Book early
Don’t treat Oktoberfest like a trip to the pub with your mates. Getting organised early will go a long way to helping you get the most out of your time in Munich. Accommodation gets booked up months in advance so book your accomodation for Oktoberfest early. Cheap flights also go quick.
Have a look around
Of course, you’ll be there for the beer, but don’t miss the opportunity to check out the rest of Oktoberfest. The festival grounds are basically one big sideshow alley with all manner of rides to keep young and old happy.
Don’t be a pork chop
Remember that this event is really popular with the locals, not just the millions of foreigners who come to drink their bodyweight in beer. Outside of the tents, you will see thousands of kids who are there with their parents hoping to have as much fun as you, minus the beer of course, so keep in mind it is also a family affair.
Set your alarm
If you’re heading to the festival on a weekend don’t have a lie-in. These are the busiest days at Oktoberfest and if you don’t have a seat in one of the tents by 11am you might struggle for a seat all day. Weekdays aren’t so bad, but you’ll still need to have a seat by mid-afternoon.
Time your run
With all that beer on offer and most of it coming in at a solid 5% alcohol content, it’s important you don’t run your race too early at Oktoberfest. While there’s a good chance you’ll have a beer in your hand by lunchtime you don’t want to be one of the poor fools who’s spewing out the back before the sun has even set. The tents really start jumping in the evening so you want to make sure you can be there to enjoy it.
Line your stomach
It’s not just the beer which comes big at Oktoberfest, the food is awesome – unless you’re a vegetarian. Choose from a whole chicken, half-a-chicken, sausages or a pork knuckle.
Love thy neighbour
Oktoberfest attracts almost six million people to the grounds in the course of two weeks. Most of them are plied with beer so as a result it’s a great place to meet people from all over the world. While it’s fun to have a group of friends make the effort to talk to the people at the table next to you. There’s a good chance you’ll be dancing on their table by the end of the night so you might as well learn their names.
Look after your wench
We’re not talking about your girlfriend here. Beer wenches are at the top of the food chain in the Oktoberfest tents so it is in your interests to be nice to them and tip generously. Generally you’ll pay around €7 per beer but for your first few rounds it’s worth giving the beer wench €10. It might seem a bit steep to start with, but you can be sure that if you look after your beer wench she’ll look after you.
You will be hungover
Don’t believe all the hype about Bavarian beer not giving you a hangover because it doesn’t contain preservatives. Nonsense. Drink five steins in a sitting and you’ll be a bit rough the next day. But don’t wallow. Head back to the tents and do it all again — it’s worth it.
Know where you’re staying
It’s a good idea to write down the address of the hotel/hostel where you’re staying. Things can get a bit hazy after a few steins of beer and you may not remember every turn you took to get the grounds. If you’ve got an address and hotel written down you can just jump in a cab and be home in no time.
Plan a holiday
You only need a few days at Oktoberfest, but however long you have,
give yourself the same amount of time afterwards to recover. It’s a big
few days and you’ll need a good lie-down when it’s done.
