Oktoberfest 2008

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Vagrant

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Anyone going to be there? I recently started my own business that has been mega successful, so it's allowed me to take my first real vacation. I'll be out there from Sept 15 - 25. I'll be spending time in Grafenwoehr with some friends. I have a good friend that lives in a Munich suburb and I'll be staying there for the beginning of Oktoberfest. I'm also going to drive (with IDP in hand) to Belgium to do a short 2 or 3 day brewery tour out there as well.

Anyone have any suggestions that has done it before? (Oktoberfest or a Belgium brewery run) We don't have tent registration, which I guess is our first challenge. My buddy from Munich told us he never has registration and has made it in every year without a problem.
 
Oh my you are going to have a kick ass time. Drink a liter for me:mug: If you think there is going to be rain for a day or two that would be the best time to do brewery tours. Oktoberfest is insane in all the tents when rain comes... On nice days though its usually not to bad to find spot to sit and drink. Anyways any more questions feel free to ask. i'll try to recall as much as i can.
 
This will be my third year in a row going to Oktoberfest. It is an INCREDIBLE time!

Do you have tent reservations? If you do not... and you want to hang out at the tents... GO EARLY. If you are with a group... you need to get there pretty much as soon as they open if it is a Saturday.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Day trips from Munich:
Andechs - A monastery south of Munich... very easy to get to. I would only go there when the weather is nice though.
http://www.andechs.de/englisch/kloster/

Neuschwanstein - Castle trip... the one that inspired the Disney World castle. If you go... I recommend renting a car and trying out the autobahn.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuschwanstein

As for Belgium brewery tours... I only did one... Brasserrie D'Achouffe... the makers of La Chouffe. The brewery facility is ok... but it's in the Ardennes mountains and may be on your way to other Belgian destinations... it's just south of Brussels. If you're a fan of La Chouffe... you'll like the cafe and the gift shop.
http://www.achouffe.be/newen/index.php

Brugge may be a bit far for you... but it's a great town to visit. They have some breweries there you can tour. This place is the land of beer and chocolate. There's a great bar there called Cambrinus with a beer menu that features over 400 beers... and has EVERY trappist beer (yes... including Westvleteren). Their food is also pretty good.
http://www.cambrinus.eu/english.htm
 
I agree with the trip to Andechs. A must do. Do not go on Sunday, it was a nightmare last year. I would try during the week. Also if you love to hike take the 3 mile walk from the train station, then the cab back after food and beer and beer!!!!!

Not sure how you feel about it, but the concentration camp at Dechau is a trip worth taking.
http://www.kz-gedenkstaette-dachau.de/index2.html

Fussen and Neuschwanstein is also a must!!!

Tent's are not a problem later in the evening an hour or 2 before they close. Just go around to a side door and you can get in. There are guys that will charge you to get you in, but we did it without them, but we did have to tip a guard (or what ever he was) for a table.
 
Visit the Hofbrauhaus for 1 beer, take in the sight, then head back outside. Catty corner from the Hofbrauhaus is Augustiner where the beer is better and cheaper. The locals go there and even the band from the HB haus takes their breaks there.

JWAugustiner1.jpg


Beer is dispensed from real casks.

JWAugustiner2.jpg


Talk about a sweet cold room beneath the stairs.

JWAugustiner3.jpg
 
This will be our first adventure to Oktoberfest next month. We're doing 4 days in Belgium and then 6 in Germany. We also do not have tent reservations, but we plan on going during the day when it's not so crowded with too many drunkards (but just enough). Reservations are basically required at night for some of the bigger, more popular tents.

It's like a kid in a candy store trying to plot out our beery adventures in these two countries. It's incredible! I've found the Good Beer Guide Germany and Tim Webb's Good Beer Guide Belgium to be indispensible in our beer plans.
 
Yeah i didn't have tent reservations either, when i went it was in 1996, and 1997. it was great. just make sure you eat. it's fun anytime you go. oh i wish i could go. i'm looking for a replacement because they have them in california but now that i'm in nc i'm looking for a german village that does it. oh take a lot of pics because it's something you don't want to forget although you may after drinking so much lol. I hope you have a wonderful time. oh and if you want to sell me some hefeweisen when you get back contact me. cuz i can't find any good ones out here.
 
Thanks for all your great input, links, and pictures. I had a hunch a couple of you had probably been to Oktoberfest =)

babycakes27405: Helen, GA has an oktoberfest style celebration every year. I've never been there myself but I have heard good things about it. It's in Northern GA somewhere, so it shouldn't be too far from NC. Google it.
 
Anyone going to be there? I recently started my own business that has been mega successful, so it's allowed me to take my first real vacation. I'll be out there from Sept 15 - 25. I'll be spending time in Grafenwoehr with some friends. I have a good friend that lives in a Munich suburb and I'll be staying there for the beginning of Oktoberfest. I'm also going to drive (with IDP in hand) to Belgium to do a short 2 or 3 day brewery tour out there as well.

Anyone have any suggestions that has done it before? (Oktoberfest or a Belgium brewery run) We don't have tent registration, which I guess is our first challenge. My buddy from Munich told us he never has registration and has made it in every year without a problem.

I will be there the second weekend. We are staying in Garmish and taking the train up. It's my third in a row and last for a while so I can't wait. It really is a good time.
 
Sadly I'm not sure if I'll be able to go this year. I have lots of school work coming up. I have some family in München and Stuttgart who I'd love to see.

If I am unable to go... I'm expecting you guys who do go to drink a few for me!
 
Are there Oktoberfests in Germany other than the one in Munich? I'll be in Hamburg this coming Sept. and am already running into problems with finding rooms at reasonable prices during Oktoberfest in Munich. Just wondering if there is an alternative city or smaller version that is worth checking out.
 
yes. many local town, villages, cities in Bavaria have fall/oktoberfest celebrations. nothing like the one in Munich though.
 
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