One of the most important things you need to know about Oktoberfest are the different beer tents, which look more like permanent buildings than temporary tents. There are fourteen major tents scattered around the fairgrounds mostly along the main strip. Every tent has a different personality and vibe. No two tents are the same with each one serving its own beer, which are the breweries each tent is named after.

If you want a well-rounded experience of Oktoberfest it’s recommended to visit more than one tent. Some are rowdy with a younger crowd and some are more mild with an older crowd. The most famous tent, The Hofbrau, is always a good time but it’s usually jam packed. I enjoy the smaller tents which often have more locals and less of a crowd to compete with.

The Schottenhamel tent is where the Mayor of Munich taps the first keg to officially begin the festivities. Augustiner is a personal favorite of mine as well with a big space, good beer, and a good mix of people. The best thing to do is wander around a bit to find your own vibe. But, be warned as many of the tents will be overloaded and reservations are recommended to guarantee yourself a spot. Reservations are easy and some you can get just a few days beforehand.

An important thing to remember is that most tents require you to sit at a table to order beer. The best plan, if you’re like me and want to free wheel it, is to show up early and get a table at any tent, get your drinks in, then wait to about mid-day until everybody is already drunk and then you can pretty much roam through the other tents freely.

It’s difficult not to have a blast at Oktoberfest, but there are a few tricks of the trade to have a little more fun by respecting cultural observations made by previous patrons. Invest in a Lederhosen (for a guy) or Dirndl (for a girl). Some can be quite pricey, but if you look in the right place you will be able to find them at a reasonable rate. Try looking online as well. It’s worth the money, trust me.

Know the German drinking songs. The most popular one, which is sung every 20 minutes, is Ein Prosit. This is the famous song you see in videos with Germans standing on table tops sloshing their beers and swaying from side to side with their arms wrapped around each other. You feel more at home if you know the words.

Come prepared with a few basic German phrases. The most important ones are:
-A Beer Please: Ein bier bitte
-Thank You: Danke
-A more polite thank you: Danke schoen
-Cheers: Prost! (with emphasis)
-You are beautiful: Du bis winderschön
-You have nice eyes: Ich mag deine augen

Make a reservation. I’ve touched on this already but it’s worth repeating. Many tents allow you to reserve a night or two before so it’s always worth checking. If you don’t make a reservation get there early. Tents open at 9am so be on time as it fills up quickly. The best thing to do if you don’t have a reservation is to get there early, stay until midday, and wait for the entry lines at other tents to slow down.

I’ve seen people come to Oktoberfest every year thinking they are going to stay a week or more and do the festival every day. The reality is after a couple full days of drinking with Germans, you are reallllly tired. I would suggest two or three days at Oktoberfest for the festival which should be more than enough to get a full experience, and then leave a day or two for checking out the city itself. Munich on its own is one of Europe’s coolest cities.