Mardi Gras - New Orleans
Discussion
I'm in the very early stages of planning a trip to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. It's for 2025, so lots of time to book ahead. It will be part of a longer trip to the US. It will just be me and my wife - no kids or anything like that to worry about.
I'd be very interested in any recommendations for hotels, restaurants and the best way to see the parades. From the scant research I've done so far, it looks like a week in a centrally located hotel - possibly on the edge of the French Quarter - from the Wednesday before to Ash Wednesday is a good amount of time to be there, and it's probably not worth having a hire car during that time.
I suspect that a hotel room overlooking the parades will be very expensive, and also probably not the best way to really get the feel of the event. It also looks like there are balconies as part of bars / restaurants that might be worth booking once or twice.
TIA
I'd be very interested in any recommendations for hotels, restaurants and the best way to see the parades. From the scant research I've done so far, it looks like a week in a centrally located hotel - possibly on the edge of the French Quarter - from the Wednesday before to Ash Wednesday is a good amount of time to be there, and it's probably not worth having a hire car during that time.
I suspect that a hotel room overlooking the parades will be very expensive, and also probably not the best way to really get the feel of the event. It also looks like there are balconies as part of bars / restaurants that might be worth booking once or twice.
TIA
It might be worth deciding at this stage whether it is Mardi Gras you want to see, or New Orleans itself. I've not been while MG is on, because it will be absolutely crammed.
For somewhere to stay, there is the Hotel Monteleone on Royal Street, a lovely old place with its revolving bar. Royal is one of the quieter streets, with art galleries and restaurants, but that will still have parts cordoned off for musicians to turn up and play. Bourbon Street is loud and a bit scuzzy (my impression only), though in the morning you can have breakfast at the Cafe Beignet, with live music.
The last time we went, we stayed at the Hotel Provincial in the northern part of the French Quarter, which was good; that location was nearer the clubs on Frenchman Street.
The food, the music, paddleboat ride on the Mississippi, the WW2 museum, eating Bananas Foster on Canal Street, Jackson Square (where there are exhibitions on Hurricane Katrina and Mardi Gras if you change your mind about going at that time), taking a streetcar to the Garden district - you have so much to look forward to.
For somewhere to stay, there is the Hotel Monteleone on Royal Street, a lovely old place with its revolving bar. Royal is one of the quieter streets, with art galleries and restaurants, but that will still have parts cordoned off for musicians to turn up and play. Bourbon Street is loud and a bit scuzzy (my impression only), though in the morning you can have breakfast at the Cafe Beignet, with live music.
The last time we went, we stayed at the Hotel Provincial in the northern part of the French Quarter, which was good; that location was nearer the clubs on Frenchman Street.
The food, the music, paddleboat ride on the Mississippi, the WW2 museum, eating Bananas Foster on Canal Street, Jackson Square (where there are exhibitions on Hurricane Katrina and Mardi Gras if you change your mind about going at that time), taking a streetcar to the Garden district - you have so much to look forward to.
Never been for Mardi Gras but I’ve been to New Orleans a lot, sometimes staying in the French quarter sometimes just outside. You categorically do not need or want a car in NOLA it’s very walkable/uberable and parking is extortionate. Driving into the French Quarter is an act of pure insanity, I learned this the hard way. If you’re driving in from elsewhere there are some city centre rental locations to drop the vehicle off but failing that taxis from the airport are fixed price and cheaper than Uber.
Last time we went we stayed at the Cambria. A nice new hotel, very reasonably priced vs the French quarter hotels and a ten minute walk into the heart of the FQ.
Restaurants. Well where to begin? It’s a foodie city and we must have dined at several dozen different places. If you’ve got any specific tastes I’ll do my best to point you in the right direction. Failing that I’m also good friends with a guy who spent years doing cycling food tours of the city and is a native so can always ask him for any personalised recommendations on your behalf.
Last time we went we stayed at the Cambria. A nice new hotel, very reasonably priced vs the French quarter hotels and a ten minute walk into the heart of the FQ.
Restaurants. Well where to begin? It’s a foodie city and we must have dined at several dozen different places. If you’ve got any specific tastes I’ll do my best to point you in the right direction. Failing that I’m also good friends with a guy who spent years doing cycling food tours of the city and is a native so can always ask him for any personalised recommendations on your behalf.
