Introduction: Top 10 Oktoberfest Tips for First-Time Visitors

J: Welcome back to another episode of Current Thoughts.

J: I’m your host Jay and alongside my wife Dee. And today we’re going to take you back a little bit and give you a little bit of advice from this past trip that we took just this past year.

J: We’re going to give you a top ten list of our tips and advice for going to Oktoberfest for the first time.

D: That’s Oktoberfest in Germany.

J: Oktoberfest in Germany. It was our first time going and we figured we would give you guys the benefit of the lessons that we learned so that you won’t make the same mistakes, or maybe you’ll make sure to experience some of the same things that we did so you can have the full experience.

#10: Avoid Crowds and Understand What Oktoberfest Really Is

J: My number ten is to avoid the crowds if possible. If you’re going to go to Oktoberfest, try to go on a weekday if possible. Weekdays are a lot less crowded than the weekends. We went on a Monday and it was still kind of busy during the day. One of the beer tents was already full and that was around three o’clock.

D: That was the beer tent, but the park itself wasn’t super crowded.

J: Right.

D: We weren’t waiting in line for rides or for food or anything like that.

J: We also went around noon. If you want to beat the crowds and walk the festival grounds, see all the rides, and experience all the food without all the crowds, try to go as early as possible in the day. Later in the evening is when it gets crowded.

D: My number ten is to know what Oktoberfest actually is. Because it’s not just beer. It’s traditional food, music, history, parades, and social rules. Treat it like a cultural event, not just a pub crawl.

J: This was something I tried to explain before we went. Beer is the headline everyone thinks of when they think of Oktoberfest, but it’s a huge festival. In Germany, that means rides, food, games, and a lot more.

D: It reminded me of the World’s Fair.

#9: Skip Table Reservations and Visit Oide Wiesn

J: My number nine is that table reservations are not required. If you’re going with a small group of two, three, or maybe even four people, I would suggest not making a reservation.

One of the big things that makes the festival enjoyable is meeting new people and talking with locals. If you reserve a table, you’re usually seated only with your group. Reservations are more for larger groups that want to stay together.

D: My number nine is visit Oide Wiesn.

It is the vintage part of the festival. It was four euros a person to get in, and it was really cool to see the old-time attractions.

The horses hanging from ropes, the old cars, and the old bowling game with wooden pins on strings and a wooden bowling ball—it was a lot of fun.

J: A lot of people don’t realize that this festival came from a wedding celebration. Going to Oide Wiesn lets you experience what Oktoberfest originally looked like before it became what it is today.

D: It helps you appreciate what it began as.

J: Besides the old rides, there were old games, and a lot of older generations hanging out in the beer gardens there.

D: It’s a little more low-key.

J: You’re paying four euros to get in, but the food was cheaper as well. I can only imagine the drinks were too.

D: And maybe the rides as well.

J: I think the rides were cheaper too.

#8: Must-Try Oktoberfest Foods and Attractions

J: My number eight is to have a bratwurst sandwich. If you’ve never been to Germany and never experienced a bratwurst, this is a great place to get one. Walking the festival grounds while eating a bratwurst sandwich is just a great experience.

D: My number eight is to ride the large Ferris wheel. It is massive. It reminded me of the Ferris wheel at California Adventure.

If you’re not afraid of heights, you’ll get amazing views of the whole festival.

J: You really get a good perspective of just how big the festival is when you’re up there.

D: Absolutely. It’s a beautiful view.

J: And it was ten euros a person when we went.

#7: Meet Locals and Eat a Giant Pretzel

J: My number seven is to find a seat in one of the beer tents with some locals if possible.

People come from all over the world for this festival, so if you get lucky enough to sit with locals and have a conversation with them, that’s a treasure.

You may need to be persistent when looking for a seat. It took my nephew and me quite a while to find one, but if you keep trying, you’ll eventually find a place.

D: Most people will accept you.

My number seven is to try a pretzel. It was so good.

It was fresh and soft on the inside, salted perfectly, and had a nice crunch on the outside. It was huge and very inexpensive.

J: You see them all around the festival. It’s one of those Bavarian traditions. That’s one thing I missed out on because I was too busy in the beer tents.

#6: Know Where the Restrooms Are and Try Chocolate-Covered Fruit

J: My number six is to familiarize yourself with where the restrooms are located relative to your beer tent.

The restrooms are outside the tents. If you’ve been drinking, it’s easy to get disoriented and have trouble finding your way back.

Our nephew had this issue.

D: And it’s hard to differentiate one tent from the next after you’ve been drinking.

J: Very true.

D: My number six is eating chocolate-covered fruit.

The strawberries were on skewers and dipped in chocolate. They weren’t overly sweet, and having them on a stick made them so easy to eat.

I also got a chocolate-covered apple. Usually I get caramel apples, but they didn’t have caramel, so I tried the chocolate version and it was really good.

The guys got chocolate-covered bananas.

J: I loved mine. I got a white chocolate banana. Putting everything on skewers just made it easier to eat while walking around.

#5: Drink Augustiner Beer and Enjoy the Social Atmosphere

J: My number five is to try an Augustiner beer.

Augustiner is one of Munich’s oldest breweries. At Oktoberfest, all of the major beer tents are local Munich breweries, but Augustiner is special.

