It’s chaotic, it’s colorful, and it’s deeply ingrained in the culture of New Orleans, or NOLA. We’re, of course, talking about Mardi Gras, meaning “Fat Tuesday” in French, a riotous carnival celebration that NOLA is especially famous for. It marks the beginning of the Christian season of Lent and is held annually on the day before Ash Wednesday, sometime in the months of February or early March. It might have religious roots, but the festival is a secular celebration now for all, and there are tons of things to do for Mardi Gras. Think everything from enjoying traditional drinks and food, throwing trinkets and beads in the crowds, and dressing up in elaborate masks and costumes to parties, parades, and revelry. It’s no wonder it’s one of the best annual world festivals worth the trip.
Not for nothing is it one of the world’s best carnivals, deeply intertwined with the history and culture of New Orleans. These colorful and unique traditions continue to grow and evolve as the years go by, and while some things to do remain iconic, there are new experiences that get added every year. Here’s a guide on what to do during this vibrant carnival and celebrations in NOLA.
Table of contents
- Explore Bourbon Street
- Stay at Four Points By Sheraton French Quarter
- Celebrate Lundi Gras
- Try King Cake
- Float Along The Mississippi On A Steamboat Cruise
- Take A Guided Tour Of The French Quarter
- Soak In The Tranquility At City Park
- Try the Festival’s Delicacies
- Visit Mardi Gras World
- Attend A Balcony Party
- Watch the Mardi Gras Parades
- What’s the weather like during Mardi Gras?
- If I have limited time, when should I visit during the festival?
- Which is the best hotel with a balcony for watching the parade?
Explore Bourbon Street
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No matter which Travel Guide to Visit New Orleans, LA you see, you’ll see Bourbon Street on it. It’s one of the must-see sights in NOLA, even more so during Mardi Gras. Now, many locals might tell you that you wouldn’t want to spend more than 15 minutes on Bourbon Street, as it’s only meant for college kids and tourists. However, we’d say that Bourbon Street is unmissable and iconic, even if its chaotic, crowded, crazy, and super-wild.
Start your exploration at the end of Bourbon Street (at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar), making your way up, or plan to end there. In fact, this bar, which dates back to the 1700s, is probably America’s oldest structure and is now a bar lit up only by candles. It’s said to be one of the country’s oldest continually operating bars! We got its iconic purple drink and walked to Patrick O’Briens, a multi-room Irish pub famous for its dueling pianos and a great courtyard. P.S.: Don’t miss the Hurricane drink here! The rest of Bourbon Street is much the same, so we certainly recommend it.
Interestingly, Bourbon Street isn’t named after bourbon. Adrien de Pauger, who was the engineer for NOLA’s founder, Frenchman Jean Baptiste Le Moyne, named it for the ruling French Royal family at the time, the House of Bourbon.
Stay at Four Points By Sheraton French Quarter
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If you’re thinking whether there’s a hotel where you could stay while comfortably watching the parades go by in the French Quarter, you’re in luck! Welcome to Four Points By Sheraton French Quarter, where we enjoyed a memorable and wonderful stay during the Fat Tuesday festivities. Why? Because we snagged a room with a balcony that directly overlooked the parade route! Could it get any better? We think not.
One of the French Quarter’s best 5-star hotels, the hotel has a bunch of rooms and suites with Bourbon Street views, but only few of them had balconies. Our Premium Room on the second floor was spacious and luxurious and boasted a balcony with direct Bourbon Street views. Pro tip: bring earplugs and expect a noisy stay! However, the amenities here are top-notch, especially the tropical courtyard and the outdoor pool, complete with a pool bar and loungers. There was even a business center, a gym, a casual cafe, and a grab-and-go breakfast.
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Celebrate Lundi Gras
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The day before Fat Tuesday is called Shrove Monday, or more commonly, Lundi Gras. The day has its own array of festivities and parades that we were thrilled to not have missed watching and experiencing. We watched the mayor give the Kings of Zulu and Rex symbolic control of the city at the Riverwalk’s Annual Lundi Gras. Then, we strolled over to Waldenberg Park to soak in the magic of the Zulu Lundi Gras Festival for even more fun, music, and food. You could also head over to the Marigny if you’re interested in a more avant-garde side of the festivities, with the Feijao, Dead Beans, and Red Beans parades. Ending the day’s, or rather the night’s festivities, are the Krewe of Proteus and the Super Krewe of Orpheus. They certainly got us into a fun Fat Tuesday mode.
