Owners of Bavarian Inn since 1950, the Zehnder family never shied away from ambitions. With humble beginnings as a restaurant, Bavarian Inn remodeled and grew to become a driving force in the community, honouring the region’s German heritage and transforming the rural town of Frankenmuth into “Michigan’s Little Bavaria.” In 1986, Bavarian Inn Lodge was opened, later expanding to include a large family entertainment center, hotel pools, more restaurants, and many other amenities.

In November 2022, Bavarian Inn announced its most ambitious venture yet: An $80-million, 170,000-square-foot indoor water park that would turn the property into not just a resort, but a year-round destination.

Michigan’s Biggest Indoor Water Park

Billed as Michigan’s largest indoor water park, Bavarian Blast opened in March 2025 to great anticipation. After all, the Midwest is known for its harsh winters, so an indoor water paradise is the perfect way to attract families both in and out of state in any weather and any season.

Bavarian Blast doesn’t just offer any indoor water park fun, it whisks guests to a whimsical foreign land. Lovingly crafted with Bavarian motifs and animal mascot characters throughout (plushies available in gift shop), the aim was to transport visitors to an Oktoberfest celebration.

To create an outdoor ambiance, a 175 x 275-foot Double Slope Skylight roof by Open Aire was built to provide ample natural lighting, making the venue feel spacious and inviting—and saving energy at the same time.

Beyond being Michigan’s biggest indoor water park, Bavarian Blast also has:

• The state’s first adult swim-up bar
• The state’s first dual mat racing slides—Mat Parallel Pursuit
• The world’s first Inner Tube Parallel Pursuit

Sixteen water slides, together with a 5,130-square-foot wave pool, a 300-foot not-so-lazy river, and plenty of seating options plus food and beverage make for a fun day out.

Photo credit: Bavarian Inn

Thrills for Every Age

Bavarian Blast offers a great mix of water slides of varying thrills: body slide, inner tube ride, and family raft ride. From tots to tweens to adults, the whole family will be entertained.

“Puddle Platz” Kids’ Area

With five gentle slides—a Pool Sider, two AquaTubes, two Ramp Slides—plus a water table and a tot bounce, Puddle Platz is an area that the youngest guests can’t get enough of. Unbeknownst to the little ones, behind the Ramp Slides is advanced fiberglass innovation.

A customization process called “veiling,” this technology adds a patterned layer to close-molded slide parts, allowing parks to use imagery on fiberglass to enhance their narratives. At Bavarian Blast, the slide named “Schmetterling’s Landing” is decorated with a butterfly veil (Schmetterling means butterfly in German). And Goldie, the goldfish mascot sporting an alpine hat, is featured as a pattern on the Ramp Slide named “Goldie’s Glider.”

“Cuckoo’s Chaos” and Body Slide Complex

The most eye-catching part inside Bavarian Blast is the traditional cuckoo clock, with a festive German May Pole erected next to it. In place of the large tipping bucket that is now expected at most water parks, this attraction dumps water just below the cuckoo bird to the delight of kids waiting below.

Ideal for preteens and tweens, this area features four body slides: one Open & Enclosed, two AquaTubes, and one Pool Sider, with names like Bavarian Blitzer, Pretzel Twist, Buttered Noodle, and Schnitzel Swirl, ostensibly reminding of the delicious food options available at the park.

To round out this beautifully themed area, Life Floor foam rubber tiles in colours reminiscent of Bavarian flag patterns are used to reduce slips and falls.

Inner Tube and Family Raft Ride Complex

Not to be missed is the opportunity to ride with family and friends, be it in the same vehicle or through friendly competition. The inner tube and family raft ride complex at Bavarian Blast has large rides that extend outside the building envelope to save the precious footprint inside. The slides are:

“Schnitz & Fritz Racers”

Parallel Pursuit Mat Racer

Michigan’s first dual mat racing slides, Parallel Pursuit features sections with low dividing walls in both straightaways and curves so that competitors can see and hear each other, making the ride more interactive. Along the entire ride is a translucent stripe between the top half and the bottom half of the slide, allowing natural lighting in as the flume extrudes outside the building, enhancing the atmosphere for the riders.

“Rapunzel’s Racers”

1-2-Person Inner Tube Parallel Pursuit

Making its world debut is the inner tube version of Parallel Pursuit. Up to now, Parallel Pursuit was available as a mat or body racer—so for one-on-one competition. On “Rapunzel’s Racer,” riders race side by side through sections with low dividers where they can see and hear each other as well as separately through dark flumes punctuated by colourful AquaLucent effects, with different patterns for each lane.

“Willy’s Wild Ride”

1-2-Person Inner Tube Constrictor

Willy the mascot is a green dragon with wings, and he is taking riders on 1-2-person inner tubes down the twists and turns of a matching green and blue slide, banking high through two tight coiling Constrictor features.

“Super Duper Dragon’s Flight”

Python + Constrictor Fusion 6-Person Raft Ride

Fostering a strong sense of shared adventure and camaraderie is the 6-person family raft ride. There’s nothing like sitting across from your family and friends, seeing them laughing and screaming through bursts of AquaLucent colours, a tight coiling Constrictor, and stomach tickly oscillations inside an imposing Python before finishing with a set of AquaLucent rings. Simply unforgettable!

Making Headlines and Pleasing Guests

The biggest indoor water park in America to open this year, Bavarian Blast has received significant publicity from both attractions industry media and regional news outlets. It has not only altered Bavarian Inn’s business model, it has created an enticing reason for visitors to stay overnight in Frankenmuth. With loving details of traditional German themes, an inviting atmosphere, and exciting attractions, it is the perfect family getaway—in any weather.

“Throughout the four generations of leadership at Bavarian Inn, our mission has always been to create enjoyable experiences. This expansion stands as a testament to our continuous dedication to this pursuit.”

– Michael Keller Zehnder, President, Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn Lodge