Is Oktoberfest in Munich Worth It? An Honest Review

Like so many things that have become a major bucket-list experience, there’s a lot of hype around Oktoberfest in Munich. There’s also a lot of information out there preparing you for the chaos.

You’re told about the crowds, the drinking, the cost, the difficulty of getting into the tents, and pretty much everything else that can make the experience feel overwhelming before you arrive.

I’d been to smaller Oktoberfest celebrations in the United States and elsewhere in Europe before, so I had a general idea of what it may be like. But Oktoberfest in Munich is a completely different animal.

While some of the warnings about what you’re getting yourself into might sound exaggerated, I can confirm that, in this case, they’re really not. So, is Oktoberfest in Munich worth it? Here’s what it was actually like when we went.

Oktoberfest in Munich at a Glance

• Where: Theresienwiese, Munich
• When: September/October
• Cost to enter: Free
• How long we went: One day
• Would we go again? Maybe!
• Our verdict: Worth experiencing at least once

What is Oktoberfest in Munich actually like?

Honestly, it’s pretty much exactly what you might expect. It’s a lot of drinking, a lot of revelry, and a lot of people having a very good time. The sheer scale of it is what surprised us, though.

Let’s start with the beer tents. They were SO much larger than I expected. They’re not just tents in the traditional sense, but enormous temporary beer halls packed with people eating, drinking, singing, and dancing.

Yep, it’s crowded. It’s VERY crowded.

There can be long waits just to get into the festival itself, and once you’re inside, getting into the tents can be another challenge, particularly later in the day.

If you have your heart set on spending the afternoon in a particular tent, you shouldn’t assume you’ll be able to walk right in.

The crowds also get progressively more…interesting as the day goes on.

Things start out in an innocent way. People are drinking, eating, singing along to the music, and generally having a great time. But the later it gets, the wilder things become. As the beer keeps flowing, some people inevitably stop pacing themselves.

Maybe they were never pacing themselves to begin with. We’ve all been there.

Eventually, you’ll see people asleep in the dirt, slumped against tent poles. It’s easy to let the day get away from you, especially if it’s your first time at Oktoberfest. It’s chaotic, but it’s also part of what makes Oktoberfest such a popular spectacle. 

So…is Oktoberfest in Munich worth it?

It is. Even if you only go once.

Oktoberfest is expensive, chaotic, crowded, and, at times, a lot. Once you’re of a certain age, as we are, spending an entire day drinking giant beers in a packed tent may not sound that appealing. I’m still glad we went.

There’s something about experiencing Oktoberfest in Munich firsthand that you just can’t get from one of the smaller celebrations held elsewhere. It’s a little ridiculous, completely over the top, and unlike anything I’ve experienced at another festival. 

If you’re curious about it, I’d say it’s worth dealing with the crowds, cost, and logistics at least once, even if you decide one visit is enough.

What I Loved About Oktoberfest

For all of the chaos, there are some genuinely fun things about Oktoberfest. And a lot of what makes it memorable is how completely people get into the experience.

People get into the spirit.

The vast majority of people we saw were dressed up, and I’m talking proper traditional garb, not a costume thrown together last-minute. We dropped serious coin on legit dirndls and lederhosen, and while they definitely weren’t cheap, I’m glad we did.

People take that part of Oktoberfest seriously, and dressing up makes you feel much more like you’re participating in the whole experience. 

It’s hilarious.

There’s really no other way to describe it.

The giant beers, the singing, the tourists trying to get into the traditional music…it’s funny. The sheer amount of enthusiasm for drinking beer in a giant tent results in an infectious kind of energy.

Even if you’re not the person who would normally spend an afternoon singing with thousands of strangers, it’s hard not to get swept up in the atmosphere.

The beer tents are impressive.

I’ve never seen anything quite like the beer tents at Oktoberfest.

They’re enormous, and each one has its own personality and vibe. We made it to Armbrustschützenzelt, Hacker-Festzelt, and Augustiner-Festhalle, and even though all three were packed, they each felt a little different.

The scale alone is impressive. These aren’t little tents with a few picnic tables and a keg that you might see back home in the Midwest. They’re massive temporary beer halls, filled with thousands of people eating, drinking, singing, and celebrating.

The people-watching is a 10/10.