Try King Cake
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When in NOLA, eat like a NOLA-nian — well, during Fat Tuesday festivities, at least. The festival is famous for king cake, which are more giant pastries than cakes, and come in a variety of fillings. What’s more, there are even King Cake parties during this time, where everyone brings a cake from a different bakery! If you try three or more cakes, you can even take part in the “who makes the best king cake in town” discussions.
Some of the most delicious king cakes we’ve ever eaten come from Manny Randazzo’s King Cakes, which locals hail as the “best king cake in the state.” This Metairie-based bakery dedicates itself to king cakes and only king cakes and sees long lines when it opens mid-December. Choose from flavors like apple, lemon, pecan praline, strawberry cream cheese, and more, but do go for the traditional ones too.
Win a Super Bowl king cake for this weekend! See Manny Randazzo King Cakes on Facebook for details. pic.twitter.com/5ObRseXBVY
— Manny Randazzo King Cakes (@Manny_Randazzo) January 30, 2014
Float Along The Mississippi On A Steamboat Cruise
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One of the most unique ways to see the city of New Orleans is from the waters of the Mississippi River. We boarded the Steamboat Natchez’ Evening Jazz Cruise, journeying back in time as we listened to the smooth jazz of the Dukes Trio. The two-hour cruise departed from the heart of the French Quarter, taking us around the mighty Mississippi as we soaked in the sights of NOLA while sipping on craft cocktails. What’s more, seating options were available both indoor and on the outdoor decks, and we checked out all four decks for sights. Since we’d chosen the dinner buffet option, we dug into authentic Cajun and Creole food.
Let the good times roll on the Mississippi River during Fat Tuesday, with the Steamboat Natchez Package including a meal, a delicious Fat Tuesday treat, and three alcoholic beverages from their Fat Tuesday Specialty Cocktails Menu on the two-hour cruise.
Take A Guided Tour Of The French Quarter
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We always love taking guided walking tours when we first get to a new city, and NOLA has some really great neighborhoods for a walking tour. One of our most favorite neighborhoods to do so is the French Quarter. Whether you’re interested in haunted tours, food tours, or even history ones, the French Quarter has everything.
One such tour we indulged in was the French Quarter Walking and Storytelling Tour, a small, personalized group tour for more intimate adventures through the French Quarter. We’d hear music floating through every block we walked even as our local guide regaled us with stories of the neighborhood. We not only visited iconic landmarks like Jackson Square and the Mississippi River, but also the 18th-19th century homes and structures where NOLA’s Creole heart still beats.
Taking the tour made sense since we were also staying in one of the French Quarter’s best boutique hotels, Hotel Le Marais. We loved the heated swimming pool, a gorgeous lushly landscaped courtyard, a fitness center, a common lounge, free Wi-Fi, and gorgeous, spacious rooms and suites.
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Soak In The Tranquility At City Park
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We wanted a break from all the Bourbon Street and French Quarter madness during Fat Tuesday. Since we were looking for some peace and tranquility after all the partying, we made our way to City Park, one of the oldest urban parks in the country. Spanning 1,300 acres huge, this lush green park was a wonderful respite from all the chaos of Mardi Gras. We strolled through the grounds and admired the tranquil ponds and lovely live oaks, and we felt as if we’d left the city behind.
What’s more, there are many activities to indulge in at City Park, but our absolute favorite was the Besthoff Sculpture Garden. Home to some thought-provoking and truly impressive art, the garden was free to enter and enjoy as well. However, do note that Besthoff is shut on the Saturday before Fat Tuesday (Endymion Saturday), Lundi Gras (the Monday before Fat Tuesday), and Fat Tuesday itself
Try the Festival’s Delicacies
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One of the best things to do during Fat Tuesday celebrations is wanting to eat delicacies all the time. What’s great is that we found everything to eat right in the French Quarter, which was perfect since this is high-traffic week. From seafood and soul food to Creole and Cajun food, NOLA has it all.
