Ahhhh, Germany. Let’s just say this: within 3 hours of being here, I already deemed it my favorite location up until this point on the trip.

Germany was where I rediscovered my love for cool weather, experienced the most incredible mountainous landscapes, and almost convinced Evan to just move into a rural German cabin and eat fresh apple croissants every morning for breakfast.

Instead of writing about our time in Germany in chronological order, I’ve decided to split it up into experiences to talk more in depth about the must-dos while visiting.

We visited Munich, Germany, which is the capital of the Bavarian province. Bavaria is absolutely breathtaking and I don’t say that lightheartedly. We arrived at 1 am and walked through the middle of a pitch black field to get to our Air BnB, but waking up the next morning to this view and a crisp, cold morning is still a memory that will be burned into my mind forever.

Okay, now to the content of the trip.

Oktoberfest 🍻🇩🇪🥨

We couldn’t go to Germany in September without visiting Oktoberfest. I wanted to break down our experience to share a little more about it.

So first, the attire. Soooo many people had on the traditional Lederhosen pants and Drindl dresses. This was something that you can rent nearby in Munich, but financially was not possible for us since I researched it and was finding that rentals averaged about $100 per person. It would have been so fun to be completely in character, but as people living out of backpacks and pinching pennies, it wasn’t in the cards. But one thing you’ll see very quickly: at least 20-30% of the people you see on the trains are going to Oktoberfest. There’s a big sense of excitement heading to the grounds. As soon as you get to the train stop, you follow the crowds and you’re there before you know it.

So, the wristbands for Oktoberfest are about €8 which gets you through the gates. Once you arrive, it’s like a huge fair. There are booths with carnival games, Ferris wheels, amusement park rides, stands selling pretzels, schnitzel, corn dogs, beer, bratwurst, and so much more! It can be overwhelming. So, to be featured at Oktoberfest, you must be a Munich brewery; meaning your brewery is in downtown Munich and you use water that is from Munich. Your beer can also only have four ingredients: water, malt, hops, and yeast. Because of this, not just anyone can have a tent at Oktoberfest. There are 17 large tents at Oktoberfest with some of the most well known tents being present as well as smaller, more local breweries. It is all overwhelming right as you walk inside.

You will not be able to decide easily which tent to go into unless you are a seasoned German beer expert and have a certain tent in mind. That being said, you really just have to walk inside one. When you get inside, there are thousands of people packed at these long tables around a big stage. People on the stage are singing and dancing and many people stand on the tables and cheer, march, and howl. If you are a really outgoing, assertive person it might be possible to get a seat in the interior of the tent, but it is first come first serve and you are not allowed to loiter or stand inside, you must be seated. To get a seat you must basically be really quick after someone leaves. Even if you do get a seat, you will likely be surrounded by so much noise and commotion from people eating chicken, potatoes, pretzels, spätzle, schnitzel, and soup with their hands. Evan and I spectated for a bit and then found a seat outside in the Biergarten where it was a bit quieter. Once you purchase your beer outside, you cannot take it inside, so that’s good to note.

One thing that we personally did not enjoy about Oktoberfest is that it was incredibly expensive for what you get. They sell a stein of beer (1 Liter) for €12.60-13.80 depending on the tent. Food was generally around €10-25 for a plate. They only take cash. So, Evan got 2 steins and I got 1, we got a bratwurst and a schnitzel (which were both cold) and I think we ended up spending around €60 just for the food that night. While inside a tent, I saw two incredibly drunk fools get into a fight and the security guards get involved.

Later in the night we went into a tent and managed to get a seat at the table in a balcony of a crowded tent. We danced and sang to the German songs, and we did have a good time. However, it was pretty overwhelming, people spilled beer all over you, and after witnessing the fight I was a little paranoid that I would accidentally bump into someone and they would try to fight me🥹

So, is Oktoberfest good for people who don’t like beer?

Personally, I don’t drink beer. I don’t really enjoy the taste at all. But, I didn’t want to be left out! For those who are like me, they have a delicious drink called a Radler. It is 1/2 beer and 1/2 lemonade, and it’s delicious! It’s also good for those who are looking for a little less alcohol, because it only has a 2.5% ABV. I ordered one to get the experience and was perfectly content!

