| General Information: Hotels.
Plan ahead: Most of the Central Business District and French Quarter
hotels require 4 or 5-day minimum stays, and they steadily book blocks
of rooms beginning in August.
Of note -- hotels on the
actual parade routes are usually lower-priced because they're not in
the French Quarter where most tourists believe they must stay.
Transportation. Plan your transportation! If
you are driving in for the day from a suburban hotel, remember that
the French Quarter during Mardi Gras weekend is closed to vehicular
traffic. Only French Quarter residents and hotel guests with special
parking passes can get by the police barricades. Off-site commercial
parking lots are expensive and fill up fast, so get there early!
It is a good idea to get a map
of the city, and study the areas you'll be visiting. New Orleans is a
"checker board city"--safe neighborhoods can be within blocks of
unsafe areas. Your hotel concierge or front desk can help you with
route times, traffic and parking.
Watch our for parking tickets! Do not double-park or park in
driveways, on neutral grounds (medians), in front of water hydrants,
within 15 feet of curb corners, too far from the curb, or on the
Parade route within 3 hours of a parade!
Police. Respect the police! These
guys are overworked during Carnival. They are the world's best at
crowd control, and during Mardi Gras they have to be tolerant of
usually unacceptable behavior. Long shifts, Parade Duty, drunks,
traffic accidents, lost kids, fights, rowdy crowds, nuisance
complaints and a myriad of other incidents keep them busy 24 hours a
days.
It's okay to consume beer openly on the streets as long as it's in a
can or cup, no glass or bottles however, there is a drinking age
and it is enforced.
Don't be sassy or contrary. The police on duty have an efficient
system for arresting, booking, and carting off to Central Lock Up. It
keeps them available for street duty, and the troublemakers out of the
way.
Don't get overly drunk, be obnoxious, or behave irrationally in
public; it is not amusing to police, and is a very easy way to get
arrested.
Mardi Gras. Dress in costume! It's the one
season of the year you can dress up as anything imaginable! There are
contests for costumes in every part of the city....and the
crowd-watching is as much fun as the parades! Bring an inexpensive
camera, one you won't fuss over, or need to protect.
Catch Mardi Gras throws! Enjoy jumping up to catch beads, doubloons,
cups, stuffed animals--whatever! Yell at the float riders "Throw me
something, Mister!" Bring a large, sturdy plastic or cloth bag to hold
all the treasure you'll be catching. Be prepared: some people get so
overcome with excitement they will occasionally jump in front of you
to grab what a rider has thrown to you.
French Quarter. Bring the family!
The city and suburban parades are for families. You can bring
blankets and picnic baskets, and get there early to enjoy the day! As
parade time nears, the crowd will gather everywhere, and you'll have
to put up the blanket and ice chest.
Do not take your children to the French Quarter during Mardi Gras!
Those of us who grew up here often felt guilty going to parades once
we were a little older.
Be careful! If you visit the Quarter at night during Mardi Gras, hide
your wallets well -- even the front pocket doesn't work! -- and wear
shoes that can get dirty. Make sure you get a bathroom pass or wear
your wristband if you're staying in a French Quarter hotel.
Have a meeting place! Mardi
Gras is huge, thousands of people are on the street, and it is very
easy to get separated. Make sure everyone knows where to meet in case
anyone gets lost; and give your children note cards with your name,
address, hotel phone numbers, and pre-arranged meeting place on them
just in case.
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