Frühlingsfest (Spring Beerfest) Munich vs Stuttgart?

We lived in Stuttgart for 8 months and then in Augsburg for 3 1/2 years. Augsburg is 50 miles west of Munich. We have been to tests in both cities. Did Oktoberfest three times.

They are all good, but as I recall the location of the fest we attended in Stuttgart was away from the city center, while the Munich Oktoberfest (never did the spring fest in Munich) is walking distance from the main train station.

The Stuttgart area has the Mercedes factory at Zindelfingen (sp?) that is south of the city and Porsche north of the city, if you are interested.

Otherwise, Munich is probably the best. In Bavaria, you can find a beer fest almost ever weekend from spring until the final Oktoberfest starting in September.

One thing, absolutely don't even think about driving after going to a fest. German beer is stronger than American and you get 1 liter steins. The Police will check you out for sure.

Munich's Frühlingsfest is not quite as big as Stuttgart's but it's still quite a large festival. My advice is if you are going to be in Munich already then just go there and don't spend valuable vacation hours traveling to Stuttgart and back. Bonus if you are into cars: Munich's Frühlingsfest has a classic car show as part of the fest on the first Sunday of the festival (on the southern end of the fest grounds)

DJ

Everyone dissing Stuttgart! But I have to say for a short trip you are probably best off staying in Munich because, yes, it does have better breweries. Unless you guys are into cars, in which case the Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart beats the BMW-Welt in Munich (and every other car museum in Germany) by a mile, and Bad Canstatt, the suburb where the Stuttgart festival takes place, is actually where Gottleib Daimler invented the motorcycle, the motorized tram, and ultimately one of the world's first cars.

It's also possible to do Stuttgart as a day trip from Munich - I day trip from Stuttgart to Munich all the time.

German beer varies in alcohol strength just like American beers. Most festival beers are between 5 and 5.6% alcohol, far less than the IPAs that are typical in the USA these days. But drinking one liter at a time can certainly affect you if you don't have a high tolerance, so remember to eat before you drink (and while you're drinking, eat as much as you can!), pause for water, and it's probably best to avoid the shots of schnapps or Jaegermeister that are sold by nice women roaming the beer tents.

Have fun!

Thanks so much to everyone for their feedback and tips. We decided to skip Stuttgart and go straight to Munich and rather spend an extra night there. We are so excited for our first beerfest!! Cant wait! Regards from RSA.

avoid the shots of schnapps

But somehow that always seems like the most logical descision after two or more Maß!

Dear JG, Dinkelacker. their fest beer is delicious.