Bavarian Michigan and a downtown rink
This is leg 1 of 1, the opening leg.
Travel leg · Frankenmuth & Detroit
Frankenmuth to Detroit
Frankenmuth and Detroit sit about 125 km (78 mi) apart in a straight line, with Detroit to the south-east. It is leg 1 of 1 on our Frankenmuth & Detroit itinerary, a 4-day trip. Here is how long it takes by car, what to see on the way and where it fits in a real itinerary.
- Straight-line distance
- 125 km · 78 mi
- Est. road distance
- 150–175 km
- Est. drive time
- 1 h 30 min – 2 h 45 min
- Direction
- Heading south-east
- Curated routes
- 1 itinerary
Road distance is estimated as 1.2–1.4× the straight line; drive time assumes average speeds of 65–95 km/h with no stops or traffic. These are rough estimates — check a maps app for the actual route.
Ways to get there
We don't have live routing data, so the figures below are labelled estimates built from the straight-line distance. Use them to plan the day, then confirm in a maps app.
By car
Most travelers on our Frankenmuth & Detroit itinerary do this leg by car. We estimate 150–175 km (93–109 mi) of road and 1 h 30 min – 2 h 45 min behind the wheel, so check live traffic before you set off.
Fly into Detroit Metro (DTW) and rent a car. Frankenmuth is about 90 minutes north via I-75; its main sights sit along a short stretch of Main Street and are easy to walk. In downtown Detroit, the free QLine streetcar runs up Woodward Avenue from Campus Martius to the Detroit Institute of Arts. Greenfield Village in Dearborn and Belle Isle are each about 15 minutes by car from downtown.
Worth stopping for
Picks from our curated guides at both ends.
When you arrive in Detroit
Two nights for the downtown rink, Rivera's murals and Holiday Nights.
Detroit Institute of Arts
Major art museum anchored by Diego Rivera's Detroit Industry murals.
Eastern Market
Historic public market with produce sheds, murals and specialty food shops.
Supino Pizzeria
Thin-crust pizza in Eastern Market, a local favorite.
Detroit RiverWalk
Waterfront path from Joe Louis Arena site to Gabriel Richard Park, with views to Windsor.
Two James Spirits
Corktown tasting room of Detroit's first licensed distillery since Prohibition.
Campus Martius Park
Downtown square with the city's Christmas tree, a skating rink and lit trees, next to the Cadillac Square holiday market.
Before you leave Frankenmuth
Two nights in Michigan's Bavarian town for Bronner's and chicken dinners.
Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland
Huge Christmas store open nearly every day of the year, with thousands of ornaments plus decorated trees and lights.
Silent Night Memorial Chapel
Replica of the Oberndorf, Austria, chapel where 'Silent Night' was first sung, on the Bronner's grounds.
Bavarian Inn Restaurant
Family-style chicken dinners under a glockenspiel tower that tells the Pied Piper story.
On this curated route
Where Frankenmuth → Detroit sits in the full itinerary. Highlighted stops are this leg.
Going the other way? Detroit to Frankenmuth is the same 125 km in a straight line, heading north-west. Reverse directions in Google Maps ↗
Weather at each end
The biggest gap comes in August, when Detroit averages highs 2°C warmer than Frankenmuth.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frankenmuth high | -2° | -1° | 5° | 12° | 19° | 24° | 26° | 26° | 22° | 15° | 8° | 1° |
| Detroit high | -1° | 0° | 6° | 14° | 20° | 25° | 28° | 27° | 24° | 16° | 9° | 2° |
| Frankenmuth rain | 50 | 50 | 51 | 88 | 97 | 87 | 79 | 85 | 74 | 86 | 59 | 55 |
| Detroit rain | 52 | 52 | 56 | 77 | 97 | 84 | 85 | 82 | 74 | 72 | 62 | 55 |
Temperatures in °C, rain in mm per month. Long-term monthly averages from NASA POWER satellite climatology — a guide to typical conditions, not a forecast. Month headings link to Detroit month guides.
Frankenmuth to Detroit: questions travelers ask
How far is Frankenmuth from Detroit?
Frankenmuth is about 125 km (78 mi) from Detroit in a straight line, with Detroit to the south-east. By road, we estimate 150–175 km (93–109 mi), or 1.2–1.4 times the straight line. Check a maps app for the exact route.
How long does it take to drive from Frankenmuth to Detroit?
An estimated 1 h 30 min – 2 h 45 min, assuming 150–175 km of road at average speeds of 65–95 km/h with no stops or traffic. It is not a routed time, so check a maps app on the day.
Which itineraries include the trip from Frankenmuth to Detroit?
Our Frankenmuth & Detroit itinerary includes this leg. Frankenmuth & Detroit runs about 4 days across 2 stops, best in Late Nov – Dec.
Onward from Detroit
- Detroit to Traverse City 341 km
Guides for both ends
- Frankenmuth travel guide
- Frankenmuth weather best time to visit
- Detroit travel guide
- Detroit weather best time to visit
Detroit by month
Plan Frankenmuth → Detroit with your crew
Add this leg to a shared itinerary, poll the group on where to stop, split fuel and tickets, and keep everyone's packing list in one place in TripsCircle.