If you love German beer and international parties, October would definitely be your favorite month. And Munich will definitely be your favorite city. And yes, my dear adventure-loving home exchangers, it’s time again for Oktoberfest!

One of Germany’s largest feasts and tourist attractions, the celebration for Oktoberfest is widely known around the world. And you sure have heard of it. To those not too familiar with Oktoberfest, started in October 18, 1810 as a celebration of the marriage of Prince Ludwig (Ludwig I) and Princess Therese (the Theresienwiese festival grounds is named after her). Since then, Munich locals agreed to hold the feast annually. Today, Oktoberfest is celebrated by everyone, young and old, both by locals and tourists. The feast is celebrated with different parades, concerts for the music lovers, fairs and rides for kids, and of course, beers served at beer halls.

To give you a taste of Oktoberfest, here is a list of a few of the best beer tents:

Schottenhammel Tent
One of the oldest tents in Oktoberfest, this is the place to party for young people. The mayor of Munich declares the opening of Oktoberfest by tapping the first keg of beer here.

Hofbräuhaus Beer Tent
This colorful beer tent is famous among tourists, especially Americans.

Hacker Pschorr Beer Tent
Hacker is one of the largest beer tents, with a 10,000 person capacity, this tent is famous for its blue skies and white clouds ceiling. This is also a great venue to watch rock bands perform at night.

Of course, these are just a few suggestions. Who would know better but a local? And who would that be— your future home exchange partner! Asking your home exchange partner for any events and places to watch out for will definitely make your Oktoberfest experience a lot better. Home exchanging saves you money instead of checking into hotels (so that you could spend more on beer!) plus avoids the hassle of not getting a hotel reservation since there are lots of tourists coming in for the feast.