From taking a horse drawn carriage ride, to a memorable night at the Bavarian Inn with swimming at the indoor waterpark, playing putt putt golf to eating the World’s Famous Chicken dinner. Adventures awaits you in Frankenmuth Michigan at the Bavarian Inn Lodge.
When planning our annual family road trip to Michigan this year, I had at least one stop in mind, visiting the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth, and Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the world’s biggest Christmas store. We drive by the Frankenmuth exit year after year on our way to the U.P. and this year was our year to make the stop.
A big part of our trip is spent in the car and visiting with friends and family so I wanted to break up the trip by adding a few family fun attractions on our itinerary. I wanted a place where we could stay a night or two and create memories with the kids. A place that we could just park our car for at least 24 hours and walk around, swim and sight-see. The Bavarian Inn Lodge was exactly that, a fun family destination with a Bavarian-themed indoor water park, a mega arcade, and an indoor mini golf course.
10 Reasons to Visit The Bavarian Inn With Kids
Explore Frankenmuth’s unique German heritage and Bavarian architecture, German food, entertainment and more the at Bavarian Inn Lodge, a family friendly destination. There’s so much for the kids to do and see right at the lodge, with restaurants, an indoor water park, and activities on site, there’s no need to leave during your visit.
1. Indoor Waterpark
My kids always say the best part of staying at a hotel is the hotel. At the Bavarian Lodge, there are four pools, three whirlpools, and two water slides. One pool and whirlpool are reserved for adults only, which is great for those couple trips, or newlyweds on their honeymoon to Frankenmuth. At the indoor water park area there are two tube slides – The Tower Twister Body Slide and The Bavarian Blast Tube Slide. Located just in front of the water slides is the toddler pool area that is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.
Family Fun Center has endless activities for the whole family.
The Family Fun Center is located on the bottom floor of the Bavarian Inn & Lodge, on the same floor as the pools. The activities will keep the kids busy for hours, including an indoor play area for the younger children, mini golf, arcade, and there’s also a small cafe to grab lunch or a snack.
2. Two-story indoor play area with slide
The two-story Children’s Village play area is fun place for the younger kids to climb and slide while older siblings are swimming in the pool or playing games.
3. Arcade with over 160 games
Located in between the pools is the arcade with over 160 games. As a mom of three, I love that there is no keeping track of coins or tickets, all of the money and tickets are loaded onto a Willy’s Play Card.
4. Grab a bit to eat at the Ratskeller Café
Take a break from swimming or playing in the arcade and grab breakfast, lunch, dinner or an appetizer at the Ratskeller Café, located right in the Family Fun Center. Traveling with kids is easy, when you they eat in your pajamas or in your bathing suit. Tables are available or take your food on -the-go. There is also a full-service lounge area that has over 70 beer and malt beverages.
5. Indoor 18 hole mini golf
Enjoy a family game of Bavarian Inn Lodge Putt Putt Golf. Families can play a round or two of putt putt golf at the 18-hole indoor mini golf course.
6. Family Karaoke
Family karaoke is offered on Friday & Saturday nights in the Lodge Family Fun Center.
7. On-Site Dining Options for Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Oma’s Restaurant & Lorelei Lounge and Schnitzelbank Bier Garten which serves German entrées and continental cuisine are located in the Lodge. Ratskeller Café is also located in the Family Fun area.
8. Family Suites
Learn about the history of Frankenmuth during your stay The Bavarian Inn Lodge has 360 European-themed guest rooms. Each guestroom honors local families including the first fifteen settlers who came to Frankenmuth in 1845. We stayed in room 245 which was the SOHN family.
In addition to the historic information located in each guest room, all guest rooms also include a mini refrigerator, flat screen TV, iron & ironing board, coffee maker, and blow dryer.
9. Eat a World Famous Chicken Dinner at the Bavarian Inn Restaurant
A trip to the Frankenmuth is not complete until you eat a world famous chicken dinner.
Dine at the Bavarian Inn Restaurant and order the world-famous, all-you-can eat family style chicken dinner. The restaurant is located just a short walk and across the covered bridge from the Bavarian Inn Lodge.
Make sure to bring your appetite as the food seems to be ever ending when you order the chicken dinner. We were able to box up our leftovers and have a complete lunch for the 5 us the next day. The family style meal includes Stollen (fruit & nut bread), backofenbrot (homemade white bread), noodle soup, cole slaw, pasta salad, cranberry relish, seasonal salad, baked dressing, vegetable du jour, mashed potatoes and gravy, buttered noodles and homemade ice cream.
10. Within walking distance to to shops.
There are over 100 unique shops, many just a short walk from the lodge. Frankenmuth Fudge Kitchen has over 20 flavors of hand made fudge. It was so hard to choose which flavors to buy as they all looked delicious. You can even see the fudge being made on thick marble slabs!
Dine, Stay, Shop, and Play in the heart of Frankenmuth. Book your family getaway today!
*Lodging and dinner provided.
