Oktoberfest Munich Guide
Oktoberfest is a huge festival in Munich, Germany that happens annually from mid-September to the beginning of October. The festival takes place over three consecutive weekends during which more than seven million people from around the world attend.
Historically, the festival is a celebration of the marriage ceremony between Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese in 1810. Today, Oktoberfest, which takes up 420,000 square feet in Munich, is known for rides, attractions, games, and of course, beer.
What to Expect at Oktoberfest
The festival opens early, but tents start serving beers at around 10 a.m. and stop serving at 10:30 p.m. If you don’t have a reservation and want to get a table, prepare to arrive between six and seven a.m.
You don’t need to buy tickets to get into the festival, but there is a lot to buy once you get there.
The Oktoberfest grounds are enormous, and you can choose from tons of tents and activities. Start by taking a walk through the main street to get your bearings (and scan the food options).
There are more than fourteen big tents and twenty smaller tents at the festival. It can be hard to decide which ones to visit, but most of them are generally the same.
Here is a breakdown of a few of the big ones:
Winzerer Fahndl has a fun, authentic atmosphere that makes people want to stay all day.
Hofbräu Festhalle is considered the “American tent.” You will find a lot of college students and other international travelers here.
Schottenhamel is the tent that starts it all! The first keg is tapped here at noon on the first day of the festival.
Löwenbräu-Festhalle is a favorite for locals and travelers alike (in other words, Australians, New Zealanders, and South Africans). This is a good middle ground tent.
Fischer Vroni serves grilled fish and other dishes. If you are not feeling the typical meat and potatoes from the other tents, head here.
Schützen-Festzelt has a good mix of young and old, travelers and locals.
Augustiner-Festhalle is known as the friendly tent.
Weinzelt is the wine tent! If you are ready for something other than beer, head here for your pick of white, red, and sparkling wines.
Pschorr-Bräurosl is one of the more traditional tents and has been managed by the Heide family for seven generations. This tent is filled with mostly locals.
Be aware: If you stand on the very top of a table that means you are going to down your entire beer. So unless you want hundreds of people cheering you on to chug your stein, don’t stand on the top of a table.
What to Drink
The main drink of Oktoberfest is of course…beer.
To get a stein of beer in a tent, you must be sitting or standing at a table. Sometimes this can be tough as the tables are all very crowded. If you’re traveling solo or with a small group, people will usually let you stand near their table so that you can order.
Once you’ve secured a spot, it’s up to you to catch one of the beer maids (they’re easy to find) and order a stein. One stein of beer typically costs ten to twelve euros (£8-10 / $10-$12), and it is easier for everyone if you have exact change ready.
The maids are typically handling five to ten beers at a time, and things can get messy!
If you’re not a beer lover, but you still want to partake in the fun, try a “Radler” or “shand,” which is beer mixed with lemonade! Also, beware that a stein of water is around eight euro. Your best bet is to get a bottle from an outside booth.
There are also a couple of booths on the outside labeled “café” that sell coffee, sodas, wine, and various hard liquors.
What to Eat
A ton of food stands line the main street, but most of them are repeats, so if you see something that catches your eye, grab it when you see it!
Some things you’ll find are bratwurst, pretzels, french fries, candy-coated assorted nuts, chocolate-covered fruit, gingerbread cookies (can double as a souvenir), and fish.
For all you vegetarians, some booths even serve veggie burgers!
If you do get lucky enough to sit at a table inside a tent, order some food! All the tents serve traditional steaming-hot German meals that smell, look, and taste delicious. Most of it is some variation of pork and potatoes.
If you’re not at a table and you’re feeling a little peckish, there are always people walking around selling giant pretzels.
What to Wear
A majority of the people at Oktoberfest wear the traditional clothing, which is a dirndl for women and lederhosen for men. It is totally fine not to wear these, but you will stand out. You can order dirndls and lederhosen on Amazon before you arrive in Germany, but be aware that they aren’t traditional, and they might end up looking more like a Halloween costume.
The best option is to buy your garb at a store in town. Dirndls and lederhosen are available all over near the festival, so they won’t be difficult to find. Dirndls range from seventy to 150 euros while lederhosen range from ninety to 200 euros.
Book tours and Purchase Tickets
You need to book for Oktoberfest in advance! Use our recommended partner:
Getting Around Munich
Munich has an efficient metro system that’s pretty easy to understand (even with all the German names). Depending on where you choose to stay, you might have to take a bus, to a train, and then walk a little to get to your final destination.
Uber is currently operating in Munich, so there is always that option or the traditional taxi. Once you get close to the festival, arrows painted on the sidewalks will point you in the right direction (plus, you can follow the crowds of people dressed in Dirndls and Lederhosen).
Helpful Tip
Google Maps always has a transit option for anywhere you are looking to go, which will tell you exactly which lines or buses you need to take to get there.
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Have you been to Oktoberfest before? If so, we would love to hear in the comments below!
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