Frankfort, Michigan: How a Deer Made Us Slow Down (and Why We’re Glad It Did)

We stayed in Frankfort, Michigan, over the Fourth of July in summer 2026, the ninth stop of our Oshkosh or Bust RV road trip.

Frankfort is a small Lake Michigan town in Benzie County, close to Sleeping Bear Dunes and within easy driving distance of Traverse City.

Our arrival didn’t exactly go to plan.

Less Than a Mile to Go

The drive up from Michigan City, Indiana, was smooth sailing, apart from a lot of Fourth of July traffic heading north. Then, less than a mile from the campground, a deer ran out of the woods right in front of our truck. Everyone (except the deer) was fine. The truck, not so much: a busted headlight, a smashed front fender and a dented door.

Watch our dashcam video of the deer strike on Instagram

We did a quick check, drove the last mile and parked. It was Saturday afternoon. No shops would open until Monday, and there was no taxi, no rental car and no Uber to be found. We didn’t want to drive the truck until someone who knew what they were looking at had checked it out. So we were stuck. (Everything we learned about handling a deer strike with a tow vehicle is here: We Hit a Deer With Our Tow Vehicle: What to Do Next.)

Stuck in a Pretty Good Spot

If you have to be stranded somewhere, Northern Michigan in summer is not a bad place to do it. Our campground, Frankfort Crystal Lake RV Resort, is close to town, but it sits along a main road we didn’t love the idea of walking. (Full review: Frankfort Crystal Lake RV Resort.)

So on Sunday afternoon we did the one thing we could do: we went for a run, mostly just to get out of the house.

That run turned out to be the best introduction we could have asked for. Usually we drive into a new town and start checking off highlights. This time we met Frankfort at running pace. The town is cute, the harbor is very picturesque, and the whole place feels like a scene out of American Pie 2. Classic Michigan summer.

Back on the Road (Sort Of)

Monday morning we called around and found Heiges Body Shop. Two guys told us to drive over carefully and they’d have a look. They were waiting outside when we pulled in, gave the truck a good once-over and told us: “She’ll drive fine for the rest of the trip. She won’t be pretty, but she is safe to drive.” That was all we needed to hear.

The rest of our stay was a mix of work, insurance paperwork and exploring.

What We Did Around Frankfort

Point Betsie Lighthouse

Just north of town, Point Betsie Lighthouse has watched over the southern entrance to the Manitou Passage since the 1850s. We drove up, walked the beach and took in the lighthouse.

Crystal Lake

Crystal Lake comes with a great backstory. In 1873, locals tried to connect it to Lake Michigan with a channel. Crystal Lake sat higher than Lake Michigan, so when the channel opened, the water level dropped about 20 feet. The project was a flop, but it uncovered the sandy beaches people love today. We drove the shoreline as part of our Fourth of July drive tour.

Sleeping Bear Dunes and the Cherry Festival

We spent the Fourth at Sleeping Bear Dunes, in the little lakeshore towns and at the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, which turned 100 the same summer America turned 250. That day gets its own post: Fourth of July in Northern Michigan.

Cooking at Home

We didn’t eat out much in Frankfort. It was Fourth of July week, so we cooked a lot at the campsite.

One Very Unplanned Trip to Chicago

Midweek, Stefan found out he had to be at a client dinner in Chicago the next night. A booked-out airport, a rental counter with no cars and one dented truck later, he made it with three minutes to spare. Read the whole story: When the Day Job Calls: Our Mad Dash From Northern Michigan to Chicago.

Would We Go Back?

Frankfort gave us a slower, sweeter first look than we’d planned on, and we’ll take it.

Our tip: If your plans fall apart in a small town, lace up your shoes. Seeing a place on foot is the best way to get to know it.

Next up on Oshkosh or Bust: St. Ignace and Mackinac Island, Michigan.

Have you been to Frankfort or Benzie County? Tell us your favorite spot in the comments!