When you make an itinerary, you create expectations...and when you're expectations are as high as mine, things tend to fall short. So, after I made my initial itinerary (before we even had confirmation on the hotel room) I just stopped thinking about it. I didn't imagine how fun it would be or what a wonderful time we would have. I just put it from mind. This must have worked well, because it was so much fun! If you want to borrow my itinerary, you can view the PDF here. I've changed it from the original to incorporate all the things I've learned since.
It was a grown-up trip to be sure...we spent more time drinking in our hotel room over card games than we did partying at the bars, but it was perfect that way. We didn't really know much about Hermann going in, so we learned somethings along the way...
1. When making a reservation during Oktoberfest, you should start looking three months in advance. I started a month before and EVERYTHING was booked. One day I just got lucky and picked-up someone's cancellation.
2. Be sure your bed and breakfast or inn are downtown, within walking distance of Schiller or Market street. You can walk to most of the dinner and shopping places (and even a winery) if you're staying near by.
3. If you're a bit of a home-body, bring card games and booze. Or stop by the gas station on your way in to pick-up some of the local wines! Cards Against Humanity is a MUST. It's a dirty version of Apples to Apples and it's free to download online! I spent my last 20 minutes at work on Friday printing and cutting them and it was so worth it! We had a great time in the hotel room...I mean...look at these shenanigans:
4. Pack for the weather and for walking. During October, the weather can be finicky, so I suggest layers. I went with a long-sleeved shirt and a vest. It was perfect for the morning and night, but during the day when it was warmer, I could go without the vest and be fine too. Boots, in case of rain or muddy ground is helpful as well. You aren't in the grass much (even on the winery tours) but it's better to be safe than...in heels.
5. The Arts & Crafts Heritage Festival is a bust. It was on the website as something to do and I thought it might be a good way to start the morning before we hit the wineries, but it wasn't. The word "heritage" was misleading, because most of the crafts were just cheesy little trinkets that weren't worth a Pinterest pin.
6. Don't always believe what your sketchy inn tells you. We stayed at the "Vinchester Inn"...where they apparently aren't creative enough to come up with a real German word. There wasn't anyone at the front desk the entire time. Swear. When we arrived, we picked up our key from the lobby desk and when we left we just left the key there. It was a pretty affordable place compared to some of the nicer B&Bs, but it was a good place for a couple of post-college kids on a budget. Anyway, the Vinchester Inn website said they had a continental breakfast...which was NOT true. They had coffee and a mini-frig full of juice boxes. So, Saturday morning, Aaron and I walked to get donuts. Another plus of our good location!
7. The trolley is great! While shopping, restaurants, the Tin Mill Brewery and Hermannhof are within walking distance, the other wineries are not. For $15 a day, the trolley will pick you up from anywhere and take you anywhere (well, to your residence or a winery). BUT, someone should tell you, you can't take the trolley to the Adam Puchta Winery during Oktoberfest. Apparently, the trolleys block up parking or can't turn around or something, but either way...not knowing that, might put a kink in your itinerary.
8. Prepare for a picnic. So, apparently, what you do at a winery, is bring your own food and glasses and buy a bottle of wine and just camp out for the day. Which is so fun, if you know to bring those things. When packing, don't forget to include: picnic basket or tote bag, crackers, cheese, fruit, snacks, plastic wine glasses, corkscrew, knife, etc. Otherwise, you'll end up buying wine glasses and slicing your cheese with a gift card...pathetic...or innovative?
9. One winery tour and tasting is enough. But definitely do one! We did the Stone Hill Winery tour and tasting, since Jordan had a coupon!! But the tour is only $2.50 and the tasting is free. Anyway, I really enjoyed it. It's a short and sweet little trek through the wine cellars and near the vineyards, but it's cool to do. The wine tasting, my first one ever...was AWESOME. I am certainly not a wine connoisseur, so being able to try a little sip of all them was great. What a great way to market your product, now I know what wine I like and I'll buy a bottle on my way out! Also, Stone Hill has a neat little restaurant too, so if you time everything right, you can just stick around for dinner.
10. Definitely go to the Pumpkin Patch at Pin Oaks. We were skeptical at first since it's a field in the middle of nowhere New Haven and you can't see any pumpkins from the road. But you climb onto a trailer and a tractor pulls you out to a pumpkin field. They had a great selection of big pumpkins, green pumpkins, white pumpkins, little squashes, etc. We didn't stay long for the pony ride or pool of corn kernels, but it was a pretty kid-friendly place too!
We had a great time and I can't wait to go back next year. I think I'd be ok with skipping out on Oktoberfest, since we were such homebodies anyways. I certainly would've enjoyed a few less people around and I'd like to have a little better pick of a cool B&B to stay at instead. Not to mention, prices on everything are a little higher for the holiday and I just don't think it's worth it.
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