Naturally, this gets even better as the day goes on.

Oktoberfest is fantastic for people-watching under normal circumstances, but once the beer has been flowing for several hours, things get progressively more entertaining. 

You start out watching people arrive in their carefully coordinated traditional outfits, looking fresh and enthusiastic. As the afternoon wears on, you’re watching people navigate the world in a very different way. It’s a journey.

And don’t be alarmed if you see people apparently snorting something at Oktoberfest. Some people are snorting tobacco, but you’ll also see people using Wiesn Koks, a white powder which is sold all over the festival. 

It’s basically used as a decongestant, and made of glucose and menthol.

Note: I’m not going to share footage of it with you here because it got me sanctioned on Instagram. The bots in charge of quality control thought it was something else.

I mean, there was definitely some questionable behavior as the day went on, so I’m not going to say the other thing definitely doesn’t happen…

What I Didn’t Love About Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest isn’t all giant beers and singing. Some of the things that make it such a memorable experience can also make it exhausting.

The crowds are a lot.

Things started out well, but it got very crowded as the day went on.

If you’re spontaneous and like wandering around without much of a plan, this can become challenging after midday. Moving around the festival gets harder, and getting into the tents can be difficult once they’re filling up.

Oktoberfest isn’t a place where you can just wing it, no matter who much you will that thought into existence. Having at least some idea of where you want to go and when makes the experience easier.

Oktoberfest isn’t cheap.

Getting into the festival is free, but the beer is expensive and food is expensive. If you buy the traditional garb, you’re spending a few hundred dollars there, too.

Accommodation around Munich during Oktoberfest can be eye-wateringly expensive, particularly if you leave booking until September. 

We stayed well outside the city in Aying to save money, and while it worked, we paid with our time instead. The transportation from the outskirts of the city into Munich added up, too.

Of course, the more you drink, the more you generally spend, too. It’s a vicious little cycle.

The logistics can be tricky.

We had some issues with the train back to where we were staying at night, including cancellations and delays. There’s nothing like standing around waiting for a delayed train after spending hours in a noisy, crowded beer festival to overstimulate you.

Munich itself is also incredibly busy during Oktoberfest, so getting around requires a little more patience and planning than it normally would.

I’d definitely recommend going in with a plan. Know which tents you’re interested in, and have an idea of how you’re getting there and back. Don’t assume you’ll be able to spontaneously wander into whichever tent catches your eye.

Depending on the group you’re going with, you may want a solid exit strategy, too. We didn’t make it that late in the night, but the general vibe of the group was that we wouldn’t have lasted much longer even if we wanted to.

The people can wear on you…especially later in the day.

I’m in my 40s now. I’m too old for some of this shit.

I can appreciate a good party as much as anyone, but Oktoberfest can reach a level of drunken revelry that I simply don’t have the stamina to participate in anymore.

Earlier in the day, things still feel fun. I’ll sing along with you all while I swing my own giant beer around. 

By late afternoon, having to watch my step because that girl over there is definitely about to hurl is less entertaining. The men get a little more handsy the more they’ve indulged, as well.

That’s a big reason why I think Oktoberfest works better for us as a once-in-a-lifetime-or-every-few-years experience rather than an annual ritual. We had a fun, silly time, but we were also very ready to leave by the end of it.

Is Oktoberfest in Munich worth it if you don’t drink beer?

Brian and I both drink beer, and we went to Oktoberfest with a couple who really love beer, and German beer in particular. I’m less enthusiastic about it than Brian, which worked in my favor because I was better about pacing myself than others around us.

But if you’re asking whether I’d recommend Oktoberfest to someone who doesn’t drink at all, I’d probably say no.

There are non-alcoholic beers available, so you can absolutely participate without drinking alcohol. They’re not cheaper, but that’s not really the biggest issue.

The bigger question is what you’re going to do while everyone around you is drinking.

Oktoberfest is very much about drinking. I don’t care what other bloggers say about the atmosphere and the jolliness. That atmosphere is centered around beer. That jolliness is due to said beer. 

Fun fact: In 2025, Oktoberfest-goers put away around 6.5 million liters of beer. It all makes sense now, right?

Yes, there’s food. Yes, there are rides. Yes, there’s music and people-watching.

