When we first had the idea of taking our young children to the Munich Oktoberfest, it felt a bit daunting. As the OG Oktoberfest, the Munich Oktoberfest receives millions of visitors each year. There is a lot of content out there covering the table reservation process and how to navigate the massive crowds and the highly intoxicated. Having never been ourselves, it sounded overwhelming and not terribly kid friendly. But in reality, Munich’s Oktoberfest is just a big festival full of entertainment for people of all ages, including little kids. We had a great time!
Here are five tips for a memorable experience at the Munich Oktoberfest with your young kids.
1. Get there early
Timing is critical. Opening times differ across weekdays and weekends, but arriving at Oktoberfest close to opening hours makes a big difference. Expect long lines to get into Theresienwiese (the main Oktoberfest grounds), even on weekday mornings. Admission is free, but there are security checks at the entrances.
Later in the day children are not permitted in the tents. All the more reason to get there early. There are also certain times and days that buggies/strollers are not permitted. So make sure to confirm those details on the “Children and Family” page of the official Oktoberfest website.
There are a couple designated family days. We did not go on a family day but still had a great time.
2. Know the rules on what you can bring
As I mentioned above, there are restrictions on buggies/strollers on certain days and during certain hours. There are also restrictions on bag sizes that apply to diaper bags as well. Children can only be in the beer tents during certain hours. Check the official website to confirm the latest rules and hours.
3. Bring plenty of Euros in cash
Oktoberfest is largely cash-only. You don’t need a ticket to walk through the Oktoberfest grounds, but you will need cash to purchase food, drinks, and rides. A day at Oktoberfest adds up quickly, so make sure to bring plenty of cash.
4. Start your day in Oide Wiesn
Oide Wiesn is an extension of the Munich Oktoberfest that celebrates the history and traditions of Oktoberfest. The Oide Wiesn grounds and tents are full of traditional folk charm. Once you are through the Theresienwiese gates, head to the south side where you will find the gates to Oide Wiesn. Oide Wiesn is technically it’s own festival, with a small entrance fee.
Oide Wiesn is known as being a bit more family friendly. Still, Oide Wiesn can get very crowded and the entrance closes for periods of time for crowd control.
Oide Wiesn tents are a great place to have a hearty meal and listen to traditional music. We enjoyed an early lunch of half a chicken, pretzels, beer and apple cider for the kids in the Festzelt Tradition Tent in Oide Wiesn.
We opted to do rides after our meal to make sure we could snag a seat in the tent. The tent was pretty empty when we first showed up, but by the time we ordered our food the crowds were picking up.
Our morning in Oide Wiesn was so pleasant. Our kids danced to brass music, we people watched, and we did not have to fight crowds.
5. Have a plan for lost children
Oktoberfest does get crowded. By the time we were leaving in the mid-afternoon, it was pretty packed. You may want to think through a plan in the event you find yourself separated from your children. We saw one mother write her phone number on her three children’s arms.
You can also ask for a child finder bracelet (basically a bracelet with a phone number) at the entrances to the Munich Oktoberfest grounds for your children to wear.
To sum it up
Oktoberfest with children can be a fun, laid back experience. With kids in tow, you won’t be able to get too serious about the drinking, which in a way takes some of the pressure off. The hard-to-find tables and stressful reservation process is more of an issue in the serious drinking tents, later in the day. A family friendly lunchtime experience is certainly a different pace, but we found it to be a very pleasant one.
If you are willing to go on the weekdays during during less crowded hours and stick to the more low-key, family-friendly areas (i.e. not the most popular beer tents) the Munich Oktoberfest is actually not nearly as chaotic as people make it out to be.
