How do I Oktoberfest?
September 23, 2014 12:57 PM Subscribe
I will be by myself in Munich next week, for about a day. I'd feel remiss if I didn't experience at least a bit of Oktoberfest, but I'm having trouble understanding it. Help me do Oktoberfest right in one day?
I honestly am having trouble with the whole concept. What exactly is inside each tent? What do I need tickets for? Is it possible for me to do this alone or do I need a group?
My ideal Oktoberfest experience would involve a lot of different kinds of meat, plenty of tasty beer to wash it down, and friendly English-speaking strangers to enjoy it all with.
I'll be arriving in Munich around 5 pm on September 30 (Tuesday), and ideally I could go grab dinner and then drink all night, and leave in the morning. It would probably make more sense to stay for all of the next day though (Wednesday, October 1). As you can guess, though, I'm pretty flexible in terms of travel plans.
I don't have any hotel/hostel reservations yet, so this is all presuming I can get one. I was planning to rent a car once I leave Munich, but could rent one on Tuesday if you think it would help drastically.
Thanks in advance!
I honestly am having trouble with the whole concept. What exactly is inside each tent? What do I need tickets for? Is it possible for me to do this alone or do I need a group?
My ideal Oktoberfest experience would involve a lot of different kinds of meat, plenty of tasty beer to wash it down, and friendly English-speaking strangers to enjoy it all with.
I'll be arriving in Munich around 5 pm on September 30 (Tuesday), and ideally I could go grab dinner and then drink all night, and leave in the morning. It would probably make more sense to stay for all of the next day though (Wednesday, October 1). As you can guess, though, I'm pretty flexible in terms of travel plans.
I don't have any hotel/hostel reservations yet, so this is all presuming I can get one. I was planning to rent a car once I leave Munich, but could rent one on Tuesday if you think it would help drastically.
Thanks in advance!
Each tent is more or less a brewpub that represents a single brewery, so, the Hacker-Pschorr tent only serves Hacker-Pschorr, etc.
It is damn near impossible to get into a tent, in the evening, without reservations. You will not be able to get reservations on your own this late, and you usually need to reserve a whole table, which would be at least 6 people. Your best bet for getting inside the tent would be to find someone with reservations. Daytime, though, would be much easier for inside seating. Like, just show up and you sit down right away.
If that doesn't happen, there's still tons of seating outside the tent that's general admission. You'll probably have to wait a bit before something opens up, but it'll happen eventually. Same menu as inside. You'll find that most of the tents have very similar menus (various sausages, pork knuckles, etc.), but there may be more variation there than I realized. But if you want a different kind of beer, you'll have to go to another tent, which could involve a lot of waiting.
The rest of Oktoberfest is just a big county fair. Rides, Midway, various other attractions. People from Munich we encountered at the fair seemed genuinely shocked when we told them that we had come from the US for Oktoberfest.
I booked the hotel that was 2 blocks from the grounds months in advance. Our itinerary put us near Munich again near the end of our trip, and that spontaneous hotel stay had to be much further out, but still near an S-bahn station, so don't limit yourself to the city center and you'll have much better odds on the hotel.
posted by hwyengr at 1:41 PM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
It is damn near impossible to get into a tent, in the evening, without reservations. You will not be able to get reservations on your own this late, and you usually need to reserve a whole table, which would be at least 6 people. Your best bet for getting inside the tent would be to find someone with reservations. Daytime, though, would be much easier for inside seating. Like, just show up and you sit down right away.
If that doesn't happen, there's still tons of seating outside the tent that's general admission. You'll probably have to wait a bit before something opens up, but it'll happen eventually. Same menu as inside. You'll find that most of the tents have very similar menus (various sausages, pork knuckles, etc.), but there may be more variation there than I realized. But if you want a different kind of beer, you'll have to go to another tent, which could involve a lot of waiting.
The rest of Oktoberfest is just a big county fair. Rides, Midway, various other attractions. People from Munich we encountered at the fair seemed genuinely shocked when we told them that we had come from the US for Oktoberfest.
I booked the hotel that was 2 blocks from the grounds months in advance. Our itinerary put us near Munich again near the end of our trip, and that spontaneous hotel stay had to be much further out, but still near an S-bahn station, so don't limit yourself to the city center and you'll have much better odds on the hotel.
posted by hwyengr at 1:41 PM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Seconding hwyengr. Get as far from the city centre as logistically possible and then take the train or S-bahn into the downtown area. That might be your best bet at finding a gasthaus that can take you.
