Traveling germany durin Octoberfest

Oh go ahead and stop in. Go on a week day afternoon and you will find plenty of places to sit. Many will be locals in your age range who just stop in for a big beer and a chat with friends. Afterward, you can decide for your selves if it was worth it. Entrance is free, there is a U-bahn stop right at the grounds, and the only cost is the beer, which has recently passed the 10 EUR for a 1-liter mass price point.

The Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart is also worth a stop. Then you can make a comparison and report back.

"...we are mature 50 somethings and fear the fest may be just a little to much for us."

Well, it's very big and very busy, and room prices are through the roof.

Less internationally famous (but well known to Europeans and locals) are the fall harvest festivals in Germany's wine-making regions. The Middle Rhine Valley is a popular destination for its many medieval castles and river cruises - perhaps it's already on your list - but in late September there's an additional treat - you can take in one of these small town festivals in the old-world village of Boppard. Sunday October 1 is the final day, but on Saturday Sept. 30, the festivities (wine stands, street music, wine queens, etc.) culminate in a spectacular and unique fireworks display. These are not rowdy, drunken affairs - very civilized and with local character. You can scroll through the photos here to get a small idea of what it's like.

http://www.rhein-zeitung.de/cms_media/module_img/2100/1050434_1_gallerydetail_sub_weinfest06.jpg
http://my.bids.de/cr/files_109/441102_001Weinfest_Bopp_Sa_piel_TN.jpg
http://www.baudobriga-boppard.de/files/8913/8123/1998/Elferrat_Weinfest_131006.jpg

Boppard information: http://flyhahn.com/cities/boppard-travel-guide.htm

Boppard is surrounded by other nice old-world towns as well - Bacharach, St.Goar, Oberwesel, and Braubach among them.

So maybe, if you're flying into FRA, Boppard ought to be your first stop. It's about 1.25 hours from the FRA terminal by direct train, a little more by connecting train.

Thanks Russ, this sounds like a nice plan for us. We had planned on seeing that area so this is good info to know.

Missing Oktoberfest would be like being in New Orleans and missing Mardi Gras - its a world class event that should be seen to be experienced if you have an opportunity. Its not just a celebration of beer, but like the biggest state fair you've ever seen. Full of families with kids and grandparents, carnival rides and music during the day, and nowhere near the drunken brawl that it may be perceived. We weren't there at night, so can't speak to that, but we loved the experience and we're older than you.

Oktoberfest is loud, crowded, and obnoxious. I mean, I went, and I'm glad I can say I went, but the Stuttgart Volksfest, the world's second largest beer festival, is basically a chilled out version of Oktoberfest. It's easier to deal with in every regard but is functionally the same. I love it, and I love not having to dodge puking Australians and other international tourists who don't have a clue what they're doing.

Wine festivals are nice too, but if you want the experience of Oktoberfest without the expensive hotel rooms and massive crowds of Oktoberfest, Stuttgarter Volksfest is the place to go.

"I have also been looking into the Stuttgart Beer Festival and we are considering that instead."

Visitor numbers last year indicate crowd sizes that are not very far apart - 4.0 million visitors for the Volksfest, 5.6 milllion for Oktoberfest.

Something different for all to consider is the Tag der Kommunbrauer, Neuhaus in der Oberphalz. Zoigl beer brewed in the local Community Brewery and multiple Zoigl Stubin. One day Festival 3 October 17. 5000-6000 visitors for the Fest, no rides or carnival, just Zoigl Bier, food, music and conversation. Really local other than some tourists and US Soldiers from the local Military base in Grafenwoehr. The German spoken in these communities needs some translation for Germans from other regions

http://zoiglbier.de/zoigltermine/neuhaus/

https://www.otv.de/mediathek/video/warum-entfaellt-der-kommunbrautag/

Visitor numbers last year indicate crowd sizes that are not very far apart - 4.0 million visitors for the Volksfest, 5.6 milllion for Oktoberfest.

The difference I think is that a lot of the visitors to Volksfest are locals and thus aren't creating as much demand on hotels. While I know locals go to Oktoberfest too (I met some of them when I was there!), Volksfest just doesn't have the same effect on the city that Oktoberfest does as a tourist. The only difference between Volksfest and normal is you'll see people in trachten downtown and on the trains, and of course trains that go to the wasen can get crowded on weekends, and very crowded when the fest closes, but the VVS system is good about running enough trains to get everyone home efficiently.

It helps that the Wasen is further away from the city center/trainstation/etc than the Wiesn' and that it just doesn't have the international attention. When you meet foreigners at the Wasen, it's usually Americans stationed here, Austrians, Swiss, Italians. You don't have people traveling from all over the world to come.

Our tents have bar areas where you can enjoy a beer even if there's not room at a table. You can easily get into any tent on a weeknight, weekends can be more challenging but depending on the weather and what day it is, it's still possible most of the time. We also have a large beautiful outdoor area with bands to enjoy nice weather and getting out of a hot tent and there is always room there.