They’re one of the only breweries still serving beer from traditional wooden casks. They’re also involved in the ceremonial opening of the festival.

If you’re there, definitely try an Augustiner beer.

D: That’s the brewery where we saw horses carrying the barrels through the city.

J: Bonus tip: If you want to try traditional meals like pork knuckle, go to the brewery restaurant in Munich rather than ordering it at the festival. It can be significantly cheaper.

D: My number five is to sit with a group of people, even if you don’t drink.

I’m not a drinker, but after we sat outside with everyone, people started talking, asking where we were from, and sharing stories. It became a really enjoyable experience.

J: If the weather is nice, sitting outside can actually be more enjoyable than sitting inside the beer tents.

#4: Say “Prost” and Ride the Festival Attractions

J: My number four is to raise your beer—or any beverage—and give a “Prost” to somebody.

“Prost” is the German word for cheers.

You’ll see it happening constantly at Oktoberfest. Make sure you do it at least once.

D: It was happening all the time. Even after a little disagreement between people, it seemed like saying “Prost” was a way to move on and keep things positive.

J: That can happen when alcohol is involved.

D: My number four is ride the roller coaster and as many rides as you can.

The roller coaster was a lot of fun, especially from the front row. We waited a few extra minutes for the front seat and it was worth it.

There weren’t many people in line, and it really brought out the kid in you.

J: They had surprisingly large rides, including what looked like a water ride. It’s amazing when you realize they build all of these rides for the festival and then take them down afterward.

D: One thing I wish we had done was ride more attractions.

J: Just remember the rides can get expensive.

#3: Try a Radler and Prepare for Changing Weather

J: My number three is to try a Radler.

A Radler is half beer and half lemonade or lemon soda.

It’s a great way to pace yourself because Oktoberfest beer is stronger than most American beer. It also tastes amazing.

At one stand, they gave us a full liter of beer and a separate soda, so we had to drink half the beer first before mixing it ourselves.

D: My number three is to plan for the weather.

Bring a jacket or an umbrella because conditions can change quickly. If you’re not prepared, it can make for a miserable day.

J: Depending on when you visit, the weather can be warm and beautiful or cold and rainy.

D: We had beautiful weather during the day, but it got chilly in the evening and rained the next day.

#2: Experience the Devil’s Wheel and Wear Bavarian Attire

J: My number two is to ride—or at least watch—the Teufelsrad, also known as the Devil’s Wheel.

It’s a giant spinning disc where participants try to stay on as long as possible while staff members try to knock them off using ropes and padded objects.

Unfortunately, we never got to experience it because it opened later in the evening.

D: It was only five euros to participate. I was really hoping we’d get the chance.

J: It’s definitely something worth seeing.

D: My number two is to wear authentic Bavarian attire.

We went back and forth about whether we were going to dress up, but eventually we both bought outfits.

It was a little extra work because we were traveling before Oktoberfest and had to keep everything wrinkle-free, but it was worth it.

For women, I’d recommend buying a quality outfit if you think you’ll wear it again. For men, renting may be the better option.

Don’t buy a cheap costume version because it looks exactly like a costume.

J: Traditional lederhosen can cost hundreds of euros. Renting is often much more affordable.

D: And rental shops are easy to find.

#1: Sing Along in the Beer Tents and Bring Plenty of Cash

J: My number one is to stand on the benches in one of the beer tents, raise your beer, and sing along to songs you don’t know with the people at your table.

This was something I always thought was out of reach for me.

Most beer tents have live bands that start playing in the evenings. The songs become familiar as the night goes on, and eventually everyone is singing together.

Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with people from around the world is an amazing experience.

It’s one of the biggest highlights of my entire trip.

D: It’s the one thing you always talk about when you talk about Oktoberfest.

J: It really was a bucket-list experience.

D: My little butt was in bed by then.

J: Back at the room.

D: My number one tip is to bring cash.

Not every place takes cards, and you’ll need cash for many purchases throughout the festival.

If you think you’ll need one hundred euros, bring two hundred. If you think you’ll need two hundred, bring four hundred.

J: Oktoberfest is expensive, and you don’t want to miss out on experiences because you didn’t bring enough money.

D: Exactly.

J: Even some food vendors had minimum purchase requirements for credit cards. Inside the beer tents, the servers only accepted cash.

Also, be sure to tip your waitresses. Many of them work specifically for the festival and rely heavily on tips.

D: People come from all over to work there every year because it’s worth it for them.

Final Thoughts on Visiting Oktoberfest

J: What do you guys think of our top ten tips and advice for visiting Oktoberfest? Have you been before? Are these good tips?

If you haven’t been, hopefully these help you out.

I wanted to make this episode quick and fun. Hopefully you got some good advice from us, and if you ever head to Oktoberfest, maybe you’ll use some of these tips.

Well, that’s it for this episode. We hope you enjoyed this discussion and found some value in it. We’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s topic, so drop us a comment and let us know.

And if you enjoy our conversations, consider subscribing to the podcast on whatever platform you listen on.

D: From both of us here at Current Thoughts, thanks for listening. We’ll be back soon with another honest conversation. Until then, stay curious, stay open, and stay real.