The Munich transport maps might help you locate possible neighborhoods on the outskirts. Theresienwiese on the U4 or U5 lines is your closest station to the fest.
posted by JoeZydeco at 2:06 PM on September 23, 2014
The Munich transport maps might help you locate possible neighborhoods on the outskirts. Theresienwiese on the U4 or U5 lines is your closest station to the fest.
posted by JoeZydeco at 2:06 PM on September 23, 2014
I've been to Oktoberfest twice and enjoyed it! I love German culture but am wary of the kitsch and cliches that come with something like Oktoberfest; however, I was happily surprised to see that it was as awesome as one might hope. (To be honest, it was way better than I had expected.) If I remember correctly as it's been a few years, there are two main parts: the giant brewery "tents" with the beer and food and festivities plus a section with Midway rides and cotton candy and the like. (If you're looking for souvenirs, I totally recommend the gingerbread hearts!! Yes, they're as wonderful as they are cheesy and last for years and years; technically, you can eat them but they're more for decoration.)
I saw two sides of Oktoberfest: the midday family picnic/carnival-esque vibe and then the crazy party-hard-glass-shards-and-vomit-everywhere side. I say that last part as an outside observer as the former is more my cup of tea (stein of beer?!) I'd plan your visit accordingly: if you want to party hard, I'd stick with your current plan of an evening trip. However, if you prefer something more relaxed, I'd spend the night of your arrival hanging out in downtown Munich (so beautiful!) and then spend the day "auf die Wiesn."
Oktoberfest is super international and super friendly. People generally come to be social and are glad to meet fellow attendees from around the world. Just look for an empty seat and ask if the seat's free? "Ist dieser Platz frei?" isn't even really necessary since nearly everyone speaks English and is likely either a German happy to practice or international themselves!) And it'd seriously be OK to ask a group of English-speaking revelers if you can join their party. :-)
Everything feels a bit oversized in the tents but not in a bad way: it's expected that you can sit there for hours and hours, relaxing and chatting and drinking and snacking. (Mmm, to giant pretzels!) A "Radler" is a half-beer, half-citrus soda mixture and a good option if you want to pace yourself. Then again, maybe you don't and that's totally cool, too!) Things get pretty expensive so I'd bring a lot of money no matter what and keep your eyes out: cash is best but credit probably will work there. As you probably have considered yourself, Germany is super safe but an event like Oktoberfest is prime picking for pickpockets, unfortunately.
Just a heads up: it never hurts to tip generously, like sandmanwv said, but the general rule of thumb for "Trinkgeld" in Germany is about 10% or just rounding up (say, you pay 20€ when your bill is 18€) and some people don't tip at all. (The gratuity may even be included so do check your bill. Often German waiters/waitresses just calculate your tab in their head but it's probably different at Oktoberfest with so many people and so much commotion: I can't remember for sure, sorry!)
Wearing "Tracht" (the traditional clothing like a Dirndl or Lederhose) adds to the fun but the prices will be sky high. A cheaper option would be to accessorize with something like an Edelweiß neckerchief or anything with the Bavarian flag.
I hope you have a blast and do tell us about it!!
posted by smorgasbord at 4:49 PM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
I saw two sides of Oktoberfest: the midday family picnic/carnival-esque vibe and then the crazy party-hard-glass-shards-and-vomit-everywhere side. I say that last part as an outside observer as the former is more my cup of tea (stein of beer?!) I'd plan your visit accordingly: if you want to party hard, I'd stick with your current plan of an evening trip. However, if you prefer something more relaxed, I'd spend the night of your arrival hanging out in downtown Munich (so beautiful!) and then spend the day "auf die Wiesn."
Oktoberfest is super international and super friendly. People generally come to be social and are glad to meet fellow attendees from around the world. Just look for an empty seat and ask if the seat's free? "Ist dieser Platz frei?" isn't even really necessary since nearly everyone speaks English and is likely either a German happy to practice or international themselves!) And it'd seriously be OK to ask a group of English-speaking revelers if you can join their party. :-)
Everything feels a bit oversized in the tents but not in a bad way: it's expected that you can sit there for hours and hours, relaxing and chatting and drinking and snacking. (Mmm, to giant pretzels!) A "Radler" is a half-beer, half-citrus soda mixture and a good option if you want to pace yourself. Then again, maybe you don't and that's totally cool, too!) Things get pretty expensive so I'd bring a lot of money no matter what and keep your eyes out: cash is best but credit probably will work there. As you probably have considered yourself, Germany is super safe but an event like Oktoberfest is prime picking for pickpockets, unfortunately.
