Fall GTG info
Grab your dirndl dress and join me in Frankenmuth, Michigan….”Little Bavaria”, home of Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland; the city is wonderfully decorated in Bavarian or Franconian style architecture. Let’s go shopping and eating and gabbing as only OFF Sisters can do over Columbus Day Weekend (Oct 10 thru 13, 2008).The sisterhood needs another GTG and I have always wanted to see Frankenmuth! Let’s do some Christmas shopping together and get our sister fix to take us into the holidays!
I’m attaching mucho info if you are not familiar with Frankenmuth…please enjoy the links—hope I don’t get into trouble! These are certainly not wls sites so should be ok? I’ve put notes along with my thoughts on some of this as you go along…..
Main site
Bavarian Bargains –discount card-order individually-can get guidebook thru here also……I would wait til end of June to order since the specials are done by season…..
http://www.frankenmuth.org/fc/home.nsf/Public/Bavarian_Barga ins.htm
the guidebook has a wonderful walking map showing locations of everything!
or: free guidebook only
http://www.frankenmuth.org/fc/home.nsf/public/contact_us.htm
~*~ Picking the weekend that I did was partly due to Columbus Day giving us the long weekend-also due to the German Glassblowing at Bronners and the Clam & Lobster Fest & BBQ in town giving us more food and fun opportunities. See the calendar on this web page for other activities of that weekend—the pretzel rolling( fee of $3.25 per person) sounds fun! Oh—and Saturday, a farmer’s Market !
traditional calendar
http://www.frankenmuth.org/fc/home.nsf/Public/Traditional_Ca lendar.htm?OpenDocument&Count=2000
Frankenmuth is reached via car ( I-75 directions easy to find!!) or plane-in between Saginaw/ Bay City (airport code MBS) and Flint Bishop Int’l (code FNT).
There are no airport shuttles that I could find into Frankenmuth-cabs available-probly pricey!! I am sure that we can arrange to pick you up depending on arrival times! I will be driving in and will plan on picking up whomever I can.
We have choices to make about rooming-I have called several places and quite honestly- the rates online are not a whole lot different than those thru group sales-however- we would have our rooms closer together by me blocking them. And the two places listed here will not penalize us if we don’t use all of the rooms. I am amazed at how pricey these hotels seem to be however- we are talking tourist trap city!!!! And when you break them down into 2-3-4 or 5 ppl per room it isn’t really so bad!!! Driving 15-20 miles further out we can stay more cheaply-but-to me – the ambiance and the proximity to sites is worth alittle extra-also- the Embassy’s-always nice facilities-- are not offering us the amenities we would like! I encourage you to look at the web pages for these two places- the Drury isn’t as “touristy” as the Bavarian Inn but I think the Bavarian is going to have mucho children and families…and DOES NOT give us the freebies we would probably want….I am offering the choice to you gals-however; I would prefer the Drury Inn . I figure we can kick this around for a week or so and then decide? Both places feel that they will sell out soon on our weekend so we don’t have all day to decide! 6/6/08 Edit::: I am going to block 10 rooms at the Drury today so they don't sell out-they can always be cancelled if enough would prefer the Bavarian ; however, I think the Drury would be our better bet..... and i think our group name will be OFF Sisters--simple enough to remember???? !!!!
Drury Inn and Suites
http://www.druryhotels.com/index.cfm
pricing and rooms – this is thru Group Sales- I have to set up our “group” – you would each call in your own room reservation (1 person per room call!) and I forgot to ask about when your credit card is charged-
>Standard double rooms –2 double beds $135.00 per nite + tax = $449.55
Divide by 2 ppl = $224.75 for 3 nite stay
Divide by 4 ppl = $112.39 for 3 nite stay
>Suite- 2 double beds and sleeper sofa $169.00 per nite + tax = $562.77
Divide by 3 ppl = $187.59 for 3 nites
Divide by 5 ppl = $112.55 for 3 nites
*****includes manager’s reception (= free happy hour!) from 5:30 –7:00 PM;
*****free soft drinks and popcorn in lobby from 3:00-10:00 PM;
*****free Quickstart hot breakfast and cold continental breakfast;
*****free long distance in each room for 60 minutes per nite
within walking distance of St. Julian Wine Company (wine tasting!) and Willi’s Sausage Company
Or-with a more touristy theme and 5 –count em 5!!! Indoor pools
Bavarian Inn Lodge
pricing and rooms – this is thru Group Sales- I have to set up “group” – you would each call in your own room reservation (1 person per room call!) and your credit card would be charged 30 days prior to our arrival.
>Standard double $425.00 + tax = $471.75 for 3 nites
Divide by 4 ppl = $117.94 for 3 nites
>Suite – 2 double beds plus sleeper sofa $587.00 + tax = $651.57 for 3 nites
Divide by 5 ppl = $130.31 for 3 nites
***** Does NOT include comp breakfast-hot or cold
***** Does NOT include any happy hour
They DO have a wonderful restaurant and lounge onsite as well as many shops etc….and 5 pools!!!! Including one only for adults.
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Much of Frankenmuth is walkable; tho we may end up renting vans –depends on cars available and the weather and how many want to hit the Birch Run Outlet Stores! If we do rent vans; I would expect to pass on the cost—again—have to wait and see how many are planning on attending this GTG.
Weather in Michigan in October is like that of Wisconsin or Ohio or New York—Warm? Cold? Wet? Dry? Fall in Michigan can be a wonderful time of year- we’ll have to watch the weather reports but I would think jeans and a sweatshirt- a nicer outfit for Saturday night dinner (I’m thinking Zehnder’s www.zehnders.com for the famous chicken dinner and maybe some entertainment at the www.blackforestbrewhaus.net .
Oh! I forgot the coffee shops- there seem to be at least two but I don't know of a 4bucks!
Bronner’s self proclaimed “World’s Largest Christmas Store”—Open 361 days per year, Bronner’s has over 50, 000 gifts and trims, full tree displays, Bibles and many many many things Christmas.
During our stay, there will be special guests, Thomas and Marlene Horn, glass blower and painter couple, representing Krebs Ornament Factory from Lauscha, Germany.
River Place- shopping and activities-beads etc
http://www.frankenmuth-riverplace.com/
misc; Toy Co/Kite Craft, Cheese House, Clock Company, Bead haven, Enchanted Forest, Thunder Bay Mining Company –mine for gems! I think I’ll visit there Monday before going home! A Junior Minor Gem bucket is $7.00.( In Ocotber, they are only open Mon-Fri 11-6)
So……who will meet me in Frankenmuth???? I plan on having an awesome weekend which will only be enhanced by the company of my sisters!!!!!! Frolicking Frauleins??????? ( too bad Judy G is moving away from the area-maybe she could come back for the weekend????? and Phyliis Gilbert lives in Frankenmuth....hmmmm....coffee at Phyllis'?)
Oh…I will be needing a roomie or two or three ……. money is as tight for me as for all of you!
Talk to me, Sisters!!!!
Frankenmuth is reached via car ( I-75 directions easy to find!!) or plane-in between Saginaw/ Bay City (airport code MBS) and Flint Bishop Int’l (code FNT).
There are no airport shuttles that I could find into Frankenmuth-cabs available-probly pricey!! I am sure that we can arrange to pick you up depending on arrival times! I will be driving in and will plan on picking up whomever I can.
I will be glad to bring anyone else who might want to go
with me.
Sounds like an excellent weekend.....
Bavarian Inn is definately TOO EXPENSIVE!
Pat
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