Top 5 Things To Do With Family In Frankenmuth

At the mere mention of a visit to Michigan’s largest indoor waterpark, you can almost hear the screech of your kids’ “Are-We-There-Yet’s” starting, long before the luggage is packed. And can you blame them, parents? Because, here at Zehnder’s Splash Village in Frankenmuth, over 50,000 square feet of aquatic fun and two (yes, two!) indoor waterparks await, along with one massive retractable roof that’ll keep your kids splashing all the way to a perfect family getaway, rain and shine!

Pack your suits, too, parents (and grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends!) — because a six-story, four-person family raft ride means more time well-spent (screaming at the top of your lungs) together! After some serious family bonding on the raft ride, go for the Super Loop Speed Slide, swim in a zero-entry pool with water geysers, take on the four-story tube slides, or stir up a little healthy family competition with a game of water basketball or volleyball.

But a family vacation isn’t all about the kids, right? Parents: relax and revel in the fact that two Whimsical Whirl Hot Tubs and private, poolside ready-to-rent cabanas (complete with adult beverages, cozy lounge furniture, and widescreen TVs) wait to welcome you in, even if just for a few fleeting moments of “you time”.

Rather spend a perfect Pure Michigan day with family on the water instead of in it? Then cruising Frankenmuth’s Cass River aboard Frankenmuth FunShips or the Bavarian Belle Riverboat will be the new go-to for you and your crew. Hop aboard the 12-passenger electric boats of Frankenmuth FunShips for a spontaneous spin on the water during one of their open cruises, or charter the entire boat for some totally uninterrupted togetherness. Psst, parents: did we mention on-board wine & chocolate tastings are an option, as are adult beverages on all cruises? You’re welcome.

Or, head to the docks found at Frankenmuth River Place Shops’ waterfall, where you’ll set out to explore Frankenmuth, sightseeing from the spacious deck of the Bavarian Belle Riverboat. This authentic paddlewheel riverboat offers 1-hour narrated history tours, and a one-of-a-kind way to get to know Frankenmuth together as a family.

Here in Frankenmuth, when we think “family dinner”, we think real food — locally-sourced and labored with love, then shared around a table with the ones we cherish most. Full bellies (and hearts) can always be found inside two of our Frankenmuth favorites: Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn Restaurant and Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth. Together, these two German gems serve up more than 2 million chicken dinners annually, and it’s no surprise why. At Bavarian Inn Restaurant, your world-famous, family style, all-you-can-eat dinner includes everything from platters of premium golden chicken, to warm, German buttered noodles (with an out-of-this-world crispy cracker topping), plus specialty breads and sides.

Just across Main Street behind the neon Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth sign (and that giant, chicken-shaped topiary that simply can’t be missed), you and yours will find another world-famous family style dining experience, complete with all-you-can-eat golden fried chicken, freshly-baked breads, and loads of other favorites (like Grandma Zehnder’s irresistible dressing)!