I went to NOLA in 2015, not for the Mardi Gras, but as part of a 3 stop tour (Miami, New Orleans & Mexico). New Orleans is a foodie paradise, so don't worry about getting meals anywhere, there's plenty of choice. We stayed just outside the French Quarter in an AirBnb chalet home. It was beautifully decorated in a French traditional style and the hostess was wonderful, very welcoming and friendly. It was a great neighbourhood and all the locals were polite and helpful. Uber is the way to travel around and there's music going on at every turn. Highly recommend it.
My stay was not during Mardi Gras but I would say that any of the hotels on Bourbon St will be fine if you want to people watch on a balcony. I think i stayed at the crown plaza when I was there.
I expect that it's going to be extra bonkers during Mardi Gras because it's bonkers all year around so I hope that you enjoy crowds and don't mind getting no sleep. I had a guy with what sounded like a tuba right below my hotel room window for the duration of the evening. He was merciless.
I expect that it's going to be extra bonkers during Mardi Gras because it's bonkers all year around so I hope that you enjoy crowds and don't mind getting no sleep. I had a guy with what sounded like a tuba right below my hotel room window for the duration of the evening. He was merciless.
alabbasi said:
My stay was not during Mardi Gras but I would say that any of the hotels on Bourbon St will be fine if you want to people watch on a balcony. I think i stayed at the crown plaza when I was there.
I expect that it's going to be extra bonkers during Mardi Gras because it's bonkers all year around so I hope that you enjoy crowds and don't mind getting no sleep. I had a guy with what sounded like a tuba right below my hotel room window for the duration of the evening. He was merciless.
Which is why staying in the French quarter during any sort of festivity is a bad idea. It’s a noisy place at its quietest as you say. I expect that it's going to be extra bonkers during Mardi Gras because it's bonkers all year around so I hope that you enjoy crowds and don't mind getting no sleep. I had a guy with what sounded like a tuba right below my hotel room window for the duration of the evening. He was merciless.
I cannot overstate how much I think staying on Bourbon Street is a bad idea. It’s the worst street in the FQ, aside from the noise it’s also the filthiest street and worst for decent bars with most of it now taken up with frozen cocktail places and a lot of neon lighting.
Thanks for the input so far.
Planning hasn't really advanced much, but I've ordered 2 guide books on New Orleans and they'll be here tomorrow.
Definitely not going to have a hire car whilst we're there. It's going to be the middle week of a 3 week holiday. The first week will be a road trip and the last week will be a condo on a beach, so I'm quite happy for the week in New Orleans to be pretty full on. We'll have a hire car for weeks 1 and 3, but definitely no hire car in New Orleans.
I totally take on board that where we stay needs very careful planning, and that noise could be a problem. There's going to be a fine balance between being close to the action and being too close to the action.
Planning hasn't really advanced much, but I've ordered 2 guide books on New Orleans and they'll be here tomorrow.
Definitely not going to have a hire car whilst we're there. It's going to be the middle week of a 3 week holiday. The first week will be a road trip and the last week will be a condo on a beach, so I'm quite happy for the week in New Orleans to be pretty full on. We'll have a hire car for weeks 1 and 3, but definitely no hire car in New Orleans.
I totally take on board that where we stay needs very careful planning, and that noise could be a problem. There's going to be a fine balance between being close to the action and being too close to the action.
When we go to New Orleans, we stay at the Chateau Le Moyne which is on Dauphine St in the French Quarter.
It's one street (block) away from Bourbon Street & at the Canal Street end of the quarter.
Close enough for all the action but quiet enough to actually get some sleep.
It's a boutique hotel, nice balcony rooms & you wouldn't know it;s a Holiday Inn.
I normally use my IHG Group points but it's not that expensive.
https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/new-or...
It's one street (block) away from Bourbon Street & at the Canal Street end of the quarter.
Close enough for all the action but quiet enough to actually get some sleep.
It's a boutique hotel, nice balcony rooms & you wouldn't know it;s a Holiday Inn.
I normally use my IHG Group points but it's not that expensive.
https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/new-or...
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