Frankenmuth, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo and a Very Michigan 4th of July

This is where my travel addiction began. My first trip to Michigan, my husband’s home state, was in July of 2019. I didn’t know what to expect. Will it be flat? Are there really that many lakes and will they be Canada cold?

The first thing to know about baseball in Michigan is, Michigan’s really cold.

Derek Jeter

It definitely is quite flat near Detroit. And there are many lakes to explore that aren’t all cold (looking at you, Lake Superior) – and it is also very charming.

We visited the town of Frankenmuth, Michigan’s Little Bavaria, and if you’ve never been to Frankenmuth, put it on your list. It’s rich in historical beauty and culture, and it’s as close to Europe as I’ve ever felt.

Because we spent the 4th in Michigan, we found that Bay City, MI had a great festival and fireworks display which turned out to be a great last-minute find. We hit Ann Arbor which reminded me of home and Frederick, MD and Kalamazoo (my husband says they have the best pizza place in the world) before making the drive back home. With only a couple of days there, it wasn’t nearly long enough and with some planned stops to visit family, it left me already thinking about places to stop the next time we visit. I hear that Frankenmuth puts on a world-class Oktoberfest!

Prost!

3-Day Itinerary with Kids

*This itinerary isn’t as jam-packed as usual because we planned for visits with family but it includes some “Do Not Miss” spots.

Day	To	From	Mode	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Trip Notes
1 Thurs. (4th of July)	Fairfield Inn & Suites, Frankenmuth, MI	FredCo, MD	Car	7:00AM	3:30PM	We stayed here because it was a good $ deal. No complaints but I’d love to try the Bavarian Inn Lodge next time!
	Zehnder’s Famous Chicken Dinners, Frankenmuth	Frankenmuth	Car (tons of free parking in town)	4:00PM	4:15PM	Do not miss the family-style chicken dinners and great hospitality.
	River area shops – Amazin’ Mitten and SugarHigh Bakery were great finds	Zehnder’s	Walk	5:30PM	5:45PM	We did a carriage ride and a glimpse of the Bavarian Belle Riverboat
	Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland	Shopping District	Car	6:45PM	7:00PM	Do not miss the world’s largest Christmas store!
	Bay City, MI Fireworks Festival	Bronner’s	Car	8:00PM	8:30PM	Music, rides, food trucks, and a great 4th display over the lake! Well done, Bay City!
2 Fri.	Downtown Ann Arbor, MI (Historic Kerrytown District) shopping	Frankenmuth	Car	9:00AM	10:15AM	Do not miss the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market and Cherry Republic – the chocolate-covered cherries are out of this world!
	Lunch at Zingerman’s Deli – Ann Arbor	Cherry Republic	Walk			This deli is very famous for its food so there was a long line but it moved quickly.
	Beverage and a dessert at Jolly Pumpkin Brewery & Cafe	Zingerman’s	Walk			We liked the name and were sold with “warm beignets” and beer on the menu.
	University of Michigan football stadium	Downtown Ann Arbor	Car			Do not miss seeing the largest stadium in the world!
3 Sat.	Erbelli’s Pizza, Kalamazoo	Frankenmuth	Car	10:00AM	12:30PM	Yes, we drove 2+ hours for Erbelli’s Pizza. According to my husband, it’s the best. It was good but I’m not willing to give it the title of “the best pizza”!
	Air Zoo Museum, Kalamazoo	Erbelli’s	Car	1:30PM	1:45PM	Do not miss this great little aerospace museum with indoor rides ideal for kids under 12.
	Bell’s Brewery, Kalamazoo	Air Zoo	Car	3:00PM	3:15PM	We didn’t stay long because we had the kids but just enough time to take some Michigan beer home.