That moment you realize this seventy year old station wagon is cooler than anything will ever drive. No offense to my White Lightening but this Chevy Beauville is fabulous.
I saw her cruising in the wild in Frankenmuth, Michigan a couple of years ago and it was quite the treat.
How do you define a tourist trap? It seems lots of people have varying viewpoints and even double standards where this is concerned.
I was dining with strangers at a bed and breakfast in Ohio’s Amish country last month when I began to ruminate on this topic. At my table, we had a lovely Asian woman who was entertaining a friend visiting from Thailand. The friend was here for six weeks and they were doing long weekends and day trips to see the sights around the midwest and southern US.
The other two people at my table were a nice older couple from Ohio who are retirees and who enjoy traveling. They said they visit Amish Country a few times every year. The three of us were sharing ideas for experiences near and far from the Cincinnati market. Since her homeland doesn’t see cold weather, I suggested ice skating in Cincinnati’s Fountain Square where hot chocolate and holiday music would make the experience especially festive. They were soon headed to see the amazing holiday decor at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC and were looking for some more Christmasy things to do.
I recommended looking into Michigan and shared some about my experience in Frankenmuth. I enjoyed the German themes of this small town and shopping at Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland. I told them about the gorgeous nineteenth century church that took my breath away and about the holiday light display outside Bronner’s.
The man rolled his eyes and said “yeah, but that’s kind of a tourist trap.”
I was taken aback and couldn’t think of a polite thing to say so I said the first impolite thing that came to mind. “I suppose it is but it’s no more a tourist trap than Amish country,” I said with a smile that may have resembled a barring of teeth. After all, the main things to do here are shop and eat and it feels more like a caricature than an authentic experience.
Lots of people love Amish Country but it stresses me out and makes me wonder what the Amish residents think of all these crazy English people coming in droves to eat noodles and buy the foreign made craft items sold in gift shops. The entire place feels like a giant tourist trap to me and that’s ok. I feel the same way about other popular destinations like Gatlinburg, Myrtle Beach and anything with the word Disney in it.
In fact, if a place is a tourist trap, that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to visit if you like that kind of thing. I know people who only ever vacation in Gatlinburg but have never been to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. That’s the thing I like best about that area but they prefer the hillbilly shows, restaurants and shopping. You know, the things I don’t really want to do in abundance.
Frankenmuth wasn’t created only to sell stuff. The town was founded by Germans in 1845. Their downtown strip is lined by shops and restaurants with fun designs and they do a nice job commercializing their heritage. The Christmas store is on the outskirts of town and attracts swarms of Christmas enthusiasts every day. It’s festive and fun. It’s kind of an oddity but visiting was a pleasant experience I would repeat if given the chance.
Tourist trap? Maybe. Still worth a visit? You bet.
What places do you enjoy that might be classified as a tourist trap? After all, I may want to go.
I like towns with nooks and crannies and interesting things to see in odd places. Check out these pretty butterfly murals on the back of a shop in Frankenmuth, Michigan.
The colors are extraordinary and were a welcome pop of joy on the gloomy day we spent exploring the town. I’m telling you, the best way to experience a place is to park the car and take a walk.
It’s great exercise and the best way to find all those nooks and crannies.
It’s a landmark on Main Street in Frankenmuth, Michigan. In a town called Little Bavaria, this place is pure kitsch and lots of fun. Check out the sign!
They’ve been around for more than fifty years, selling all manner of cheeses from around the world – 270 cheeses to be exact. I guess that’s how they afford this fantastic sign with the mouse!
Who knew there were so many kinds of cheese out there? There are even specialty cheeses in chocolate, peanut butter and berry varieties. Have you ever eaten peanut butter cheese? I’m not that adventurous.
This third generation family owned business has been around since 1968. They also sell things that you might need to go with your cheese like sausages, crackers, wine and candies. It’s a one stop shop!
Learn more at their website.
Phew!! It has been a long week but we finally made it to Friday. Here’s another picture from Frankenmuth, Michigan to brighten your day. Tomorrow, we will move on from Frankenmuth to another destination from my journey through Michigan.
Have a fantastic and fabulous Friday!
A week ago today, I was winding down vacation and exploring Frankenmuth, Michigan. We went for Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland and for the Little Bavaria appeal of the town but were pleasantly surprised to find classic cars everywhere we looked.
That’s because the town was preparing for an enormous weekend long auto show set to start on Friday. Many car owners arrived on Thursday and spent the evening cruising the block.
Remember cruising?
That’s when carloads of (usually) teenagers went out driving along a popular route in town, often socializing with riders in other cars. If you’re not familiar, see the movie “American Graffiti.”
Most American towns have cracked down on this activity for the last several decades and you just don’t see it done much. However, Frankenmuth welcomed these drivers to cruise the block and even challenge each other at times.
The cops were miraculously absentee while we stood and watched all those beautiful old cars go by. By the way, those drivers were all ages – from teenagers to elderly – and all seemed to be having a blast.
They were expecting thousands of cars for the weekend and I hated to leave without seeing them all. I’m thinking it would be fun to go back next year and check out all the fun they have planned.
As much as I enjoy planning a trip, there’s something special about rolling into town and encountering the unexpected. This is one of the reasons we travel and one of the things that make adventuring amazing.