How I did it: Found a great deal on airline tickets to Munich.  Booked plane tickets and a hotel and we were on our way!  The first day, we arrived too late in the day (around 11 AM) and had to wait on line outside in the rain.  They were only letting in people who had reserved seating inside the tents, but we didn't let this info deter us.  Met a great group of US soldiers and their wives stationed in Germany and hung with them while we waited. The rain eventually cleared up, they opened the outside seating and we were the first ones in.  Subsequent days during the week we were able to get into the tents with no problem.  I think there is a higher traffic during the weekend.

Lessons & tips: Arrive early in the morning.  Pace yourself.  Try some of the delicious food.  I'm a vegetarian and had meat for the first time in three years in Munich.  Explore outside of Oktoberfest - downtown Munich is gorgeous and there are a ton of site-seeing opportunities nearby.  Don't try to do Oktoberfest every day in a row for many days - the body definitely needs a break between days.

Resources:

• The official Oktoberfest site: http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/

• The Hoteliers at our family-run hotel outside Munich were excellent providing information on the bus and train schedules and recommending nearby places to eat.

• Friends who had been to Germany previously.

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Mar 12, 2011, 09:01AM PST | 0 comments | 5 cheers