But compared with other big events I’ve experienced around Europe, I don’t think any of it is enough to make the trip worthwhile if you’re completely sober.

It’s not like the Christmas markets, where I could happily spend hours wandering around, eating sausages, drinking something warm, and admiring all the decorations. At Oktoberfest, the beer is the event.

READ MORE: Considering Christmas markets while you’re here? Frankfurt has a good one, even if the city itself is underrated!

People also get more annoying the drunker they get. That’s part of the experience, for better or worse. If you’re completely sober, I suspect you might find some of the later-afternoon-and-evening behavior a lot less amusing.

So while you don’t have to drink at Oktoberfest, I think you’ll get much more out of the experience if you at least enjoy being around people who are drinking. Is that a thing, by the way?

Is Oktoberfest worth the cost?

Getting into Oktoberfest itself is free, but don’t mistake that for Oktoberfest being free. Once you’re there, pretty much everything costs quite a bit.

The beer is expensive, the food is expensive, and accommodations in Munich during Oktoberfest are expensive. Transportation can add up, too. 

If you’re the fancy sort of person who wants to reserve a table in one of the beer tents, you’re looking at another significant expense, even if you split it with your bros.

Let’s start with the main event: the beer.

For 2026, a one-liter of beer costs between €14.80 and €15.90, depending on the tent. You’re also expected to tip your server on top of that. 

READ MORE: If you love beer, you’ll want to learn more about the BEST beer in the world. Brian wrote this one!

In our experience, this isn’t really a situation where you want to debate whether tipping is necessary while your increasingly impatient server is waiting for your money. We encountered quite a few bitchy servers, even at the start of the fest.

Then there’s the accommodations issue.

We stayed well outside Munich on the train line because we wanted to save money. It worked, but it also meant dealing with transportation at the end of a very long, very overstimulating day.

If we went again, I’d pay extra and stay in the city. You can use the map below to browse your options if that sounds like you:

So, is it worth all that money? For me, yes, but maybe just once (or twice).

I’m very much someone who would rather spend money on experiences than things. Oktoberfest is one of those experiences that I wanted to have for myself rather than simply reading about it. I definitely don’t think you need to spend several days doing it.

We went for one day, and that was plenty. There was absolutely no chance we were waking up the next morning and thinking, “Great! Let’s go do that again.” I’ve read about people doing it for four or five days in a row, and I’m happy for them, but no.

One day gave us the experience, the giant beers, the tents, the singing, the crowds, the people-watching, and enough of that chaos to satisfy our curiosity. We got to say we’d been to Oktoberfest in Munich, and we went home happy.

How long do you need at Oktoberfest?

For us, one day at Oktoberfest was plenty.

You can obviously spend several days at the festival if you really love it, but you don’t need to. We spent the day wandering around, visited several tents, drank our giant beers, ate some expensive German food, and people-watched to our heart’s content.

By the end of the day, we’d had enough.

If you’re going for the first time, I’d plan on one full day. You can always go back for another day if you’re having an amazing time, but I wouldn’t build an entire week around Oktoberfest unless you’re genuinely very into that scene.

The official beer tents are open for much of the day, with the large tents running from morning until late evening, so there’s plenty of time to make a full day of it.

Do you need a reservation at Oktoberfest?

No, you don’t need a reservation to go to Oktoberfest. We didn’t have one.

You can walk into the festival at no cost, wander around, and try your luck getting into the beer tents without booking anything in advance. There’s a big difference between getting into a tent and getting a seat in a tent, though, especially later in the day.

If you have your heart set on sitting at a particular tent, especially with a larger group, reservations might be useful. They may also be useful on a busy weekend or later in the day, especially if you know you want to hang out in one tent for the day.

Without a reservation, the key is to go earlier in the day. Once the crowds really get going after lunch, things become tougher, and you’ll need to be more flexible about how you’d like to spend your time.

Note: You can browse all of your options, including the tent resale market (yup, that’s a thing), on the official festival website. Most options include a minimum spend on food and beer, but I saw quite a few tables available even just a week out from the festival.

If you’re looking for something more hands-off, guided experiences are an option, too. Some even come with table reservations, food, and beer. Check out some options below:

What should you wear at Oktoberfest?

