Best Dog Friendly Vacations Michigan – Frankenmuth, Michigan is a great town to visit whether you have a dog or not. However, like some cities in Michigan, Frankenmuth prides itself on being dog friendly. It is home to the “World’s Largest Dog Olympics”, known as the Dog Cup, and is packed with dog-friendly festivals throughout the year. We visit Frankenmuth at least once a year!
In this guide, I share everything you need to know about dog-friendly Frankenmuth Michigan and how to spend the weekend with your dog!
Best Dog Friendly Vacations Michigan
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I have a more detailed post on Frankenmuth here, which is more of a dog friendly trip to Frankenmuth. In short, Frankenmuth is a beautiful town that resembles a German village. Known as “Little Bavaria”, it is famous for its chicken dishes and has the world’s largest Christmas market.
From a dog-friendly perspective, Frankenmuth, Michigan has special events for dogs, especially the riverside shops. If you have a dog that enjoys lots of people and other dogs, plan your trip this Memorial Day weekend and come to the Dog Bowl!
Fair warning: our dog did not enjoy the dog bowl and has since learned from us that Kirby does not like other dogs. It was not a great experience for us, and while I would recommend this event, I will not be taking my dog to a crowded dog event again. You know your dog, so if your dog doesn’t have a problem with crowds or other dogs, it’s probably a blast.
Girl: Stroll through the decorated shops, past the bright Bronner’s display, and hit the aisle at Hello’s Burgers.
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Fall: Dress up your dog for a weekend of Halloween dog holidays or head to a dog-friendly Oktoberfest!
The most popular will be the Dog Bowl, “the world’s largest Olympic dog festival” over Memorial Day weekend. You’ll find dog shows, K-9 shows, dog games you can participate in, agility and more. We went this year and as I mentioned above, it wasn’t the best experience for us, but if your dog likes other dogs and people and doesn’t mind crowds, it’s still a great event.
Another festival for dogs is the Scarecrow Festival – a dog weekend in mid-October, enjoy a scarecrow exhibition, pumpkin bowling and a dog costume competition!
The Glan yr Afon shop is dog friendly! Dog Bowl and Scarecrow Festival – Dog Weekend. With over 40 shops and attractions, you can spend a day here. You will find dog friendly shops with paw prints on their brochures, and shop doors usually have paw signs to let you know they are dog friendly. If you’re stuck in Frankenmuth on a rainy day, this is a great option.
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If you need more shopping, stop by Birch Run Outlets, which features more than 100 brands including Calvin Klein, Carter’s, J Crew, Kate Spade and more. There is also a dog bakery called Doodle Doo Bakery where you can stay with your dog. Common areas are dog friendly with dog parking in Section E, some stores allow your dog to accompany you, ask before entering!
The Bavarian Belle River Cruise is also located on the river and offers a 60 minute cruise around Frankenmuth on the Cass River. The 150-passenger, family-owned and operated cruise ship is dog-friendly from May to October and offers dog-friendly tours during the Dog Bowl .
We did this trip on Dog Race and it was all about Kirby’s Dog Jam!
Bruner’s Christmas Shop is the “World’s Largest Christmas Store” spanning 27 acres. With over 6,000,000 different decorations as well as other holiday decorations, you can spend hours in this store! We love going to Bruner’s to decorate and hang out at Christmas any time of the year 😉
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Although the shop itself is not dog friendly, there are some great lights you can take your dog through at night!
Walking downtown or enjoying the 0.9 mile river cruise through Heritage Park is a great way to spend time with your dog in Frankenmuth. The Heritage Park also has a dog park called Hund Platz, where your dog can enjoy its leisure time.
We love walking under the Woodsbrook Bridge, Michigan’s largest covered wooden bridge! It has a rich history and is one of the historical symbols of Frankenmuth’s German roots.
Le Crepe du Jour – Not dog friendly, but a great place to grab and go. If you have someone, order while you wait outside for pancakes in hand!
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Norlins Beignets – A taste of New Orleans! The beignets are very good here. They have two locations: a downtown walk-up window and a riverside store. If you have your dog, walking would be a good option.
Get Zehnder’s – Famous Chicken Bread! Zehnder’s is always busy, so call to reserve a table. They have a seasonal outdoor patio that is dog friendly, so make sure the patio is open.
Pasty Haus – Offering homemade pastries, shakes, brews, sundaes, bubble tea and a dog menu! There is an outdoor table in front of them.
The Fischer Platz Garden is an outdoor entertainment area that offers a small menu of food, snacks and beer in the summer.
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Cheese Haus Food Truck – Located outside the Cheese Haus Market, a large variety of cheeses and specialty items such as mustard and sauces. The food truck offers mac and cheese bites, grilled cheese and other tasty goodness.
Prost Wine Bar & Charcuterie – Great place to hang out on the patio with your dog! Get a wine flight, a charcuterie board or one of their paninis!
Hollow Burger – Located just outside of downtown Birch Run, but worth a stop if you want a quick bite to eat while driving through.
High sugar breads – These include baked goods and sweets. They even have dog treats!
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The highly regarded Drury Inn and Suites, located in the heart of town, has a 5:30pm kick-off, serving dinner and drinks while you’re here!
We hope you enjoy your time in dog-friendly Frankenmuth, Michigan! If you want to explore more of Michigan with your dog, check out my Dog Friendly Michigan Travel Guide!
Architect by day, writer by night and travels as much as possible. I do it all with the grace of God, coffee, to-do lists, and the sounds of Broadway musicals. I currently live in Michigan with my husband and my golden retriever, Kirby.
Who knew golf courses were so beautiful 😍 . . . . . #aliarosetravels #passionpassport #traveldiary #borntotravel #wildme #roamtheworld #huffposttravel #wildbumming #traveltuesday #wanderoften
Traveling With Pets
75 contributions 34 comments 15 ratings Swoon Reads was a great experience. They will do it again with a different story. I don’t know if Sweet Digon is the right story for Swoon Reads, but I appreciate everyone’s input, comments and ratings. Sweet Enough will be on Hundred Reds for another season (the next selection is at the end of February), so if you’ve been wanting to read it, now is the time! I don’t know where this book is going, whether it’s self-published or thrown into the research pool, it’s not finished yet, but I don’t believe it. Link in the bio to read for free! And the restaurant offers. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, there are plenty of places where you and your best friend can enjoy sun, sand and delicious food. Here’s a guide to the best dog-friendly spots in West Michigan this summer.
Hoffmaster State Park – Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon has a dog-friendly beach area (North Shore) where you can walk across Lake Michigan. The park also has many trails through valleys and forests, making it a great day trip destination.
Grand Haven City Beach – South of Grand Haven State Park, this beach is dog friendly between Memorial Day and Labor Day before 11 a.m. and after 5 p.m. Enjoy the beautiful scenery and lush surroundings as your dog explores the beach.
Norman F. Kruse Park – This Muskegon park has a great dog beach
