Our first day in Frankenmuth, Michigan, showed us that there’s no shortage of sweet activites to keep the whole family entertained. We took a boat tour along the Cass River that was both relaxing and tasty. With Frankenmuth Funships, you can enjoy a leisurely boat ride while tasting some of their handmade chocolates and sipping on Michigan-made wine. Don’t worry about what the kids are drinking – Frankenmuth Funships provides sparkling grape juice for anyone underage! Though we had a blast on our chocolate-tasting tour, they also offers river tours without the added treats, for those who want to experience nature without any delicious distractions. If either of those don’t suit your vacation, you’re still not out of options, as Frankenmuth Funships also offers simple in-store tastings, and even aqua cycle rentals, so you can paddle along the river at your own pace.
Next, we headed to a store where it’s Christmas all year round. Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland has been selling its Christmas wares since 1945, and over the years has expanded from a quaint family business to becoming the largest Christmas store in the world. We took our time to peruse Bronner’s extensive array of Christmas decorations and tree ornaments, and finally made the tough choice of which ornament to take home. Then we got to personalize them for ourselves and our trip. Bronner’s own ornament artist can hand-paint any name onto any ornament, so you never have to worry about finding – or not finding – a unique name. With these unique souvenirs, you’ll be sure to remember your family trip to Frankenmuth every year when you decorate the tree.
Photo Credit: Thunder Bay Mining Company
From there, you can head over to the Thunder Bay Mining Company for an activity that’s a bit more hands-on. Here, you can buy bags of dirt filled with pieces of a dozen different rocks and gemstones, and you and your family can “sluice” to discover your own collection of treasures. Your kids will feel like they’re getting a genuine mining experience as they use a pan and Thunder Bay’s simulated flowing stream to sift through their dirt bag to find amethyst, moonstone, or sapphire to take home as a cool memento of their trip.
Photo Credit: Frankenmuth City Parks and Recreation
If you’re in the mood for some more fun outdoors, Memorial Park is a great place to check out. This park has tons of out-of-the-ordinary activities that can keep you and your family entertained for hours. From the horseshoe pits to the disc golf course, you can keep the kids active and having fun on your vacation to Frankenmuth! Or if you’d rather go for a relaxing stroll, Memorial Park also has a beautiful rose garden and rolling hills. It even has a Hund Platz – which means Dog Park in German! – if you decided to bring along the family pet.
We concluded our trip with a treetop adventure at the aptly named Adventure Park in Frankenmuth! The Adventure Park consists of wooden boards, ropes, and wires suspended in the trees that you’ll get to maneuver around, balance on, and fly across. After strapping on our harnesses and clipping ourselves in, we were ready to climb, balance, and zipline to our heart’s content. While the whole course is fun, you’ll never forget the feeling of ziplining from tree to tree. This is an exciting way to get your daily dose of exercise, while also getting a unique experience your family won’t soon forget!
Helpful Tips and Facts:
– If you plan on visiting Frankenmuth on a weekend during the summer, be sure to check out the Friday Fun Night Festival on Main Street. The Friday Fun Night festival includes live music, street performers, face painting, and more!
– If you go to the Adventure Park two hours before closing, you’ll get the Twilight Pricing, which is a discounted rate.