Technically, you can wear whatever you want to Oktoberfest. There isn’t a dress code requiring you to show up in a dirndl or lederhosen. I strongly recommend dressing up, though.

The vast majority of people we saw were wearing traditional Bavarian clothing, and I’m not talking about slutty outfits available at the pop-up Halloween store in your town.

This is your warning NOT to show up in some ridiculous Amazon Oktoberfest costume or a chicken suit or whatever you thought was a funny idea back at the frat house. 

You may get a few laughs from other smooth-brained revelers, but you will get some serious side-eye from the locals. There’s a difference between dressing up for Oktoberfest and treating it like a costume party.

I joke throughout this article about beer basically being the culture at Oktoberfest, but the traditional clothing actually is part of Bavarian culture. 

Anyway, we spent some serious money on legitimate dirndls and lederhosen before going. 

Fun fact: Brian wore traditional Bavarian lederhosen without suspenders, which is actually the more authentic look. The suspenders are more associated with the stereotypical Oktoberfest outfit you see everywhere, but traditional Bavarian lederhosen can absolutely be worn on their own.

Once you’re there, you’ll be surrounded by people in traditional clothing and generally committing very hard to the whole Oktoberfest thing. Showing up in jeans and a T-shirt isn’t going to ruin your day, but you may feel a little underdressed.

I’m absolutely using the fact that I still own my dirndl as justification for going back someday. I need to get at least a couple more wears out of that thing for sure.

Who Will Love Oktoberfest…and Who Probably Won’t

Oktoberfest isn’t for everyone, but I don’t think it needs to be. It’s a very specific kind of travel experience that’s loud, crowded, expensive, social, and centered around drinking. 

If that sounds fun to you, you’ll probably have a blast. If it sounds exhausting, there’s a good chance you’ll spend the day wondering why you came.

Oktoberfest is probably worth it if:

• You love big festivals. If you enjoy being surrounded by thousands of people who are all there to drink and be merry, Oktoberfest delivers.
• You’re an extrovert who loves socializing with strangers. There are plenty of opportunities to make friends, share a table, sing along with strangers, and embrace the communal atmosphere.
• You’re an introvert who gets extroverted after drinking beer. Honestly, this might be the perfect place for you.
• You like trying iconic travel experiences. Is Oktoberfest touristy? Absolutely. But sometimes you go to something because you want to experience it for yourself.
• You don’t mind crowds. There will be a lot of them. If that’s already giving you anxiety, this is not the place for you.
• You enjoy a little chaos. Things can get increasingly rowdy as the day goes on, and if you find that entertaining rather than annoying, you’ll probably enjoy yourself.

It might not be worth it if:

• You hate crowds. This is probably an obvious one, but Oktoberfest gets super crowded, particularly later in the day.
• You don’t drink. You can absolutely order non-alcoholic beer, but drinking is so central to the experience that I think you’d miss a big part of what makes it what it is.
• You are looking for a quiet cultural experience. Oktoberfest is cultural, I guess, but this isn’t exactly the place to sit quietly and contemplate Bavarian traditions over a peaceful meal.
• You don’t want to spend a bunch of money to drink beer with strangers. The beer isn’t cheap, and neither is much else about the experience.
• You think dressing up is silly. You don’t have to wear traditional Bavarian clothing, but most do. We bought legitimate outfits for the occasion, and I’m glad we did. You’ll feel left out if everyone around you is dressed up and you’re not.
• You are a foodie looking for an amazing culinary experience. The food is fine. It’s serviceable German festival food. But it’s also expensive, and I wouldn’t choose Oktoberfest because you’re expecting a gastronomic experience. 

Would I go to Oktoberfest again?

While we were drunk at Oktoberfest, Brian and I talked about doing it again with our friends the following year. That didn’t happen.

I’m not saying it won’t happen, though. I kept my dirndl, and considering how much I spent on it, I need to wear it at least twice more to convince myself that buying it was a financially responsible decision.

So…maybe next year? The year after? Or maybe we’ll try a different Oktoberfest somewhere else in Germany and see how it compares.

Either way, I’m glad we went to Oktoberfest in Munich. I don’t feel the need to make it an annual tradition, but it’s one of those experiences I’m happy to have checked off the list, even if I’m not quite ready to check it off forever.

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