Just a heads up: it never hurts to tip generously, like sandmanwv said, but the general rule of thumb for "Trinkgeld" in Germany is about 10% or just rounding up (say, you pay 20€ when your bill is 18€) and some people don't tip at all. (The gratuity may even be included so do check your bill. Often German waiters/waitresses just calculate your tab in their head but it's probably different at Oktoberfest with so many people and so much commotion: I can't remember for sure, sorry!)
Wearing "Tracht" (the traditional clothing like a Dirndl or Lederhose) adds to the fun but the prices will be sky high. A cheaper option would be to accessorize with something like an Edelweiß neckerchief or anything with the Bavarian flag.
I hope you have a blast and do tell us about it!!
posted by smorgasbord at 4:49 PM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
You may want to learn the song "Sweet Caroline" and buy a gingerbread heart. I also recommend the pretzels!
On a serious note, going alone is fine if you wish to just walk around and talk, the tents get extremely crowded so be wary of that in the evening. Going solo you'll not need to pay for a ticket. However, if you have a group, reservation is the only way to go with regard to tents, as it can become extremely crowded. The first day of Octoberfest is a big NO NO. Very crowded and one can barely move.
Basically, enjoy yourself and don't be afraid to talk to people. Germans are amazing party animals and love meeting new people (outside the workplace that is ;)
posted by Fayrose at 5:12 PM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
On a serious note, going alone is fine if you wish to just walk around and talk, the tents get extremely crowded so be wary of that in the evening. Going solo you'll not need to pay for a ticket. However, if you have a group, reservation is the only way to go with regard to tents, as it can become extremely crowded. The first day of Octoberfest is a big NO NO. Very crowded and one can barely move.
Basically, enjoy yourself and don't be afraid to talk to people. Germans are amazing party animals and love meeting new people (outside the workplace that is ;)
posted by Fayrose at 5:12 PM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
I was just there for opening weekend, the first day with a group of 2-4 and second day with a group of 10. We were prepared to stand in all kinds of lines but honestly as a single person, if you utilize the side entrances you should be able to work your way into many of the tents. Especially on a Tuesday. They mostly (all?) have beer gardens outside which are easy if the weather isn't great.
Hofbräu is the only tent with a designated "standing area" (most tents you must be seated to be served). It's also the most Anglo-centric (Americans, Australians, etc) so you won't have any problem meeting folks who speak your language and want to have fun.
We also got super lucky on the ToyTown Munich Oktoberfest forum and got spare tickets from the "wanted" thread--an unbelievable stroke of luck. Tickets are sold in groups of 8, 10, 20 so people sometimes have spots to fill last second.
What else? I was self conscious to wear a dirndl day one but after seeing HOW MANY people got into the game- even tourists like me- and how it added to the experience when everybody's dressed up- I went out and bought my own at inflated prices with no regrets.
Have fun!!! It really is an incredible experience.
posted by ista at 9:57 PM on September 23, 2014
Hofbräu is the only tent with a designated "standing area" (most tents you must be seated to be served). It's also the most Anglo-centric (Americans, Australians, etc) so you won't have any problem meeting folks who speak your language and want to have fun.
We also got super lucky on the ToyTown Munich Oktoberfest forum and got spare tickets from the "wanted" thread--an unbelievable stroke of luck. Tickets are sold in groups of 8, 10, 20 so people sometimes have spots to fill last second.
What else? I was self conscious to wear a dirndl day one but after seeing HOW MANY people got into the game- even tourists like me- and how it added to the experience when everybody's dressed up- I went out and bought my own at inflated prices with no regrets.
Have fun!!! It really is an incredible experience.
posted by ista at 9:57 PM on September 23, 2014
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If you're going solo, it should be easy-- walk into any tent (haufbrau is good). You don't need tickets, but you'll have to wait. Make friends with everyone and anybody. Tip the waitress big and she'll help you out.
posted by sandmanwv at 1:39 PM on September 23, 2014