Munich during Oktoberfest is the happiest time of year! Contrary to popular belief, Oktoberfest actually begins the last weekend of September and goes into October. As this was my first time going to Oktoberfest, decided to go for the opening ceremonies to get the full Bavarian experience.

If you are considering going to Oktoberfest, it is best to book your hotel at the beginning of the year or you will not be sleeping in Munich. I booked my hotel around March and I only had one option left! It was a bit outside of the city but with the U-bahn, it was very convenient to navigate around the city. Hotel prices will be very expensive so just plan on spending more for a 2 or 3 star hotel then you usually would. I like to use Booking.com  for the majority of my hotel bookings as it is easy to narrow down the choices to what fits your hotel desires.

 So here is a map of how the beer tents are situated at Oktoberfest. If you don’t have a ticket to one of these beer tents, you will NOT be getting in just by waiting outside. On the first day, we stood outside of the Schottenhamel starting at 9AM to try to make it inside for the official tapping of the keg at noon! No tent or venue will serve beer until this tapping occurs.

 While you’re waiting, each beer tent has a horse drawn carriage with the house beer that parades through the festival. We were pretty fortunate with OK weather at that point, but you can not hide from rain at this place. Wear clothing that is resistant to water or else your feet will be wet and cold for the whole day.

After giving up on the beer tents, we found our way into one of the cozy beer gardens before the masses of people came in.

 Ladies and Gentlemen are all dressed in the traditional bavarian dress of lederhosen and the dirndl’s that you look quite ridiculous if you are not in the fashion! Beer garden maid’s walk around with up to 10 pints of beer to serve to patrons; it always best to tip these ladies if you ever want to see a beer once it starts getting busy!

 Once you have found your spot, it’s best not to move from it. As an American, we like to move from place to place in order to see as much as we can. But in this case, the line to get into a beer garden can take up to one hour! So best to find a spot, take a seat, and enjoy the surroundings! You can still order a proper meal from the beer gardens; and don’t forget to eat as those beers sneak up on you…

The festival grounds are not near the city center where you can find the Hofbrahaus. Any German native will tell you that first timers should go to the Hofbrauhaus for lunch to get a feel for the ambiance; however, you shouldnt spend too much time there. The main events occur at the festival grounds.   So we went for lunch: sausages and sauerkraut washed down with Weiss beer….yum!!!

Among the obvious beer drinking that occurs at Oktoberfest, it is mainly a big carnival! Rides, games and shops to cater to all ages can be found at this delightful festival. We took one day to enjoy the carnival side of it and went on the Ferris Wheel ride to see out over the festival and the beautiful city of Munich.