So, is Oktoberfest worth it?

I would definitely recommend visiting if you happen to have the chance. Now personally, I wouldn’t want to spend the whole week there. Neither Evan or I love really crowded or loud places, it was incredibly expensive for two young, money savvy travelers, and I was a little upset that my food ended up being cold after how much I paid for it. That being said, if you are really looking to party, that’s a great place to do it. Just make sure you have your transportation and lodging covered, because the night after Oktoberfest our train back home was cancelled and we waited for 3 hours in the cold at the station and finally had to pay €104 for an Uber back home. It wasn’t the best ending!

Hiking and Running in Germany

Okay, so here’s where I’ll really get passionate. Germany is, in my opinion, the best place for hiking and running that Evan and I traveled to. Partially because the weather was perfect during the time we visited. The temperature was a crisp 50° F, making for perfect hiking weather. I convinced Evan to do a 12 mile hike for me which started just one train stop away from our Air BnB in a town called Bäd Tolz. It was a 10 mile loop, the air was perfect, there were mountains, cows, beautiful grassy fields, and flowers everywhere, and we were constantly passing kind hikers, runners, and cyclists who we would greet with a warm “Hallo” or “Guten Morgen”. They would always respond warmly as well.

For this particular hike, I used AllTrails to find it. If you don’t have this app, you need it! We used the app to make sure we were staying on the trail loop, and there were so many options that it was hard to choose! I’ll link the route below:

Mit dem Mountainbike zur Waldherralm on AllTrails
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/germany/bavaria/mit-dem-mountainbike-zur-waldherralm?p=-1&u=i

So hiking rocked, but what about running? Every day I went on a different run, but my long run was by far my favorite. On our last day there I woke up at 5:30 and went for a 10 mile sunrise run through the mountains. I seriously cannot stress enough how much this added to my life, these are the kind of experiences I dream about! I found this route on Strava like I do many of my routes. Strava is an incredible tool because it will show you nearby trails and routes that have already been run by other people, guaranteeing their safety and accessibility. I’ll link it below as well.

https://www.strava.com/routes/3008482123517749828

Food in Germany 🙂

So, Germany had some pretty good food. I personally wouldn’t rank it among the best we tried on our trip, but there were some aspects that we really loved. Over the course of the trip, I tried large soft pretzels, spätzle, schnitzel, meat and potatoes, and a few other German staples. The pastries are absolutely something you cannot miss. We stayed in an Air BnB in a tiny town (and I mean tiny, they didn’t even have a grocery store) but they did have a fresh family bakery that opened bright and early and had the most incredible coffee and baked goods such as croissants, apple streusel, and doughnuts.

One thing that Evan really enjoyed about Germany was all the beer. He really enjoyed the taste of the local beer and it really is such a big part of the culture here, which was really fun.

One of the best meals we had was stopping at Alpine BioMarket before our long hike. Everything here is just mountain fresh, the yogurt, water, and even the fruit just tastes better and more crisp here.

After the long hike, we went to a nearby restaurant famous for its sandwiches. We got the half size but they are known for their meter long wiches!

Surfing in the English Garden

One thing you CANNOT leave Munich without doing is going to the English Garden. Going to walk around is an activity in itself, the garden is huge and has a cafeteria in the middle where you can get an a la carte lunch if you are tired or hungry. But the hands down coolest part (and one of the coolest things from the whole trip) was people surfing in the garden. We learned about this from our free walking tour and we had to go see it. People surf in the freezing cold waters of the river in wetsuits 365 days out of the year. It is really dangerous (people have died) but the people who go apparently go a lot, so much so that there is a culture of exclusivity around being a surfer there. Budget at least 2-3 hours to watch this if you are anything like us. It is the coolest thing ever! I’ll attach a video below.

I wish we could have spent even more time in Munich (we spent 5 days). I would recommend Munich, Germany 1000% and I cannot wait until we get to return!

Thanks for reading 🙂