There is no beer festival greater than THE Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. It’s a normal German carnival until you step into one of the tents and enter a world of beer, singing, and pretzels. Here are a few tips that might make your Oktoberfest experience “Prost” worthy.
Avoid Weekends!
I’ll start with the most crucial piece of advice I can give you. Whatever you do, avoid weekends at all cost!! There is a vast difference in going on a weekday verses going on a weekend. My friends and I even decided to leave early on a Sunday (because we couldn’t get in a tent) and it took us FOREVER to even leave the festival because we were shoulder-to-shoulder with people…OUTSIDE OF THE TENT. It was madness. If a weekend is all you can work with, than it’s very important you get there early and stay in the same tent for the day!
Pick a tent, any tent!
They are all incredible, each carrying their own unique experience! And they all have beer, so you really can’t go wrong. You can download the Oktoberfest app to see how full each tent is at that specific moment. The app also provides really insightful tips about Oktoberfest!
Get there early!
The past two years that I attended the Oktoberfest, I travelled with a fairly small group. We never ran into any trouble with finding a table, even later in the day. However, small group or not, I would still suggest that you get there early if it is your first time and especially if you are with a group larger than three people.
DRESS UP!
You will stand out if you don’t! The first year I went to the festival with my dad, and since we were rookies, we were a little shy with dressing up. We opted out for casual attire, and boy did we stand out! I made sure to dress up the next year and it makes the whole experience even more fun! I found my Dirndl on Amazon for a fairly cheap price! You can also wait and buy them when you get to Munich! There are shops all around the city that sell Oktoberfest gear.
Bring plenty of cash!
Admission into Oktoberfest is free along with each tent, but the food and drinks do cost money. In each tent you will pay with cash only, so make sure to have plenty of Euros with you. And trust me when I tell you that the more you tip your server, the more frequent she’ll come back to your table!
I could dive much deeper into my experiences at Oktoberfest, but it won’t mean much to you unless you experience it for yourself! So start planning your trip, I know for sure you’ll see me there!