptized and confirmed at the same baptismal font and alter here at St. Lorenz.

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Frankenmuth has so much more to offer than just these nine places, like carriage rides, the Frankenmuth Brewery, The River Place Shops, Zehnders Splash Village Water Park, and all sorts of different shops. There is a different festival going on almost every weekend of the year in town, so check out this list when planning your trip to see if you'd like to visit during any of our festivals! I recommend the Auto Fest, Bavarian Festival and World Expo of Beer. Every Friday in the summer, local artists and entertainers set up on main street for "Frankenmuth Fun Nights," so make sure you check that out too!

I might be biased, but I love Frankenmuth. I've traveled all the way around the world, but no place I've ever been has the same spirit and history that Frankenmuth does.

On behalf of all the Frankenmuth local's, Herzlich Willkommen! That german for "a hearty welcome!" Make yourself at home, have a great time, and please remember that while this is your home for a little bit, this is our home forever. I hope you enjoy my town, and as my Dad would say, have an absolutely incredible experience!