You can’t be in NOLA during Fat Tuesday without going to Cafe Du Monde and eating a cafe au lait or a beignet — or three? However, this 24-hour world-famous bakery will have long lines, so expect long lines, especially during peak hours. If you like shorter lines, head to Cafe Beignet; or, you could do both!
The heart of the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, is famed for its historic architecture, vibrant nightlife, colorful and lively atmosphere, and a diverse range of restaurants and bars. It’s here that we tried a ton of local delicacies like po’boys and gumbo, besides beignets, of course.
Visit Mardi Gras World
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Since we’re staunch culture vultures, we wanted to know everything about the rich history and other cultural traditions surrounding the festival. And there’s no place better than Mardi Gras World to do so. This unique 300,000-sq-ft-huge warehouse museum sits in the historic French Quarter and is the place of designing and building floats for the festival. But that’s not all. The museum also houses masks and costumes and delves into the history and evolution of the festival, along with the significance of every element of the celebration.
That being said, museum isn’t just a collection of artifacts – it felt more of an immersive experience that transported us straight into the heart of the age-old celebrations. We even saw the behind-the-scenes of the intricate process of designing the floats and learnt all about the secret societies that organized the parades.
Attend A Balcony Party
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One of the best ways to enjoy a Fat Tuesday parade away from the crowds and yet being able to watch it is getting on a balcony. Confused? All along the parade route, some restaurants and bars have balconies where you can get on, enjoy drinks and food, and watch the parade. However, some of the hottest tickets are the ticketed balcony parties, which include buffets/drinks/food in the ticket price, with some even including beads and trinkets to throw into the parade and the crowd below.
Of the most popular balcony parties that comes highly recommended is Bourbon Vieux, which is Bourbon Street’s largest balcony and overlooks the wildest bit of the parade. The package here includes a live music performance, gourmet cuisine reflecting authentic French Quarter flavors, and a premium open bar. The only thing is that you need to choose from eight available time slots.
“We’d never attended a balcony party, so we were thrilled to be experiencing NOLA’s most amazing festival this way!”
WOW Travel
Insider tip: If you’re looking for a free Bourbon Street balcony that’s also not too crowded and is easily accessible, head to the second floor of the Cat’s Meow Karaoke bar!
Watch the Mardi Gras Parades
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The best thing to do during Mardi Gras is, of course, watch the amazing parades. Called “Krewes,” they’re a huge, if not main, part of the festival, with the major ones leading up to Fat Tuesday. These vibrant and colorful parades see participants donning flamboyant costumes and tossing trinkets and beads into the cheering crowd. The energy and music are infectious, and it’s impossible not to get caught up in the festivities and the vibe.
While French Quarter and Downtown is where all the madness is, Uptown St. Charles St is a more family-oriented, less crowded area to attend parades. While the main parades don’t go down Bourbon Street, a few smaller walking parades do indeed. What’s more, parades beginning Uptown take 2–3 hours to reach Downtown at the minimum, sometimes even longer. Moreover, every parade has more than 20–30 floats, with other entourage like marching bands in between.
Finally, choosing the best parade can be tough, since there are so many exciting and unique options to choose from. Some of the most popular, crowd-pleasing options include the Krewe of Bacchus and Endymion, who’re known for their celeb guests and massive creative and colorful floats. The Krewe of Rex is ideal for getting a taste of NOLA’s history, while the all-female Krewe of Muses is another highlight.
What’s the weather like during Mardi Gras?
During the festival, the weather can fluctuate between very warm and very cold, sometimes even during the same day. So, it’s best to layer your clothes.
If I have limited time, when should I visit during the festival?
That would be the weekend before Fat Tuesday, which is when the season’s two biggest parades, Endymion and Bacchus roll down the streets.
Which is the best hotel with a balcony for watching the parade?
Aside from Four Points by the Sheraton, there are some common balcony areas at The Intercontinental and Lafayette Hotels on St. Charles. Plus, other hotels with balconies include Royal Sonesta, and Bourbon Orleans.
