My sister and I have been here many times in the past. I was so excited that my husband would see it for the first time. Imagine how I felt when we saw what they did to Always Christmas. I bragged how it rivaled the Christmas store in Frankenmuth. Low and behold, I was fooled. I'll drive the extra 60 miles to Frankenmuth.
I will comment in a totally different manner. I attended two weddings at Canterbury. One in the winter and the other in July. The chapel was beautifully decorated with a permanent stained glass backdrop. The bride and groom looked fantastic in erson and in their pictures. After the ceremony the carrousel was availabe for pictures. It was a romantic setting and the guests enjoyed walking the grounds until the reception. The banquet room was elegant and roomy. I truly was impressed. The food was very good and the service was attentive to detail. The facilities and grounds were well kept. Although I didn't visit the shops, we did stop into the pub to enjoy a drink and a small plate. A great experience. And yes.... The Christmas store was filled with beautiful and classy items. I will return.
We visited to see how the Always Christmas shoppes have changed and also how they are the same. I believe they are still trying to figure this one out as it needs some tweaking and additional shoppes for a year round experience. They added Yates Cider Mill to the shop mix which is good for the fall season. Hopefully there will be more attractions in the winder, spring and summer. Will have to revisit then
We've gone here for years to shop and take pictures of the kids in the holiday settings. It was my wife's annual birthday lunch trip with here sisters. The big ornament store has been sold and is now gone. The fabric shop is now an ornament store. The restaurant isn't all that great. There used to be a little bar restaurant that served beer, but it's closed. There used to be a coffee shop but it's gone now too. The pet store is gone too. Yates cider mill has moved in, and that's nice. There are some cute little shops, but without the big store, it's just not all that much. They have a nice Department 56 shop. The village is not worth a long trip but if you are close and want to do a little ornament shopping it might be worth an hour or two.
This place has become less and less of it's former self over the years. It is out of the way and definitely not worth the effort to go to. There is basically nothing there but a restaurant or maybe two. Possibly an event location.
Always a fun, intimate place to meet friends. Pizza and beer is what we had. The pizza was hot and delicious!
Had a rehearsal dinner there and the food was very good. Also had a Sunday brunch and again the food was served hot, in trays, the servers kept the food coming and everyone enjoyed themselves. The vegetables were served hot but not overcooked. The chicken was breaded but not greasy and moist. The beef tenderloin tips were tender and flavorful. A very nice meal.I will use their venue for future functions. The prices were reasonable for the value.Ask for Crystal. You can email her before and after the event. She always responded and was helpful.
Canterbury Village is a favorite place to visit on the weekends for my family. The castle is gorgeous, the pub's food is excellent (I recommend the Dragon Chicken Sandwich), and the shops in the cottages at the back have the cutest merchandise. There is Celtic Connection and Highland Fling for Irish and Scottish themed merchandise, the Enchanted Cottage for a mix of "enchanting" product including fairy decor, the Tea Boutique for tea and fine china, Breads and Threads for handmade items such as blankets and soap, and Uniquely Yours for all locally made-in-Michigan product ranging from stained glass and jewelry to children's toys.The Christmas store is gorgeous, but don't view Canterbury as a Christmas location. Take the time to walk around in nice weather and see the other shops or eat at the pub.
I don't plan to return. This place reminded me of a cross between a Carnival and the Renaissance Festival, gone wild. Some of the shops were just jammed with "stuff" while others not so much.
In appearance, that is. This place is cute but really needs some work.There are many empty "shops". The window displays are so old and worn that they are deteriorating/green-palored/very creepy. The food used to be a lot better than it is now. Like A LOT better. Some shops seem thrown together and incredibly random in their selections The ambiance of the village, itself, is cute/quaint. I only wish that the people that own it would come up with a more cohesive plan for it.