[DTWflyer]

There is really nothing remarkable to see on the Saginaw Bay. There isn't a ton of public access points and its just nothing special compared to the shoreline and lake towns on other parts of Lake Huron or Lake Michigan.

Frankenmuth is exactly what everyone else has said, its a tradition, check-the-box type of thing you need to experience once. Or more if like said, its something you grew-up doing.

My suggestion is probably go sometime if we get one of those mediocre weather weekends in late October / early November. I wouldn't waste super nice day going up there. But, if you get one of those days where its in the 40s and kind of blustery, sure, it works as a day trip.

[NOLA101]

Yeah, Saginaw Bay sucks. Polluted, no beaches or scenery really. Barely any public access. Basically just agricultural runoff.

Frankenmuth is kinda cheesy and the food honestly isn't very good, but you have to do it at least once.

[Lodestar 77]

What is the name of the restaurant across the freeway that serves a pound of bacon with your order? Tony's I think.......Is it still open?

[MikeBear]

Originally Posted by Lodestar 77

What is the name of the restaurant across the freeway that serves a pound of bacon with your order? Tony's I think.......Is it still open?

Tony's in Birch Run. Yes, it's still open and serving HUGE plates of food...

[chh]

Originally Posted by NOLA101

Yeah, Saginaw Bay sucks. Polluted, no beaches or scenery really. Barely any public access. Basically just agricultural runoff.

Frankenmuth is kinda cheesy and the food honestly isn't very good, but you have to do it at least once.

Haha I felt the same way about the food. White bread and bland gravy, how delicious...

[Narmowen]

Bronner's is amazing. Make sure to stay until dusk/dark to see all of the outdoor Christmas lights. It's worth it even when there's no snow.

Frankenmuth is a nice tourist town. There's quite a few interesting shops, and you can easily lose a day just walking around and looking. They also offer carriage rides.

There's a few pretty walking trails nearby. Shiawassee Game Reserve is pretty, and so is the Bay City State Recreation Area.

For food, I'd go to Bay City rather than Saginaw, although Saginaw has the best sushi restaurant (Sushi N).

[VM1138]

Frankenmuth food isn't very good. German food is very bland and the restaurants can be downright gross. And the wait times are insane. Bronners is a cool family tradition for a lot of people and is pretty impressive. I like looking through the shops but they're not as unique as they used to be. Basically Cracker Barrel gift shops. Could be fun to go on a chilly fall night.

[michigan91]

The best time to visit Frankenmuth is during the snow festival. It's nice during fall, too, but go while there is something going on in town.

To be honest, I think all of Frankenmuth is going to fold someday. It's an anachronism. A roadside tourist attraction that most any baby boomer would drool over.

For me, it lost its luster when the Bavarian Inn stopped giving out free bread as an appetizer. The food was never great to begin with, and the kistch was always a little bit less than charming, but what I absolutely can't stand is just how cheap it feels nowadays. Lots of nickle and diming.

Sag Bay has better places, but if you wanna feel like you are going back to the past (not in a good way), Frankenmuth is a great choice.

[DTWflyer]

Frankenmuth will still hold its own for another 20-30 years, at as long as you have the boomers in their retirement years to continue visiting. I still know plenty of younger people that take their kids up there once a year.

The place that has lost a lot of its luster is the Birch Run Outlet mall. There are a lot of vacant storefronts in there these days, and the 2 buildings closest to I-75 are practically empty these days. That place used to be crazy busy, these days not so much.

[lynnc99]

Yes, nostalgia for me! We make an occasional trip to Frankenmuth and have a traditional chicken dinner at Zehnders. I enjoy going downstairs to browse the bakery before we head home.

A slice of fudge is an indulgence too, just once a year or so.

I haven't been to Bronners in ages but plan to make a stop on our next visit, just to browse.

We've visited during the summer for the music festival (specifically, to see the oldies band The Fabulous Hubcaps) - and considered staying overnight. However, hotels are SO overpriced that it's simply not worth it, so we make the drive home late.