Whether beer is your drink of choice or not, going to Munich during Oktoberfest is a bucket list check. I wrote about my trip back in 2015 where I go into way more detail about the tents and some other ways to enjoy Munich. If you are looking for more Oktoberfest than Munich check the links below! If you are interested in more of a mix of country experience and party continue reading.
10 years later the festival still delivers. The Marino’s opted for a mix of activities when we went in 2023.
Day 1: Jetlag & Thrifting
We landed from our red eye but powered through. The hotel was outside of the city and was affordable, clean, and a Marriott. With the bags ditched at the hotel, we take the Ubann into Marienplataz and great lunch at an Italian restaurant. From there we stumbled onto a thrift store. They had so many dirndl options! The ladies all bought something while the leather lederhosen are not as off the shelf friendly.
Thrift shop: ReSales München-Karlsplatz
Restaurant: L’Osteria München Künstlerhaus
Hotel: Courtyard Munich Garching
Day 2: Castle Tours
Somehow this tour does not exist anywhere in my email which is depressing because that was a great tour operator. I emailed them with no notice and during the busiest time of their year they find me a private driver and guide to take us on this enchanted tour. It included everything, transportation to the castles, 3 stops, access to the two castles, and even the horse drawn carriage to come down the mountain. I guess some things will remain a mystery.
That night we went to the local Hofbrau House to dance to live music in our new dirndls.
Tour Stops: Neuschwanstein Castle, Linderhof Palace, a lake in Austria (Am Plansee), Oberammergau
Restaurant: Hotel & Restaurant Müller Hohenschwangau
Day 3: Oktoberfest
Having 6 of us we opted to reserve a table for the first experience. Back in 2015 when I was a young woman in my 20s we ran around the tents grabbing spaces where we can. Now in 2023 I want a confirmed location. The day time experience is more family friendly and much calmer overall. We enter the tent, check in, and get escorted to our reserved table. We order steins and yell prost! Feeling more confident we spend the rest of the afternoon hopping from tent to tent getting better at finding the space. By the end of the day we are standing on the benches screaming what we think the German song lyrics are.
Day 4: Dachau Camp Tour
History is important. Learning from the mistakes we make is important. Acknowledging the past is important. We took a somber break and had a tour of the Dachau Concentration Camp. Our guide picked us up in Marienplataz and brought us on the train to the camp just outside of Munich.
Full of pensive thoughts, we avoided the buzz of the city when we returned and choose a cash only restaurant with a quiet tree shaded patio. It was absolutely the best meal I had the entire trip. We spent the afternoon people watching in the square contemplating.
Tour: Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Tour with Train from Munich
Restaurant: Andy’s Krablergarten
Day 5: English Garden & Oktoberfest
This garden was actually inspired by Central Park. A river runs through it and they have positioned the flow to allow for surfing. It is incredible to see Germans walking with surfboards in wetsuits in Munich. There is a restaurant in the middle with delicious food and beers. The most perfect break from the city can be found in those paths around the lakes.
That night we into Oktoberfest to experience the night. More crowds, more drunks, more noise. After a couple steins we took to the ferris wheel to escape. The breathe of the festival is impressive from that height.
Day 6: Walking Food Tour & River Walk Street Art
After drinking and eating so much German goodness we went on a walking tour. Kevin, an Irishman, took us around the markets, old beer halls, and deli shops. We filled ourselves to the brim with incredible pastries, fresh fruit, and sandwiches. He was a student of history and started our 11am tour with a stein with us.
He told us about a riverside pathway that was covered with street art. We first stopped at the Aldi so we could see the OG. Then enjoyed the treelined path with river below the cliffside. Exhausted from the walking we headed back to Marienplataz for a real German dinner.
Tour: More Than Viktualienmarkt Food Tour, street art area along the river in Maximilianeum Park
Restaurant: Zum Dürnbräu, Ratskeller München
Day 7: BMW Museum & Oktoberfest
On our last day, we took the easy public transportation over to the BMW Museum. This huge building took you through the production of motorcycles and cars. Most impressively there was a section dedicated to those who were enslaved during the war. BMW was not on the right side of history here. In a respectful exhibit they showcase their work and those who were killed.
After the museum, we went back and changed into our dirndls for one last taste of the festival. 1/2 meter hot dogs and steins galore we sang the songs and danced. My sister and I stayed longer not ready for the festivities to end. We made friends with flight attendants from Ryan Air and went up 100 ft on the swings. The night was complete with a quick drunk nap on the Ubann finally making it back to the hotel.
my feet don't want to go to sleep 
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