Munich hotels are already sold out for the big party, but there still are rooms available in nearby towns such as Augsburg and Ingolstadt, each about 45 minutes away by high-speed commuter train. Or, you could head north to Stuttgart for that city’s version of Oktoberfest, called Canstatter.2010 is the 164th year for the Canstatter Wasn, the world’s second largest beer festival. This one is September 25 to October 11, shortly after the Stuttgart Wine Festival, from August 28 to September 5, which showcases more than 250 wines from the region.
It fascinates me that the world’s two largest beer festivals are in the cities that are home to three of the world’s top automobile manufacturers — Mercedes and Porsche in Stuttgart and BMW in Munich. Four if you add in Audi in nearby Ingolstadt (VW is headquartered in Wolfsberg, near Berlin). Perhaps that’s why German engineers are such leaders in safety technology such as lane-departure warning systems.
Vintage Porsche at Porsche Museum, Stuttgart
If you go:
Take time in Munich to visit BMW Welt and Museum, in Munich’s Olympic Park, and the Audi Forum (museum) in Ingolstadt, and the Mercedes Museum and the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart. All four are accessible by train, so you don’t even have to drive Germany’s famous fast-speed Autobahn. I’m a great fan of classic 1930s cars, and there’s lots of them in all four museums. Just promise me you won’t drool on “my” 1936 Mercedes 500K Roadster in Stuttgart or on the 1939 Horch 855 Roadster in the Audi museum in Ingolstadt,
Read more about Bavaria in the article I wrote for a recent issue of Contiental Airlines Magazine.
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Hi Mike –
Thanks for the compliment. And do let me know about your fall harvest events at Millbrook Wine. Remember — I’ve written two guidebooks about the Hudson Valley, both of which include the winery.
Evelyn
I really enjoyed this post. You explain this topic very well. I really love your blog and I will definetly bookmark it! Keep up the interesting posts!
Good alternatives to Munich hotels, and your conclusion is a hoot.
Hi Andy —
Thanks for your comment. Munich is a great city any time of year, and a great base to visit neighboring towns such as Augsburg and Ingolstadt.
Evelyn Kanter
There’s no doubt that Oktoberfest is a great time to be in Munich, but don’t be put off going at other times of the year too. You can still enjoy the beer in the many beer gardens and at the English Garden too, plus there are sights like the Olympic Park, the Residenz and the Frauenkirche to see. There’s more here….
http://www.free-city-guides.com/munich/