Oktoberfest Survival Guide

If you are a beer lover then chances are you have heard of Oktoberfest. You know, that festival in Munich Germany that comes around once a year to celebrate all things beer! The festival is a mix of beer tents and a giant carnival. Inside the tents, you will find the traditional Oktoberfest atmosphere that you see in all the movies. You'll find giant masses of beer, loud music, and people singing their hearts out. Outside of the tents, you will find what can only be described as the world's best fair. With crazy rides, food stands, and all kinds of games, it is a whole experience on its own. Well before you jump on that laptop of yours and start planning your trip to next year's epic beer fest, I wrote down a couple of tips and tricks. With the help of my awesome campsite Stoke Travel, we created a list to help you make the most out of your Oktoberfest experience.

Okay so picture this, you are in the tent, surrounded by hundreds of people all dressed up, listening to the sound of German festival music. It can get super easy to get carried away and start chugging down that delicious festival brewed beer. But trust me, you are going to want to pace yourself to make the most out of your day at Oktoberfest! However, that doesn't mean you cant part-take in the traditional breakfast beer as we did at Stoketoberfest.

If you aren't wearing a traditional lederhosen or dirndl outfit then did you even go to Oktoberfest? I promise you, the festival is filled with people all wearing their outfits and fully embracing the German spirit. I honestly think it's the best part of being at Oktoberfest. So don't miss out, dress up!

PS don't buy the Halloween costume versions of the outfits! There are cheap options all around the festival in Munich for you to choose from. Even our campsite at Stoke Travel had outfits to choose from.

Obviously, Oktoberfest is about beer, but it's also about friends and family. It's about being able to come together with the people around you and bond over music, games, and beer. One of the most amazing things that I saw at the festival was a grandfather sharing a beer with his young grandson. They were both fully dressed in their Oktoberfest attired and the grandfather said that he had taken his son to have his first beer at Oktoberfest years back so now he wanted to do the same with his grandson. It was amazing! So don't be afraid to bond over beer and joy with your table neighbors!

No matter what beer tent you are in, I guarantee you will hear the official ‘cheers' song of Oktoberfest. You will hear words such as “Ein Prosit, Ein Prosit Der Gemütlichkeit” and watch the tent come alive. At that point, it is your duty to get up and cheers with the people all around you and join in as you sing cheers. It is a blast.

Oktoberfest is almost fully cash-only and trust me, money goes fast! The famous beer liters inside of the tents are going to cost you around 11 euro and the food is also pretty up there. If you want to save a little money, try going outside of the beer tents when you get hungry. There are tons and tons of food stands that have everything from sausages to baked goods!

Oktoberfest can get cold. The temperatures in Munich during the month of September can be all over the place. Once I actually had to buy myself a winter coat the night before Oktoberfest because the temperatures randomly dropped and I wasn't prepared. So if you are going to Oktoberfest and planning to celebrate by staying at the campsites like the one from Stoke Travel, bring some layers.

Okay not literally because things can get pricey, especially inside of the festival. But while you are trying to fully experience everything that Oktoberfest has to offer, try to make food a part of that. You need to try some of the sausages that are served with a warm soft pretzel. They will change your life! Not to mention the famous gingerbread cookie hearts that you will see hanging left and right throughout the festival!

Oktoberfest is growing every year. For some, like myself, Oktoberfest becomes a tradition and they return over and over again. For others, it is a bucket list item and the number of new festival-goers grows every year. But no matter how many times you have been, the number one thing to remember is to plan early. Everything from plane tickets to hotel rooms get booked up as far as a year in advance so it is important to find a good place to stay.

I have stayed in hotel rooms and campsites and I can honestly say that a site like Stoke Travel is life-changing. From start to finish they deliver the full Oktoberfest experience. Wake up to German sausages and beer for breakfast and part in your lederhosen until the break of dawn. Stoke goes all out!