Oktoberfest 2025: where to celebrate in the USA

Lederhosen, liter-large steins of lager and an unsurpassed atmosphere of merriment make Oktoberfest in Munich one of the world鈥檚 most famous events.

Yet you don鈥檛 need to book a trip to Bavaria to get in on the fun. Thanks to past waves of immigrants from Germany and their descendants, some of the most ardent Oktoberfest events take place in small towns across the USA. In these delightful, German-inflected burgs, Old World customs live on through traditional costumes and architecture, music and culture 鈥� and, of course, first-class beer and wurst.

As you gear up to party this fall, consider heading to these six towns that celebrate German culture all over the US.

An inn and hotel with a wooden facade in the German style, framed by a tree displaying fall foliage. — The Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth, Michigan. ehrlif/Shutterstock

1. Frankenmuth, Michigan

2025 details: , September 18鈥�21

Why Frankenmuth? Some 75 miles north of Detroit, Frankenmuth, 鈥� affectionately dubbed 鈥渢he Muth鈥� by locals 鈥� hosts two serious German-inspired festivals: a in August, and an Oktoberfest (which actually takes place in September). Continuing the festive vibe all year long is the 45-acre , said to be the world鈥檚 largest Christmas store. As the fall temperatures sink, head to 鈥檚 enormous 50,000-sq-ft indoor water park, a popular family destination.

People sit at outdoor tables enjoying food and drink on a town street lined with Bavarian-style half-timbered buildings. — Downtown Leavenworth, Washington in summer. Bjorn Bakstad/Getty Images

2. Leavenworth, Washington

2025 details: , weekends between October 3鈥�18

Why Leavenworth? The town of Leavenworth, Washington (population 2400) feels like an alternative universe dreamed up by the Brothers Grimm. In the 1960s, this former lumber town underwent a total Bavarian makeover to restore its crumbling fortunes 鈥� and it worked. With half-timbered houses lining the streets and mountains rising in the background, the town looks more like a filming location for The Sound of Music (admittedly set in Austria, but you get the picture) than a locale in the Pacific Northwest. is a cozy Bavarian-style B&B, and you鈥檒l find spaetzle and accordions galore at the lively .

Red-and-yellow maypoles rise from a wooden fence in front of historic brick buildings. — Traditional German-style maypoles flutter on a street in Amana, Iowa. EWY Media/Shutterstock

3. Amana Colonies, Iowa

2025 details: , October 3鈥�5

Why the Amana Colonies? Just northwest of Iowa City, this string of seven Iowa villages lie along a fun-to-drive 17-mile loop. Amana, East Amana, West Amana, South Amana, High Amana, Middle Amana and Homestead were a religious group that had been persecuted in Germany in the years before the American Civil War. (Unlike the Amish or Mennonite traditions, these communities embraced modern technology 鈥� and even generated a successful refrigerator business that grew into the Amana Corporation, today owned by Whirlpool.) Aside from learning about local culture at a half-dozen museums, including the insightful , it鈥檚 worth coming here for authentically wonderful German meals and a mug of local wheat beer. is a good value B&B that occupies a late-19th-century building in Homestead.

A vineyard on a sloping hill is pictured in front of houses and green trees. — Vineyards near Hermann, Missouri. German immigrants settled in the region thanks to its Rhine-like climate. LanaG/Shutterstock

4. Hermann, Missouri

2025 details: , every weekend in October

Why Hermann? Perched above the Missouri River between Kansas City and St Louis, the site of Hermann was handpicked by German immigrants for its Rhine-like setting and climate. And like the Rhine, this region is : Hermann鈥檚 was one of the . This lovely town 鈥� one of the best reasons to take scenic Hwy 50 instead of I-70 across the 鈥溾€� 鈥� has plenty of B&B options (we love ), and is home to the .

A structure featured tiers of figurines that rotate thanks to a perforated blade on the top of the tower. — A traditional German Christmas pyramid is a major part of holiday celebrations in Fredericksburg, Texas. Steve Heap/Shutterstock

5. Fredericksburg, Texas

2025 details: , October 3鈥�5

Why Fredericksburg? Settled in 1870 by (you guessed it) German immigrants, Fredericksburg is a wonderfully dainty and rewarding destination right between Austin and San Antonio, in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Today, visitors can shop in boutiques that occupy historic Victorian townhouses; take in the area鈥檚 myriad wineries along the popular ; and grab a bite to eat at the Old German Bakery, which serves up standbys like schnitzel and bratwurst. The Pioneer Museum provides an excellent overview of the lifestyle of the early settlers 鈥� which continues to inform the town鈥檚 vibe today.

German-style half-timbered buildings form a square in a mountain town. A sculpture of bear cubs is seen in the foreground of the image. — Helen Square in Helen, Georgia. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

6. Helen, Georgia

2025 details: , September 4 鈥� November 2

Why Helen? Like Leavenworth, the town of Helen in the mountains of north Georgia reinvented itself as a Bavarian-style village as a revitalization strategy. In 1969, local businesses and carpenters, together with a local artist with German roots, got to work transforming this former mill town into the picturesque destination that today draws some 1.5 million visitors annually. And what's not to love about Helen鈥檚 picturesque downtown? (It looks even better after a stein or two of Dunkelweizen, Doppelbock or Pils.) The region is also where are produced, including German-style Rieslings and Gew眉rtztraminers.