They say “good things come in small packages” and, in the case of Zehnder’s Splash Village Hotel & Waterpark in Frankenmuth, Mich., “they” were right. First opened in 1856 as the Exchange Hotel, the resort has been operated by the Zehnder family since 1927.

Since then, Zehnder’s has become one of Michigan’s top tourist destinations. The venue includes a mix of approximately 150 suites and newly renovated rooms, the 30,000-square-foot Splash Village indoor waterpark, the 2,000-square-foot Zehnder’s Splash Village Arcade and The Fortress golf course. Designed in 1992 by architect Dick Nugent, the 18-hole course features 6,813 yards of play and invokes the ambiance of golf's early Scottish origins.

The fantasy woodland-themed waterpark was added in 2005 to develop a year-round customer base, according to John Shelton, CHSP, Zehnder’s vice president of sales and marketing, “It’s taken Mother Nature out of the picture,” he says. “[In the waterpark], it’s always sunny and 83 degrees.”

Today the waterpark includes a 337-foot-long lazy river; two tube slides, both four stories high and 327 feet long; a two-story-high body slide; an activity pool with more than 20 geysers; and a 400-gallon dumping bucket. To keep everything operating, it takes more than 140, 000 gallons of water flowing through the park.

Outside the waterpark, the whimsical theme also is evident in the lobby, which features a 26-foot-tall tree that’s actually a working fireplace and movie wall. And guests can dine at Elf Hollow Cafe.

Though the cafe has a full menu, many Splash Village guests come for Zehnder’s Restaurant. Located just off the property and accessible via shuttle, the restaurant has been known for its all-you-can-eat, family-style chicken dinners since 1929, and can seat 1,500. The 100,000-square-foot family restaurant was the No. 1 independent restaurant in the country in 2007, serving 984,190 guests last year, according to Restaurant & Institutions, a restaurant trade publication.

Whether guests come for the chicken, waterpark or golf, Shelton says renovations over the past few years have made Zehnder’s offerings so successful that operators are considering various options for expansion.