Today I want to share my Oktoberfest guide with you. Going to this annual fall festival in Munich is a great way to get into Bavarian culture, enjoy some beer, and have a good time.
Oktoberfest Guide
My first ever beer wasn’t the normal American first-beer experience. It wasn’t a light beer in a 12-ounce can that tasted more like water than malt and hops. It wasn’t at a high school prom party or a college frat party.
No, it wasn’t any of those things. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
It was a full-flavored Bavarian beer. It was served by a German waitress in a dirndl at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich. And it came in a glass mug that measured a liter in volume. It was a serious beer.
I’ve never forgotten my first beer, and when it came time for Oktoberfest this year I couldn’t resist the opportunity to head back to Bavaria for another.
Where to Stay for Oktoberfest
My boyfriend and I arrived in Munich on Saturday morning and went straight to our accommodation, the Sheraton Munchen Westpark Hotel. It was the perfect place to stay for Oktoberfest, as it was in walking distance of the festival.
Oktoberfest Dates
We put our bags down in our room, then strolled over to Oktoberfest just after 12pm.
The festival lasts for around 2 weeks from mid-September to the first Sunday in October each year, and we were happy to be there in the heart of its run.
Oktoberfest History
Oktoberfest originated in October 1810 as a celebration of the marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. It became an annual tradition, and it’s now the world’s largest beer festival.
Oktoberfest Location
Oktoberfest takes place in the Theresienwiese near Munich’s old town.
As we approached from the park above, our eyes glowed with visions of carnival rides, gigantic half-timbered tents, bratwurst vendors, and throngs of lederhosen-sporting masses (yes, everyone dresses up).
Kafer Tent at Oktoberfest
We descended into the chaos and found ourselves in the Kafer tent at Oktoberfest. Despite having heard it would be impossible to enter tents without reservations, we had no problem at all.
We ordered beers and giant pretzels, then met up with some friends outside. The weather was gorgeous, and it was the perfect day to sit in a beer garden.
Food at Oktoberfest
Later in the afternoon we went in search of food at Oktoberfest. After passing a sign with a very unhappy-looking cow sandwiched between two slices of bread, we settled on a pork-based solution to our hunger.
Half-meter bratwursts were the winners. Coupled with the two sausages I ate for breakfast on the plane, it brought my daily brat count to three.
Paulaner Tent at Oktoberfest
Not satisfied with just three sausages clogging my arteries, I took my boyfriend to the Paulaner tent at Oktoberfest. After a short wait in line, we cleared the entrance and found ourselves in a beer garden full of…well…beer.
We begged two beers off a waitress who wasn’t supposed to serve customers without seats, then wedged ourselves onto a bench and ordered four more sausages on a bed of sauerkraut. Seven sausages in one day; my heart was loving it.
Schottenhamel Tent at Oktoberfest
That evening we made our way over to a third Oktoberfest tent: the Schottenhamel tent. Huge and rowdy, the tent was classic Oktoberfest.
There was a band playing traditional music, people standing on benches and dancing in aisles, and beer flowing like milk and honey. We had found the promised land.
We got ourselves a bench to stand on and some beers to facilitate our singing voices, and joined the masses in celebrating. Oddly, all the songs we knew the words to were seemingly unfamiliar to the German revellers around us.
While we belted out the lyrics to “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Highway to Hell”, they stood somewhat silent, even sitting down.
Then when other English-language songs were played, we were at a loss for words while everyone else seemed to proclaim them as their all-time favorites. Strange.
Oktoberfest Food and Beer
The next morning we woke up ready for more Oktoberfest in Munich.
We walked back to the park and into the Kafer tent, where we got a table outside and ordered six more delicious bratwurst and another heaping portion of sauerkraut. Oh, and beers. More beers.
Following lunch, we spent some time walking around the carnival area.
Munich Zoo
At that point our stamina for all-day beer drinking started flagging, and we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and head to the Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich for the afternoon.
The animals seemed to like the weather too; the big cats and bears were much more active than normal.
My only complaint was that there was no red panda, but as they’re known for escaping zoos, I’ll assume the critters were taking the day off to check out Oktoberfest.
English Garden in Munich
Our flight back to London wasn’t until 9pm, so we met some friends at the Seehaus in the English Garden before checking out of our hotel and heading to the airport.
I couldn’t handle any more beer (or sausage, for that matter!), so I stuck with hot chocolate. It was a good choice, not least because it consisted of around fifty percent whipped cream.
Oktoberfest Guide: The Verdict
When it was finally time to leave Munich, I waved good-bye to Oktoberfest with a heavy heart and uber-clogged arteries.
I think it’ll be a while before I have any more beer, and I won’t be able to look at a sausage again until the next time I return to Germany. Perhaps that will be for Oktoberfest next year.
In the meantime, I hope you’ve enjoyed this Oktoberfest guide and that it’s convinced you to come next fall, too. It’s a great festival and a fun excuse to visit Bavaria.
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