13 Magical Frankenmuth Christmas Experiences 2022: Interactive Map of This Michigan Christmas Town! Visit Bronner's CHRISTmas Store, Live Reindeer, Christmas Lights Driving Tour, Horse Drawn Carriage Rides
13 Most Magical Frankenmuth Christmas Experiences and Things to Do in this Michigan Christmas Town | By: Sherry Trautman | Travel-Mi.com | Last updated: December 6, 2022
You absolutely must visit Frankenmuth during Christmas!
This quaint Bavarian village in mid Michigan is simply vibrating with Christmas cheer during the holiday season.
ENJOY Magical Christmas Experiences! Visit Bronner's Christmas Store, Christmas Lights, Horse Carriage Rides, Musical Tree Show, River Place Shops
This Frankenmuth Christmas town is a must visit in November and December!
- Chris and I bundle up and enjoy walking down Main Street to pop into the Cheese Haus, Zac and Mac's for hot chocolate in the River Place Shops and explore the Bavarian Inn Castle Shops.
There are so many Frankenmuth Michigan things to do!
See Why You Need To Visit Frankenmuth This Christmas!
13 Magical Frankenmuth Christmas Experiences 2022
- Visit Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland for one-of-a-kind Christmas ornaments and Christmas decorations
- Go ice skating in the brightly lit outdoor Frankenmuth Ice Rink!
- Shop at incredible stores on Main Street and River Place Shops
- Take a nostalgic Christmas horse drawn carriage ride to see all the Frankenmuth lights!
- Discover the Bavarian Inn Castle Shops
- See the Spectacular Musical Tree Show!
- Visit the serene Silent Night Memorial Chapel
- Ride the Free Frankenmuth Christmas Shuttle!
- Visit Santa's Reindeer Farm at Grandpa Tiny's Farm
- Shop at the Christkindlmarkt located at the Frankenmuth Farmers Market
- See the twinkling Frankenmuth Christmas Lights!
- See the Bavarian Inn Holz Brücke Covered Bridge in winter
- Best Frankenmuth Hotels!
Michigan's Little Bavaria is sure to charm you this Christmas! There are so many Frankenmuth Michigan things to do at Christmas!
We've been asked...
Is Frankenmuth decorated year round? Is Frankenmuth Michigan Christmas all year?
No, the city is decorated for Christmas by mid-November for the Christmas season. Chris and I think Frankenmuth is one of the best Michigan Christmas Towns!
- Bronner's Christmas Wonderland is open and decorated all year so you can get your ornaments, decorations and gifts any time of year!
During Christmastime, Frankenmuth Michigan has over 175 sparkling and twinkling trees all across the town!
Frankenmuth ChristmasGrab Our Interactive Frankenmuth Christmas Map!
Here is a Google Driving Map of all the things to see at Frankenmuth during Christmas.
Helpful Map Tips:
- Click on the plus and minus in the left corner to zoom in or out of the map.
- Click on the icons for more info, addresses and photos of the stops.
- Click on the map to drag and move it to view surrounding areas.
- In the Header, click on the rectangle in the upper left of the map to see a menu of all of our stops. Click on anything that looks interesting to see where it is on the map. To hide the menu, click the rectangle in the header.
- In the Header, click on the "square" icon in the upper right side to expand the map for better viewing.
1. Visit the Famous Frankenmuth Christmas Store: Bronner's Christmas Wonderland
Did you know Bronner's Christmas Wonderland is the World's Largest Christmas Store?!
And we are lucky to have this incredible Christmas store right in the heart of Frankenmuth Michigan! Chris and I always find the most perfect ornaments for our tree or stocking stuffers!
Bronner's Christmas Wonderland's outdoor nativity scene and Christmas lights are just as incredible as the thousands of Christmas ornaments, trims, trees, lights, nativities, wreaths and collectibles you can find inside the store!
- There are more than 6,000 styles of ornaments and half of the glass ornaments are Bronner's exclusive designs. You gotta check it out!
Plus, it's Christmas all year at Bronner's Christmas Wonderland!
See our Bronner's Christmas Wonderland walk-through video, photos and more information!
Need Michigan Gifts? Chris and I curated a HUGE selection for you this Christmas season!
2. Glide Across the Ice on the Fantastic Frankenmuth Ice Rink!
Seriously, how fun is this!?
Bring your family and friends to Frankenmuth to go ice skating! Located in Zehnder Park (right next to Zehnder's restaurant on Main street), this lovely brightly lit ice skating rink is safe, affordable and great family fun!
Open November 25-February 28, 2022
(If I didn't have super wobbly ankles, I'd be out there! Chris used to play ice hockey in high school so he loves skating.)
- It's $10 to skate!
- You can rent skates too for $3, so don't worry if you don't have any of your own. If the idea of sharing skates with strangers makes you cringe, these skates are highly rated!
- The ice rink is open Monday through Sunday. Check their website for hours as they are subject to change and weather dependent.
3. Shop For Everyone On Your List Along Main Street and Frankenmuth River Place Shops!
Shop at incredible stores like Zak and Mac's, the White House Boutique, Frankenmuth Fudge Kitchen, the Frankenmuth Cheese Haus, Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, Prost, and the Bavarian Inn!
Stop into the Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce located at 635 S Main St, Frankenmuth, MI. There are racks of free guides for the driving Christmas light tour and Christmas events throughout the season.
- There are restrooms located right outside the Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce. There is also a single stall restroom in the Frankenmuth Cheese Haus.
It's fun to see the massive blocks of cheese being cut at the Frankenmuth Cheese Haus. You will be shocked to see how many different types of cheese there are!
