How to Plan a Trip to Oktoberfest

I was fortunate enough to just have the most epic weekend at Oktoberfest. Every year, Munich Germany puts on a three-week celebration called Oktoberfest, which attracts up to 6 million people from around the world. I will say, attending Oktoberfest has been one of my favorite days abroad thus far, however planning a trip to this event can be a real headache. Here are a few of my recommendations to have the most successful Oktoberfest weekend.

Within the first week of arriving in Barcelona, all my new friends were already talking about their Oktoberfest plans. I didn’t realize how big of a festival this was. To be honest, it really wasn’t high on my bucket list. I really didn’t know what all the hype was about. The more I heard others talking about it, the more I realized this wasn’t a weekend to miss out on.

I ended up booking a package with a program called Stoke Travel where they organized the entire weekend from transportation to accommodations, to recommendations on where to find a dirndl (traditional Oktoberfest outfit) all for a fixed price. With such little time to plan, this was honestly the best option for me. Hostels were mostly sold out for the weekend and I didn’t have the slightest idea how to plan for this kind of event. At the end of the day, you are paying more for their expertise then what it would actually cost you to plan it on your own.

When planning where to stay, you have a few different options. I stayed in a hostel, which I believe is the best option for students. I stayed in Jaegers Hostel. This was only a 10 minute walk from the fair grounds and was filled with people my age from all around the world. Another possibility for students is camping. This would be your cheapest option however it’s about a 30-minute commute to get to Oktoberfest. Also, it is important to consider what weekend your going because if you plan to go the last weekend like I did, the weather is a lot colder than the prior weeks. Everyone that I talked to who camped, said it was a lot of fun during the day but miserably cold at night. Your last option would be a hotel.  This would be the most expensive and for students who are on a budget, might be not be very affordable.

My next recommendation is for how to find a dirndl or lederhosen. A dirndl is the traditional outfit for women and the lederhosen are for the men. Many people try to buy their dirndl online before arriving, however most of these outfits look a lot more like costumes and really stand out from all the others. Also, do not try to buy the short skimpy dirndls that you might find at a Halloween store. Everyone wears the knee length frumpy dresses so just embrace it! You really don’t want to attract negative attention in that way at Oktoberfest.  The men here are already forward enough. Most dirndls cost roughly €70, which seems pretty steep but it is definitely worth the investment. Since I went the last weekend, I was able to pick one up for just €40. I would suggest looking outside the fair grounds. Every shop within a half mile radius will be selling dirndls so take your time to find the cheapest one. If you really want to be cheap, talk to someone that went to Oktoberfest the weekends prior and offer to rent theirs for a few euros. Last tip on this topic is for how to tie your apron.   The way a woman ties her apron says a lot about her relationship status and German men will take this very seriously. If it is tied on your right side it means you’re single, the left side means you’re married or taken, on your back means you’re widowed, and in front means you’re a virgin.

On the day of the festival it is crucial to get to the tents hours before they open. We left our hostel at 6:30 in the morning and the tents didn’t even open til 9am. There are several tents to choose from but all of them are equally crowded. Even arriving 2 hours early, we still had a hard time getting a table in the Hofbrauhaus tent. The waitresses  only come up to you and bring you a beer if you are at a table. Now let’s be honest, everyone knows of Oktoberfest because of the beer and in my opinion that’s what makes the festival so unique. Each stein (beer mug) is equivalent to 4 strong beers and cost 10€ each. However keep in mind, the waitresses are expecting a small tip. Throughout the tents there are many workers selling food items such as giant pretzels, ham croissants, and pickles (which are all delicious) just in case you get hungry.

When you want to leave the tents and check out the rest of the carnival, make sure you are done drinking for the day. Once you leave a tent, it is nearly impossible to get back in unless you want to wait in a line for hours. We figured that in the afternoon it would be easy to go checkout the other tents but most of them were completely full and closed off.

If you end up leaving the tents early, take advantage of all of the carnival rides! If you want to get the best views of the entire festival and you aren’t scared of heights, I suggest going on the swings. The view from the top is priceless, especially at night when everything is lighten up. The majority of the rides will cost you €6-10, however it’s justifiable since there is no entrance fee into Oktoberfest.

Make sure to sample the food. There are so many delicious German treats so come hungry! For lunch I recommend going to one of the many bratwurst stands. For dinner, a friend and I split a rotisserie chicken and it was my most favorite meal I had the entire weekend. They slow roast their chickens for hours and it is the most tender piece of meat I’ve ever had in my life. I still can’t get over how amazing it was. Lastly you cannot leave Oktoberfest without testing their endless desserts. They have everything from soft serve ice cream, to sugar glazed nuts, to huge pieces of fried dough covered in cinnamon sugar. With the aroma of chocolate and sugar perfuming the stands, it is nearly impossible to walk past without buying a little something.

Even with an incredibly short weekend in Munich, I had the best time of my life. Oktoberfest is something I would recommend to anyone just to experience at least once in there lifetime. It truly is unlike anything I have ever seen or been apart of. Everyone there just seemed to be having the time of their lives, which made the atmosphere electric. I really don’t know if there was something in the beer but I have never been to such a big event where there was such positive energy and genuinely happy people. If you are ever in Europe during the time of Oktoberfest, it really should be ranked high on your bucket list. With a little planning and some prior knowledge, Oktoberfest can easily be your most favorite weekend you have while studying abroad.