Party in New Orleans, Louisiana during Mardi Gras

If you’ve never been to New Orleans, Louisiana for Mardi Gras then did you ever truly live? Drinking starts at 9 in the morning, strolling the streets while shouting for beads from floats, and maybe seeing a pair of boobs or two… that sums up Mardi Gras in New Orleans. But, if that’s not for you – no worries, there’s more! Keep reading and come Party in New Orleans, Louisiana during Mardi Gras!

What is Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is a famous celebration in New Orleans, Louisiana that attracts tourists from all over the world ready to laissez les bons temps rouler (let the good times roll) with the New Orleanians through the city streets.

If you think Mardi Gras is just about partying, well then you are partially right. Mardi Gras is always before Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent. Historically Mardi Gras is about indulging in all of rich, fatty foods before the Lent sacrifices and fasting begins the next day.

Nowadays in New Orleans Mardi Gras is a celebration with many aspects! As I mentioned before there is a ton of drinking and partying which can be very fun. My favorite part of Mardi Gras is listening to the school marching bands passing in the parades. There are also local dance groups, beautifully decorated floats, and at some of the bigger parades celebrity Grand Marshalls have been featured. People like Lionel Richie, Steven Tyler, Carrie Underwood, Robin Thicke, and more have reigned over some krewes in the past!

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Where to go and stay?

If you are flying in for the celebrations, the New Orleans airport is MSY and located in Kenner, Louisiana just west of the city.

Some of the three popular hotels to stay at in New Orleans are Hotel Monteleone, Bourbon Orleans Hotel, and International House Hotel.

Hotel Monteleone – Located in the French Quarter and less than half a mile from Bourbon Street, this hotel is the perfect location to stay during Mardi Gras.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel – Also located in the French Quarter, this hotel is a beautifully restored historic hotel with a pool.
International House Hotel – Located a little further away from the hustle and bustle of Bourbon Street, but still in a great location near Canal Street with an excellent restaurant.

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Check out my YouTube video: Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana for a visual of what festival season in New Orleans looks like. Keep reading below for all of details of what to do, when to do it, and where! And don’t forget to Subscribe!

Before you go

Make sure before you head to New Orleans you download the Parade Tracker app (iPhone app link). This app gives you a full schedule of all of the parades, their routes, and once the parades start you can see where the beginning is in real-time.

Parades

The celebrations aren’t just one day in New Orleans. Parades start a couple of weekends before leading up to Mardi Gras Day. Make sure you check out the app I mentioned above to see the years full schedule and plan accordingly.

The major New Orleans parades to me starts on the Thursday evening before Mardi Gras. Following 2 other parades, the Krewe of Muses is a unique parade. While they do have the typical throws, Muses is famous for throwing high heel shoes. If that sounds weird, it’s because it is! Check out their site to learn more of this unique Krewe.

The Friday following Muses is 3 more parades, the Krewe’s of Hermes, d’Etat, and Morpheus. Saturday are a couple of parades starting during the day, but my favorite is the Krewe of Endymion. The Krewe of Endymion is one of the largest parades and ends in the Super Dome for only those with tickets to enjoy the show by a celebrity performer, typically the Grand Marshall of the parade.

Sunday also has many parades throughout the day, but ends with the Krewe of Bacchus another major parade in New Orleans. Monday is famous for the Krewe of Orpheus which leads us to Mardi Gras Day!! Parades start at 8 AM on Mardi Gras Day, but don’t worry, once the parades are over head on over to Bourbon St. to keep the party going all day long.

Mardi Gras Alternatives

If this is new news for you… Mardi Gras in New Orleans isn’t exactly 100% kid friendly. But, don’t let that stop you! I’ve gone to parades growing up my whole life and I’ve always had the best times. I didn’t always go to the city for parades. When it was just me, my mom, and sister, she would take us to parades just outside of New Orleans in Metairie. They are a little less crazy, more family friendly, and equally the same amount of fun.

Metairie is a town just outside of New Orleans and has it’s own parades throughout the season. If you download the parade tracker app mentioned above the schedule will also list out the parades offered, their times, and routes.

Don't forget to try a famous King Cake while in New Orleans during Mardi Gras!

What else is there to do in New Orleans?

Mardi Gras Dictionary

New Orleans is sort of a different world by itself, add these Fat Tuesday festivites into the mix and you might be a little confused. Below is a little break down of some Mardi Gras words you might hear thrown around the city.

Mardi Gras

As already mentioned, Mardi Gras translated from French means Fat Tuesday.

Lundi Gras

Similarly to Mardi Gras, Lundi Gras is the day before, Fat Monday.

Throws

Throws are any items that are thrown from the parade floats. They include beads, doubloons, stuffed animals, and more!

Floats

Mardi Gras parades are made up of floats. Floats are a sort of decorated trailer/bus, but fancier, typically pulled by tractors or the heads of 18 wheelers. This is where the Krewes ride and throw their throws.

"Laizzes Le Bon Ton Roulez"

A saying known around New Orleans translated to “Let the Good Times Roll”.

King Cake

King Cakes, also known as my favorite thing in the world, comes in many different flavors with purple, gold, and green sprinkles or icing around the cake. This tradition is a pastry with a plastic baby hidden in one of the pieces. The tradition is the person who gets the baby has to buy the next King Cake.

Krewe

A krewe is any group or organization that host a Mardi Gras ball, ride on a parade float, and participate in social events throughout the year.

Mardi Gras Ball

These balls are exclusive, formal parties hosted by Mardi Gras Krewes for their members with music, costumes, dancing, and more.

Doubloon

Doubloons are a type of throw shaped like coins that commemorate various Krewes.

Looking to see more of Louisiana?

Visiting New Orleans, Louisiana during its festival season and wanting to see more of the beautiful state? Take a day trip just south of the city and visit the Barataria Preserve where Jean Lafitte, a famous pirate, used to navigate the famous Louisiana Swamps.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana is an extraordinary experience that has snuck its way onto many people’s travel bucket list. It’s a one of a kind experience in a one of a kind city. Do you plan on making it New Orleans to experience it for yourself? Leave it in the comments below!