The Bavarian Inn - try the family style chicken dinner.
We arrived in Frankenmuth and went straight for our hotel. We stayed at the brand new (opened May 31st) Marv Herzog hotel. This place had only 38 rooms. We had a private balcony overlooking the Cass River, were only steps from downtown, free snacks and drinks in the evening (yes, beer and wine included • 2 per person were free), an AWESOME hot breakfast, a large room with 2 queen-sized beds (down blankets). Needless to say, it was a GREAT hotel. I’ll stay there again. For you wondering “And how much did she pay for THAT?” Ready, with my AAA discount, only $140 after taxes. I know, pretty affordable considering the awesome accommodations.
First item of business was to walk uptown and shop at the neat little stores.
Downtown clock
We found out that Frankenmuth is in the running for the most beautiful town in the USA, and it’s easy to see why. It was simply gorgeous. It really looks like you’ve stepped back in time. The buildings are all Austria-inspired. The flowers are breathtaking. Everything is extremely well kept and just, magical. We wandered in and out of homemade fudge shops, general stores, gift stores, and other novelities. There are horse-drawn carriages giving rides throughout town.
River Place seems to be the place to shop. There are your typical chain stores like Yankee Candle, there are unique stores like a pet store that sells all things pets (We bought a sign to hang in the kitchen that says “We got rid of the kids • the cats were allergic”), day spas, and your typical tourist trap t-shirt shop.
Visitor center at dusk
It’s a beautiful place to just walk around. There’s a laser light sown every night at 10 p.m. The bead store sucked me in and I’ve already created necklaces from the beads I bought (which can be seen on my MySpace page • www.myspace.com/PhinsAndGills).
Across from River Place is the winery Chateau Leelanau. For $3 you get one of their wine glasses and 4 tastings of wine. We walked out of there with 7 bottles. It’s Michigan wine and very good.
We carried the wine back to the hotel and relaxed. We enjoyed our free drinks (more wine for me) and listened to the live music on the patio and overlooked the river.
The Bavarian inn
It was a beautiful and relaxing late afternoon.
Time to eat! Eating is very important in Frankenmuth and I highly recommend eating at either Zender’s or the Bavarian Inn. They are across from each other and the center of downtown. Get the family style chicken dinner. For $19, you get (all homemade and German-style and unlimited): Chicken noodles, cranberry sauce, potato salad, different types of bread, ice cream, seasonal vegetable, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatos, bean salad, an entire plate of breaded chicken (which was moist and VERY yummy • and I’m chicken-picky), and a few more sides I know I’m forgetting. If you leave hungry, it’s all your own fault. They gave us little cakes for our many celebrations, too (we were celebrating 3 birthdays, a graduation, and an anniversary). If I had to pick between the two restaurants, I’d pick the Bavarian Inn for the atmosphere.
River Place shopping center
The food is equally good in both locations.
The next morning, we went back uptown a bit because it’s so pretty. We had to go to a gas station and buy a cooler and ice for our leftovers from the night before! Mom and Dad went to this really cool clock store while I stocked up on more beads. Then it’s out to the World of all things Christmas.
Broner’s brags to be the world’s largest Christmas store, and I’ll believe it! This place looks like Christmas exploded in one location. The neatest part of the store is just outside the building. There’s a dedication to the song “Silent Night”. They’ve built a replica of the chapel in Austria where Gruber wrote the song on Christmas Eve.
BEAUTIFUL hanging baskets all over town
My favorite part of the chapel are the signs surrounding the building. They have the first verse (all 3 verses in Spanish, German, French and English) of Silent Night in hundreds of languages. (I’ve included a picture of the languages they don’t have • if you can help them out, please do • I know it’s hard to see them, it was a small sign). The chapel is really very beautiful. It seems almost sacred. They have the song playing softly both in and outside of the building. No matter what time of year, it really sends chills down your spine. Silent Night is (like so many other Christians) one of my favorite Christmas songs, so I always enjoy going to this chapel.
Time to shop. Lo and Behold, Santa was shopping that day as well.
Carriage
My favorite part of the store is the room where the founder of the store has his extensive nativity collection from all over the world. They also have a nativity city set up where they sell the pieces. I would love to have the money and room to set this up. The one I took a few pictures of is not just Jesus’ birth, but all the major events in his life such as Palm Sunday, a few miracles, Easter, and his time in the temple.
Dan and I have the Dept. 56 Dickens’s Village and we purchased a building (Scrooge’s house) and accessories. Mom and Dad bought some decorations as well. We had some ornaments personalized (free of charge with purchase of the ornament) for gifts as well. It’s really different to be walking through Christmas World in the middle of July. We spent a few hours at the store.
The number one choice of most visitors remains the "all-you-can-eat" Chicken Dinners which consist of homemade breads, butter and freshly prepared preserves, chicken noodle soup, house-made salads, golden fried, lightly breaded premium chicken, savory dressing, thick, rich giblet gravy with creamy mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, hot vegetable, and homemade ice cream. If you leave the Bavarian Inn hungry, you alone are at fault. I have never had a bad experience. Most of the dishes are German style. I didn't know how to rank the price, you will pay $19 for the family style chicken dinner, but look at all the food you get. I think it's quite a deal for the price. Below the restaurant are 8 shops featuring wines, cooking utensils, toys, and other unique oddities. One shop even sells authentic and old-world style traditional German costumes. Eating at the Bavarian Inn is well worth a drive to Frankenmuth.
