There are few annual parties more famous than Oktoberfest in Munich. It’s a (roughly) two-week festival that spans the end of September and the start of October, and although party-goers these days have little to no understanding of the history of the holiday there are plenty of traditional elements to it.
Today’s Oktoberfest is as much about the carnival rides as it is about the traditional food and dress, and unlike many world famous parties this one remains a favorite of the locals even though the city of Munich is inundated each year with foreigners who are (for the most part) just looking forward to getting falling-down drunk for two straight weeks.
Oktoberfest in Munich is the “bucket list” holiday, but there are lots of other places on the planet that celebrate Oktoberfest, too. No matter where you’re planning to don your dirndl this year, the articles below are here to help you save money on the trip.
>> Oktoberfest in Munich is from September 22 to October 7 in 2012
>> Learn more about going to the festival with this Munich Oktoberfest guide
>> If you’re really on a budget, there are some hostels near Oktoberfest in Munich to choose from
There’s no denying the appeal of going to Munich for Oktoberfest – of experiencing the world-famous festival in the city where it was born, and where it still thrives. But not everyone can get to Munich every year. Does that mean you have to leave your leiderhosen in the back of the closet and forgo your Oktoberfest partying? Absolutely not. Thankfully for anyone who enjoys oversized pretzels and mugs of beer, Oktoberfest as a celebration has spread far and wide around the globe.
For anyone who’s even remotely fond of giant cultural celebrations that also serve as non-stop parties, the Oktoberfest party in Munich every year should be on your lifetime to-do list. The trouble is that Oktoberfest is on so many people’s lists that it has become over the years an incredibly popular festival for travelers. And any time there’s a popular festival that people are willing to travel for, you can pretty much count on airfare to go up as a result.
While I have never personally made it to Munich for Oktoberfest, I have long heard stories from my dad recounting drinking beers from huge heavy mugs and literally swinging from the rafters on giant rope swings attached to the roof of beer tents. While my father also has informed me that all the fun he had those few days made him pay the price (a few days spent hugging the toilet afterwards), that still hasn’t deterred me from wanting to head over to Germany to enjoy Oktoberfest myself (even if it does mean I’ll suffer for it later). Any place you combine great beer with stunning scenery and a big party, you are sure to get my interest piqued and send me on the hunt for the best travel deals to get there. 
When the temperatures start to feel crisp, the leaves begin to turn and the kids once again pile on to the yellow school buses, my thoughts inevitable turn to Germany. Autumn is a wonderful time to visit the heart of Europe. The weather is pleasant, the summer tourist season is over, and the beer is plentiful. Yes, let’s talk about the beer.
The person who invented Oktoberfest should be given a medal of honor. The concept of holding a festival outdoors in Germany at the beginning of autumn with the focus of the event being beer is nothing short of brilliant. I’m not alone in this assessment. Every year around six million people visit the 42-hectare large Theresienwiese in Munich to take part in the festivities. Six million people can’t be wrong.