Bavarian Inn Restaurant Review
A Weekend in Frankenmuth {Bavarian Inn & The Mazda 3}

A Weekend in Frankenmuth {Bavarian Inn & The Mazda 3}

Living here in Michigan has its perks. We have an abundance of lakes, beaches, and beautiful views. We are also home to the largest Christmas store in the country, located in Frankenmuth Michigan.

Many people go to Frankenmuth just to visit the Christmas store, Bronner's. However, if you keep driving about 5 minutes down the road, you will come across a quaint hotel, named The Bavarian Inn.

So one weekend we hopped into a 2016 Mazda 3S Grand Touring and drove about 90 minutes to Frankenmuth from Lansing. The first thing I noticed when we picked up our Mazda was how adorable it was. As a added bonus, it was blue, and since blue is one of my favorite colors, I was tickled pink.

One of the most important features of a car that is important to me is gas mileage. Gas prices have been holding steady over the last few months but during my usual errand running over the past few weeks I've noticed that prices are slowly creeping back up, so when we started out trip and found, to our surprise, that we spent very little on gas, I was very impressed.

While my family isn't huge by any means, we do have our fair share of bodies to fit in the back of the vehicles we test drive. So, while this model isn't exactly designed to fit a lot of passengers, it did fit all of us perfect. Of course, the teenagers could have used a bit more leg room, but overall it was a nice fit for all of us during our weekend excursion.

I'd never before visited a hotel done in the Bavarian style so not only was I excited about this road trip, but also for the chance to explore the Bavarian Inn Lodge with the boys.

In 1950, when the Inn was still known as Fischer's Hotel, William "Tiny" Zehnder Jr. purchased the hotel with his wife Dorothy, who was a former waitress at Fischer's. Together they became the new managers of the hotel. For three generations, the Zehnder family has run the hotel as a family venture and continue to do so today. In 2004, Tiny stepped down from his management position due to poor health and died in 2006. His family still runs the Inn with Tiny's founding principles and beliefs still firmly intact.

While staying at the Bavarian Inn Lodge, there is much to see and do, whether you're vacationing alone, as a couple or even as a family. Your experience doesn't have to be limited to lodging; you can experience the nearby sights as well as excellent dining choices as well. The Bavarian Inn is even home to its gift shop, so you can bring a few of your travels home with you! The benefits of staying as a guest at the Bavarian Inn Lodge are limitless. If you're in the market for a family trip this summer or a weekend getaway, then this is the place to go and its cozy feel will have you reluctant to leave.

Home to 360 guest rooms, the Bavarian Inn Lodge rooms are done in European themes and are equipped with everything you need to settle in for a pleasant stay. Each room is furnished the following:

• Mini-refrigerator

• Flat screen television

• Iron & ironing board

• Coffee maker

• Blow dryer

And of course, the boys had to test out the beds. So, it's safe to say these beds are kid boy proof. They can handle all the pillow fights in the world.

If the cozy rooms aren't enough to tempt you then might I suggest giving consideration to their vast amount of amenities? There truly is something for everyone and the list of included amenities to take in during your stay includes some of the following:

• Indoor water park with four indoor pools and three whirlpools.

• The Tower Twister Body Slide

• The Bavarian Blast Tube Slide

• Exercise Room

• 18-hole Miniature Golf course

• Family Fun Center

• Two Story Children's Play Villa

• Two Lounges

• Two Restaurants

• Meeting and Banquet Space

The boys and I had an awesome time playing Miniature Golf!

And if you're looking for a place to take the family for dinner, just down the road (or actually before you get to the Inn) is the Bavarian Inn Restaurant. Celebrating almost 130 years of service, they serve up their famous chicken dinners and family-style portions of food. Zayd'n loved his burger and ate the whole thing. The portions of food are enough to keep you filled for dinner, snack, and bedtime snack. If you are planning to go soon, be sure to use this special coupon to get HALF OFF your meal!

If you're going with your family, I recommend doing the family-style meal plan. This is the best use of your money, vs buying several entrees.

There is no shortage of fun and exciting things to do while staying at the Bavarian Inn Lodge. If you've been talking about taking a vacation or getting away from a weekend with the family while school is out, then the Bavarian Inn Lodge is an excellent choice.

And of course, I have something to share with all of you so that you can plan your stay.

My readers will receive UP TO $35 off their Bavarian Inn Lodge Stay! Any Pool Access, Pool Level or Suite OR $25 OFF - Any Standard or Balcony Guest Room (w/Two Double Beds or One King Bed) Code #1239JD Call (855) 421-1366

For the Bavarian Inn Restaurant, you can receive HALF OFF using this coupon.

Connect with them on Facebook|Twitter|Pinterest|Youtube and never miss the latest news and updates about the Inn.

And let's not forget about the shopping outlet located just a few miles from Frankenmuth in Birch Run.

Of course, we had to stop by and do a little shopping. As the boys get older, it's kind of cool for us to all do more things together. For example, all three them want to start picking out their clothes.

After a few hours at the outlet, we hopped back into our Mazda 3 and headed back to Michigan. Here's a little more about the car we drove to Frankenmuth for the weekend:

Included features of the Mazda 3S Grand Touring include but aren't limited to:

Exterior

• LED Combination Taillights

• Adaptive Front-lining System

• LED Daytime Running Lights

• Mazda Navigation System

• Bose 9 Speaker Surround System with Centerpoint and Audio Pilot 2

The Mazda 3S Grand Touring is a great little car for small families, a single person or even couples. It's cute, stylish and comes with all the bells and whistles one would expect and love from a newer model vehicle. If you're in the market this year for a new vehicle that is comfortable and affordable, then this is certainly one to take a look at next time you're shopping around.

Connect with Mazda on Facebook|Twitter|Pinterest|Instagram|Youtube|Google+ and never miss the latest news and releases.

And there you have it. Our fun weekend in Frankenmuth. We didn't have time to explore the whole town since it was Easter weekend, and we were headed to Jackson to spend time with my Dad. However, this is the perfect getaway for families, and it's also budget-friendly (be sure to use the coupon codes I listed above!).

Have you been to The Bavarian Inn Lodge before or plan to go? Leave me your thoughts and comments below; I would love to hear from you!

• You can also find more locals deals pinned to our Local Pinterest board! So be sure to pin this!

• You can find more Local Events and activities going on in the Mid-Michigan area and beyond!

Disclaimer: Although I received a complimentary night at Bavarian Inn Lodge and meal at the Bavarian Inn Lodge, these are my thoughts and honest opinions. And thank you to Drive Shop and Mazda for allowing me to review the Mazda3.