Tips and Tricks for Mardi Gras
It's hard to know how to pack and what to expect when you go to something as famous as Mardi Gras. I thought Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday on Bourbon street would be my favorite part, but my favorite part actually turned out to be the parades. The parades that are put on are incredible. I have never seen floats like the ones they put together. Some of them are as detailed and intricate as the Rose Bowl parade floats. Prepare and bring a cloth bag because by the end you will be overflowing with beads and fake gold coins, cups, stuffed animals, etc. Celebrities are often on the floats, and it was fun to see Drew Brees and the Saints pass by. Usually, the parades start two weeks before Mardi Gras, and there is at least one big parade a day sometimes multiple. The largest and best parades take place in the five days leading up to Mardi Gras. If you go to the parades leading up to Mardi Gras, you will have plenty of beads to toss on actual Fat Tuesday. Pay attention because they hurt if you don't catch them, ha.
My best piece of advice for Mardi Gras is spending the money to get into a party on a balcony on Bourbon Street for Fat Tuesday. Most of these parties have food and alcohol provided, but most importantly they let you be above the craziness, and you have a private bathroom. You can go in and out as you please, but it does get overwhelming and a little bit disgusting to be on the street, so its nice to have a place for a break.
If you end up in the street, you will find yourself wall to wall in people and almost floating with the crowd. Expect to see everything and more than you thought Mardi Gras would be.
My other tips are don't wear your jewelry or anything expensive and always know where you are going in New Orleans. It is really easy to stray off Bourbon a few too many streets and end up in neighborhoods you don't want to be in, this goes not just for Mardi Gra, but every time you visit. Keep an eye on your belongings and your surroundings.
Wear flat shoes! The streets are often wet, and smell of a mix of urine and vomit, and you do not want to have good shoes getting ruined in it. They are also uneven, and you can plan on doing a lot of walking during Mardi Gras, since so many roads are shut down for the parades. Besides costumes and body paint, most people were just in normal clothing.
Enjoy. I am glad I went once for the experience. It has a very cool history and its fun to see how much the locals get into it. The elementary school kids get days off to experience the parades. It is much more than just the actual Mardi Gra party on Bourbon; it is good food, great history, and a celebration of what makes New Orleans special.
