Overnight Parking in Frankenmuth, MI

[Stars101]

Does anyone know if there is a safe spot to park overnight in Frankenmuth? We will be arriving very late, after 11pm, and I don't like trying to "check in" to a CG at that time. Especially when we will be leaving in a few hours.

We are heading to Bronner's. Do they allow overnight parking? I googled it, but didn't find any answers.

Thanks in advance. I'd rather get real-life feedback from RV.net campers before I call the store... it's such a ****-shoot when you call anymore LOL.

1st person- "oh sure, we allow it"
2nd person - "not sure if we allow it"
3rd person - "what's a truck camper? Do you mean you want to LIVE here!?"
4th person - "I think we allow it back behind the store, next to the dumpsters and fire hydrant, next to the loading docks - just don't block anything"

[ken56]

Bronners OR Zenders restaurant. Both have large parking lots. Zenders has a very nice bakery and cafeteria that is a must stop. Frankenmuth may be worth a day to explore if you have the time. There are a couple of RV parks with Jellystone being the closest to town. Pine Ridge is south of town near Birch Run road and on the west side of the exit/entrance to I-75 is a large outlet shopping center....and it has a Coleman outlet store

[jpontius]

Sorry to bring up such and old thread but how'd it go? I'm looking at overnighting there this summer.

[Jack_Diane_Free]

Agree with calling Bronners. Their parking lot is huge and accommodates many large bus tours.

[ken56]

Bronner's has a huge parking lot so just call the store and ask to speak with THE manager. I have seen a couple RV's there but I was usually not there past 11pm. The area has a couple very nice CG's if you intend to stay in the area. Your other option may be Tanger Outlets right at I-75 and Birch Run rd. Again, a huge parking lot but its very well lighted.

[rexlion]

I'd just give Bronner's a call or email and ask permission, mentioning that you will be shopping there in the morning. The worst they can do is say no, but there's a decent chance they would say yes.

[Stars101]

Matt_Colie - thank you for your real-life advice. The Visitor's Center looked like it was very safe and quiet. I think we will be just fine there.

[Matt_Colie]

Stars,

When we stop at Frankenmuth, it is usually more like "crash" it is so close to home, we would make it if we could. We have holdup at the rest area that is between Exits 136 and 144 both NB & SB, the outlet mall at Birch Run, (not a favorite) and the Visitor Center just once. It is on Main just north of the river. (That would be about half mile north of Broners.) It was actually quiet and nice. No body came by, but if they had I would have said that we were waiting for Broners to open.

Matt

[roxy13019]

That sounds like our type of camping too. We call it "Speed Camping".
The RV Parky app says there's a Walmart 11 miles away that allows overnighting. Love love Bronners. We were a little disappointed in the famous Zehnder's chicken though 😞 Hope you have a great time!

[Stars101]

Just looked at the Visitor Center's website - "Free 24hr public rest rooms". That sounds like code for "yup, try boondocking at this place" 🙂

Hope some locals chime in with some advice re: safety and personal advice.

[Stars101]

It won't even be for 24 hrs LOL. We plan on pulling in at night, hopefully before midnight. Grab a few hours sleep and then see Bronner's in the a.m. Then a quick lunch and off again LOL.

We don't subscribe to the "your vacation week should be the most restful week of the year" theory. We are more "tag-team drive and try like heck to squeeze in some highlights in every state as quickly as possible" type travelers.

We will cover 3,000 miles in 11 days. Not a bad daily average for us... Slightly slower than our 21 states in 19 days - 6,000 mile road trip across the US we did a few years ago.

I don't want to pay for Jellystone to just sleep for 5-6 hrs. Plus it's just plain rude to pull in that late with a diesel truck. Idling along trying to find the site, doors opening/closing while you inspect the site with a flashlight, trying to back in quietly, etc. No easy way to slam a truck door or an RV door shut that doesn't make a racket for the neighbors.

I'll checkout the Visitor Center parking lot idea. Thanks.

[GordonThree]

From the City of Frankenmuth website:

quote: "4.39. All Night Parking Restrictions. Between November 1st and April 30th, no person shall park any vehicle on any street between the hours of 2:00 A.M. and 6:00 A.M. on any day. (Ordinance No. 2002-03, 07-09-2002; Ordinance No. 2003-01, 04-01-2003)"

That's the only parking ordinance I could find, which I interpret to mean the city isn't too hot and bothered about transients parking overnight, except where it might impede snow removal. There is a public parking lot near the visitor's center:

quote: "There is public parking directly behind the Visitor Center and many businesses in the downtown area also have convenient over-sized parking areas to accommodate vehicles of every size."

If it were me, I'd park overnight in the City's lot.

[bloomis2925]

I camp quite a bit in Frankenmuth at the Jellystone right behind Bronner's. I run/walk the dog very early in the morning and have never seen a camper/truck camper in the parking lot of Bronner's. When will you be going? Will you be staying more than one night?