I HAD to get a delicious hot chocolate to enjoy (and stay warm) while I walked through the Frankenmuth River Place Shops!
4. Enjoy a Horse Drawn Carriage Ride to See Frankenmuth Christmas Lights!
What better way to get into the Christmas spirit than to embark on a horse drawn carriage ride to see thousands of twinkling Christmas lights throughtout the downtown Frankenmuth!
Hop aboard the festive carriages at Fantasy Carriage Company located at 780 Mill St, Frankenmuth, MI 48734. You can see them lined up near Zehnder's on Main Street.
5. Discover the Bavarian Inn Castle Shops!
My friends, you will absolutely love the Bavarian Inn Castle Shops!
Just walk in the Bavarian Inn on Main street and head down the stairs.
- You will find baked goods, gifts, treats, a great variety of beer, candy shops, fudge shops, toy shops, boutique stores and so much more!
There are plenty of restrooms in the Castle Shops.
Frankenmuth Michigan Guide
6. See the Spectacular Frankenmuth Musical Tree Show!
If you love music and Christmas trees, you must check out the spectacular musical tree show! This lovely 44 foot tree is located right on Main Street between the Frankenmuth Visitor Center and the Frankenmuth Historical Museum.
- The shows play every day at 11:30 am, 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 6:30 pm, 7:30 pm, 8:30 pm. PLUS, on Friday and Saturday's there will be another show at 9:30 pm.
- Daily shows will play through January 9, 2022.
Info for the dates/times are listed in the Christmas Experience guide book available at the Chamber of Commerce. The tree is spectacular without the show too as it is always lit up!
This spectacular Frankenmuth Christmas tree has 23,000 lights!
7. Visit the Serene Bronner's Silent Night Memorial Chapel
Bronner's Silent Night Memorial Chapel is very beautiful
Address: 25 Christmas Lane, Frankenmuth, MI 48734
- You can easily walk to the Silent Night Memorial Chapel from the parking lot at Bronner's Christmas Wonderland.
The Chapel is a replica of the original chapel in Oberndorf/Salzburg, Austria, which marks the site where “Silent Night” was first sung on Christmas Eve in 1818.
This lovely small chapel is open daily for visitation but is not available for ceremonies. There is a small area to view the chapel that is sectioned off with glass so you cannot sit in the pews.
8. Ride the Free Frankenmuth Christmas Shuttle!
Explore more of Frankenmuth from the comfort of the Frankenmuth Christmas Shuttle! FREE!
Stop #1 is the parking lot at 320 Heinlein Strasse parking area near Bronner's. Here you can visit Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland, Michigan Heroes Museum and the lovely Silent Night Memorial Chapel.
The shuttle then goes to Santa's Reindeer Farm (pre-purchased tickets required, see more below at #9), The Frankenmuth Visitors Center, Frankenmuth's Christkindlmarkt (see the German Christmas Pyramid at Star Park), Midtown to see the German Pyramid at Star Park and the downtown area (like the Frankenmuth Ice Rink!).
- The shuttle comes by each stop about every 20-25 minutes.
9. Visit Santa's Reindeer Farm at Grandpa Tiny's Farm in Frankenmuth!
Grandpa Tiny's Farm - 7775 Weiss St. Frankenmuth, MI 48734
- Book your tickets early to see Santa and his reindeer at Grandpa Tiny's Farm in Frankenmuth, Michigan!
I just HAD to get a photo with Santa! It was the coldest day ever, around 19 degrees so we were all bundled up!
Meet Santa and his adorable reindeer in training! Bring a letter to Santa! Watch and chat with the jolly workers helping to keep Santa's Farm running smoothly. Included is ornament-making with 'The Woodworker' to take home with you!
Santa's Reindeer is ready to go! I can just hear him saying, "Are we ready to go yet, Santa?"
Grandpa Tiny's farm has several animals to pet including sheep, goats, horses and bunnies! There are also chickens, peacocks and other animals to see along the way.
Simply wandering around Grandpa Tiny's scenic farm is a lot of fun for the whole family.
10. Shop at the Frankenmuth Christkindlmarkt: Frankenmuth Christmas Market
Shop at the Christkindlmarkt, the Frankenmuth Christmas Market, located at the Frankenmuth Farmers Market for great gifts, stocking stuffers and Christmas home décor!
- There are several vendors in both indoor and outdoor spaces selling handmade items, so be sure to check it out!
The farmers market location is not walkable from the downtown area so you will need to drive. There are lots of free parking spots in the large lot at the farmer's market.
- There are bathrooms at the Farmers Market.
11. Frankenmuth Christmas Lights Driving Tour
Bundle up and stay warm in your car as you drive Frankenmuth's Christmas lights driving tour! Grab a map at the Frankenmuth Chamber located at 635 S Main St, Frankenmuth, MI 48734
Play Christmas music, munch on some popcorn and enjoy hot chocolate as you drive! Make tons of family memories this Christmas season as you enjoy Frankenmuth Christmas lights!
- The majority of the Frankenmuth Christmas lights are all along Main Street and you can see a lot of them as you drive to the Christkindlmarkt.
12. See the Gorgeous Bavarian Inn Holz Brücke Covered Bridge in Winter!
Be sure to see (and walk across) the Gorgeous Bavarian Inn Holz Brücke Covered Bridge while visiting Frankenmuth this Christmas.
It's so pretty covered in snow!
- You can see the bridge from the River Place Shops along Main Street or while walking near the Bavarian Inn Lodge parking area.
13. Best Frankenmuth Hotels
Why not stay overnight while visiting Frankenmuth! Check out the Best Frankenmuth Hotels and Getaways!
Grab Our Frankenmuth Travel Guide!
Frankenmuth Michigan
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