{"id":61521,"date":"2017-06-26T12:00:57","date_gmt":"2017-06-26T17:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=61521"},"modified":"2017-09-25T17:16:03","modified_gmt":"2017-09-25T22:16:03","slug":"bucket-list-adventures-plan-trip-oktoberfest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2017\/06\/bucket-list-adventures-plan-trip-oktoberfest\/","title":{"rendered":"Bucket list how to: Plan a trip to Oktoberfest"},"content":{"rendered":"
So you wanna grab a gigantic mug at the world\u2019s premier beer drinking event? Well, you and about 7 million other people do, too. <\/span>Earth’s largest beer festival is Germany’s famous Oktoberfest, held annually in Munich<\/a> since 1810<\/span><\/span>. <\/span>The festival actually begins at the end of September and runs for three weeks, finishing on the first Sunday in October<\/span><\/span>. <\/span>In 2017, the festivities happen Saturday, September 16 through Sunday, October 3<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/div>\n
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RELATED<\/strong>: 5 of the largest Oktoberfests in America<\/a><\/div>\n
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\"Oktoberfest-GettingStamped\"

Never a shortage of beer at Oktoberfest | Photo by GettingStamped.com<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Where to stay during Oktoberfest<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The Munich Oktoberfest is an <\/span><\/span>internationally<\/span><\/span> known festival that draws people from every corner of the planet<\/span><\/span>. Rooms near the festival<\/a> book out years in advance or <\/span>are rented<\/span><\/span> at a hefty premium. <\/span>The the further you stay from the festival grounds, the progressively lower the room rates will be<\/span><\/span>. <\/span>The upside is that Munich has a very efficient public rail and bus system<\/span><\/span>. Thus, your best bet is to find a room further away from the grounds, yet near a metro line. <\/span>Just<\/span><\/span> be sure to practice taking the metro before consuming too many liters of beer at the festival. If you aren\u2019t confident in your metro riding skills, keep in mind Uber <\/span>is outlawed<\/span><\/span> in Germany. So, you\u2019ll be subject to using pricey and hard to get taxis if you stay outside of walking distance. Don\u2019t forget to factor in transport costs when booking a hotel in Munich Oktoberfest. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"Oktoberfest-GettingStamped\"

Make sure you’re dressed for the occasion | Photo by GettingStamped.com<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

What to wear to Oktoberfest<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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One of the biggest misconceptions is that visitors think they need to dress in traditional Bavarian clothing to attend the festival, but you don\u2019t<\/span><\/span>. <\/span>Many local Bavarians and tourists will be wearing lederhosen for men (that’s leather shorts with suspenders) or a dirndl for women (a fitted dress that’s often worn with an apron), but they are <\/span><\/span>certainly<\/span><\/span> not required<\/span><\/span>. If you choose to suit up in traditional swag, make sure to get the real thing. You will not win any points with the locals if you show up in a Halloween costume version. <\/span>Keep in mind these are traditional outfits still worn in this part of the country for special occasions, not as a joke<\/span><\/span>. <\/span>If you still want to rock lederhosen it\u2019s best to buy them while in Munich, but <\/span><\/span>be warned<\/span><\/span> they won\u2019t be the cheapest pair of pants you\u2019ll ever buy<\/span><\/span>. Most outfits will set you back around $300. If you don\u2019t buy the authentic gear, you\u2019re better off in normal clothes and saving your cash for a few more liters of beer. <\/span><\/div>\n
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ALSO:<\/strong> Say prost to Orbitz Rewards\u2014you’ll find it \u00fcber rewarding!<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"Oktoberfest-GettingStamped\"

No matter which beer tent you choose it’ll be epic | Photo by GettingStamped.com<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Which beer tent to visit
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The simplest answer is whichever beer you like the best. There are 14 large tents and around 20 smaller tents set up every year at Oktoberfest. Each tent houses only one brand of Munich\u2019s famous beer. <\/span>These tents will only sell beer from their brewery and usually only Oktoberfest-style beer (some offer <\/span><\/span>additional<\/span><\/span> styles)<\/span><\/span>. The big tents are for brands like Hofbrau, Paulaner and Hacker Pschorr. The tents are actually giant, festively decorated exhibition halls full of long tables. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Aside from choosing a beer hall based on its beer, there are a few other things to consider. <\/span>The Hofbrau tent, for whatever reason, seems to draw some of the rowdiest crowds and tends to <\/span><\/span>be filled<\/span><\/span> with more visitors than locals<\/span><\/span>. Meanwhile,<\/span> some of the other tents, like Paulaner and\u00a0Augustiner,\u00a0are more relaxed and can feel like more of a local experience. <\/span><\/span><\/span>Another festival favorite is the Hacker Pschorr tent. <\/span>However<\/span><\/span>, no matter which tent you find yourself in, they are all lively and fun (especially toward the end of the night ) and full of traditional \u201cUmpapa\u201d band music<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Watch out, beer coming through! | Photo by GettingStamped.com<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Other things you need to know about Oktoberfest<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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