With classic half-timbered buildings and a backdrop of snowy peaks, Leavenworth, Washington looks like it could be set in Bavaria. In the 1960s, this historic logging town was rebuilt to resemble a village in southern Germany, and while it’s a popular spot throughout the year, it’s really at its best during Oktoberfest. Expect live oompah bands and dancing, ceremonial keg-tapping, and a range of locally made brews on draft, this celebration is the Pacific Northwest’s premier Oktoberfest event.

Denver hosts the Great American Beer Festival each fall, and Oktoberfest rounds out the festivities in suds-swinging style. And while it may not have as many of the traditional German trappings as some others around the country, what it lacks in lederhosen, it makes up for with events such as keg-rolling and stein-hoisting contests, live music, and beers made by world-class craft breweries. Consider booking a Denver pub crawl, many of which pass by the historic Daniels and Fisher Tower.

The best Oktoberfest in Wisconsin is Oktoberfest U.S.A., held in La Crosse every year since 1961. It's a bona fide institution born out of the region’s longstanding German heritage. Though it only runs for one weekend, the festival’s carnival-like attractions include several parades, lederhosen games, bands, fireworks, and, of course, plenty of beer (including the traditional and craft varieties). Once you visit, you’ll see why this festival earned the nickname “Das Beste.”

The German heritage in Fredericksburg is evident everywhere from its Historic District to its “Polka Capital of Texas” nickname. It also holds an unmissable annual Oktoberfest. Tuba music serenades festivalgoers as they arrive, waltz and yodeling contests pay tribute to tradition, and a communal chicken dance offers a family-friendly way to let loose. And, because this is Texas, you’ll find plenty of Shiner beer, another homage to the area’s German history.

For an Oktoberfest to remember, head to Cincinnati—err, sorry, Zinzinnati, also known as America's largest Oktoberfest. Every autumn, the Ohio city (a longstanding American brewing hub) transforms into a German outpost, attracting around 700,000 visitors. Of course, there are pretzels, beer, and brats, but don’t miss the "Running of the Wieners," where 100 Dachshunds wearing hotdog costumes race for the title of the city’s fastest dog.

Billed as the longest-running festival of its kind in the nation, Helen, Georgia’s Oktoberfest has been a Southern staple for more than half a century. The event has all the expected fixtures—beer, bands, and brats—but the real star is the town's traditional Bavarian architecture, which makes the festival feel like a storybook spectacular. This Oktoberfest is held on multiple weekends throughout autumn, so there’s plenty of opportunity to don your tracht and celebrate in Helen Square.

Von Trapp Brewing—yes, run by that von Trapp family—has hosted an annual Oktoberfest event in the Vermont mountains for over a decade. It features the brewery’s own exceptionally crafted lagers, Austrian-inspired bites including bratwurst with house mustard and eggplant schnitzel, live music, and other games and activities. At this one-day autumnal celebration, the hills are alive with the sound of Gemütlichkeit.