It's Feels Like Christmas in Frankenmuth MI

Thursday morning we headed over to Frankenmuth MI. Birch Run Road took us most of the way. There is a big outlet mall in Birch Run so my friends have pretty much anything they need within 10 miles of their summer home even though it is off in farming country. Yards surrounded by corn fields. This antique mall was right at the crossroads where you turn to go to Frankenmuth.

The Grand Traverse Distillery is right there on the left as you come into town.

The main street in Frankenmuth.

The Bavarian Inn is a popular place to eat.

The grounds across the river were being set up for the upcoming auto show with 2500 cars anticipated. It's a big event.

Lots of shops to investigate but Loretta's knee is not in good shape so we were doing mostly a windshield tour.

We did walk across this old covered bridge.

There is a tour boat on the river.

Lots of bells and they do play them often.

Can you see the two "people" coming out from the doors?

Look closely and you can see the rats. They were telling the Pied Piper story complete with all the characters coming out and around through the doors while the story is narrated.

We had lunch here at Zehnder's.

Shops across the street.

They have a big park where they have free entertainment once a week all summer long. Everyone brings their lawn chairs or blankets and sits on the hill overlooking the amphitheater.

Bet you didn't know that Willy had his own sausage shop.

The downtown in very picturesque.

There are hanging baskets of flowers everywhere.

Frankenmuth was founded in 1845.

As I mentioned earlier, we ate lunch at Zehnder's. This young lady was our waitress.

Smothered Chicken Snitzel.

An enormous seafood crescent sandwich.

Fried codfish. Aren't the teeny tiny grapes neat?  And they tasted great too.

I had the chicken dinner they are famous for serving.

They also have a bakery and shop downstairs in the same building as the restaurant.

Dying to try some chocolate covered bacon????

Our next stop was Bronners CHRISTmas Wonderland which is the size of one and a half football fields. Christmas is everyday and if they don't have it, it doesn't exist.

The dropoff zone for busloads of people....there are two of these!

They have different story's played here at the front of the store.

And Christmas is very much a part of their Christmas.

They have every kind of decoration you can think of and many that you would never have thought of.

I went back a few days late to get a personalized Christmas ornament and stopped to see their famous chapel.

Silent Night in every language across the globe.

It's an overwhelmingly magic place. I know I want to come back to Frankenmuth because I barely scratched the surface of what there is to see.