Michigan Niche Loop | Day 5: Frankenmuth German Town

Today, we arrived at the second-to-last stop of our Michigan loop trip—Frankenmuth, a German-style town north of Ann Arbor. Frankenmuth is a charming town steeped in German culture. Its history dates back to the early days when a group of Germans settled in Michigan 🏘️. The architecture and cuisine here have well preserved traditional German characteristics. It’s also said to be the largest Christmas merchandise seller in the U.S.—various events are held regularly here each year, and the town gets super crowded during those times. We specifically chose a quieter period to visit and wander around. 🍴 Restaurant Recommendations Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth: This famous restaurant in town first gained popularity for its family-style chicken. Of course, being in a German town, their beer is also excellent 🍻! But in my opinion, their German sausage with sauerkraut is even better than the fried chicken—definitely give it a try. The decor is unique, the service is great, and it’s totally worth a revisit. Just a heads-up: I’ve heard the wait can be long sometimes. After dinner, there’s a big supermarket in the basement selling lots of pretty but sweet pastries 🧁—feel free to check it out! Jaami‘s Ice Cream and Treats: There’s delicious ice cream on the street! You must stop by here if you’re wandering around—they have tons of flavors, all super tasty. Almost everyone walking around has a cone in hand 😋! Prost Wine Bar & Charcuterie: We had drinks here in the evening, and it’s another spot I highly recommend for wine tasting and good food. The atmosphere is quiet and cozy, with dim lighting that’s perfect for setting a nice mood 🌟. Their various wine flights come highly recommended—you can order based on your favorite wine regions and pair them with small bites. It’s so relaxing and ideal for dates. Frankenmuth Brewery (A Word of Caution): We went here for lunch on the next day because we’d seen recommendations for it. But the higher the expectations, the bigger the disappointment—we found it really underwhelming. Their beer wasn’t even as good as Zehnder’s, the food was mediocre, and the whole restaurant smelled weird, like a brewery. Not sure if it’s because it was the off-season, but overall, proceed with caution if you’re thinking of visiting. 🏨 Accommodation We stayed at the Fairfield on the main street—there are many hotels to choose from on the street, and it’s convenient to get around anywhere. Frankenmuth is small, so one day is enough to explore. We plan to go back again near Christmas; I’m sure it’ll feel totally different then 🎄! #Michigan #GermanTownDayTrip #Frankenmuth #GermanStyleStreet #RestaurantRecommendations #MichiganTravel