My wife and I want to spend 2 to 3 weeks in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. We've read the books and now we want to hear some first hand experiences and recomendations about where to stay, what to look out for and where to eat. Is 3 weeks too long to stay in one place? What are the best weeks to be there? Is it easy enough to hire a car once we're there? Where should we drive out to when we've had enough of the partying? Any information would be good. Thanks.

I hesitate to respond as it has been ages since we lived in New Orleans...BUT...two thoughts.

Yes, in 3 weeks you will be sick and tired of New Orleans. That is a long time to see an area that is pretty compact. Though you can find wonderful places to eat every night of those 3 weeks, the city can be done extremely well in a matter of days.

Secondly, we always felt that Mardi Gras, though fun in itself, was the very worst time to see the city if you've never been there, and if you really wanted to get a good feel for it. Mardi Gras season actually extends from January to Ash Wednesday, with parades and balls increasing in frequency and importance the closer you get to "the day". Participation in the balls is restricted to members of Krewes. The season is most active from the weekend before Ash Wednesday until Mardi Gras Day, then it all comes to a grinding halt. During this period though, the city is packed, hotels jammed, restaurants jammed and getting anywhere is extremely difficult. My husband worked at two pretty nice hotels in the Quarter, the Royal Sonesta and the Royal Orleans, and in the case of both, all management had to work Mardi Gras day for the sole purpose of protecting the hotel from the revellers. Mardi Gras day is pretty much a drunken bash--a real eye opener if you've never seen it, but...is this what you want?

I live near New Orleans & have grown up there. Much as I love the area I do think 3 weeks is a bit long. My advice is if you have access to a car then make a trip of it to surrounding areas.
First tell us where you're coming from & how you're getting here. Renting a car is easy. There are places at the airport. Parking in the city is a problem especially at Mardi Gras. Many hotels charge for their off street parking & finding free parking on the street is difficult at any time. You don't need a car while staying in the city. Public transportation is plentiful.
Then what do you like to do?
Remember that Mardi Gras is March 4, 2003. It will probably be cool but you never know. A lot of surrounding places for touring might not be as pretty as in later spring. I always like a side trip to the Gulf Coast to see Bellingrath Gardens if you like flowers. The plantation tours are nice too. Lafayette has Vermillionville which is a restored Acadian village. All of these could be overnight trips to break up the 3 weeks. I would suggest starting in New Orleans, making a few trips around the area & then winding up back there to revisit favorite places or catch the ones that you missed.
Mardi Gras is usually very crowded & all the tourist grabbers are on display. If you want a true sense of New Orleans then Mardi Gras might not be the time to come. It is nice during Spring Fiesta which is a bit later in March(28-30). Here is some info on that.
"Spring Fiesta is a daylong series of events designed to entertain, educate, and allow all to revel in the cultural heritage that is uniquely New Orleans. The Festival includes a parade of horse-drawn carriages through the French Quarter and a presentation of the Spring Fiesta Queen and her court at Jackson Square. Tours of plantations, private homes, and courtyards complete the remainder of the week-long activities."

I hope you have a great visit whenever you come. Just come with an open mind & heart & be prepared to experience a range of emotions. The food is wonderful in its variety, the music will overwhelm you, & the people will amaze you. It is truly an experience that touches all your senses... especially the sense of humor!

Andrew,
I went to MArdi Gras Last year and the year before. Coming from the DC area, I was ready for anything but I was still shocked. It was great fun but we were there for about 4 days at a time. There is a casino there so if I were there for 3 weeks, I'd spend my time there. I got tired of the Bourbon street scene after 3 days. Besides, you ruin a pair of shoes each time you go down there because of all the trash. It is fun to watch for a few days but I think 3 weeks is a bit much. I have also been to Baton Rouge which is about an hour or so North but not much going on there either except of course, casinos.....

I go down to Mardi Gras every year now because of some great people we met that do the annual bash. 2-3 weeks is definitely too long, however. If you're into the wild, partyin' scene, it's fine for a few days. Make sure you spend a few days after Fat Tuesday because it lightens up and you can experience the French Quarter in a whole different way! We stay at the Omni Royal which is one block away from Bourbon Street so you're not up all night. It's a great place and the staff bends over backwards (even during Mardi Gras) to make you happy there. It's also a good place to take a break, fill up your drinks, go to the bathroom and head back out on the streets again. You don't want to have to deal with trying to cross Canal Street while parades are going on so it was a great location for that too. Mardi Gras is what you make it and there are many ways to make the experience better. The first time I went, we had it after two days until we met our new friends who showed us the ropes. The whole MArdi Gras experience changed and it is now fun to explore new places in the Quarter every year. I would check out Mardi Gras for 4-5 days and then head elsewhere for something else. This year, it was too cold for swamp tours/boat cruises but next year it is later and should be better if you're into that.

We love New Orleans and go once or twice a year. But we have never been to Mardi Gras and probably never will. Our favorite part of New Orleans is the French Quarter, but not really the Bourbon Street part. From what I understand, the whole French Quarter turns into "Bourbon Street" for Mardi Gras, meaning the wild party atmosphere bleeds over to all other areas.

Don't get me wrong. I believe doing Bourbon Street at night is a must do for all first timers (in non-Mardi Gras seasons). But that's certainly not all there is to New Orleans or even to the Quarter.

Yes, 3 weeks is a bit long. I would enjoy a leisurely week and a half staying in the French Quarter and taking short trips to the other neighborhoods and attractions (Algiers Point, Garden District, Audobon Zoo, swamp tours, plantations, etc.). And I would leave wanting more ... particularly because there are only 3 meals in a day! The food in New Orleans is the best!

We often go in March AFTER Mardi Gras. Last year was cold, but usually it's quite nice in March. I hear October is another great time to go.

If you do plan to stay that long, why not do some hotel hopping. Stay in the Quarter one week, the Garden District the next, and the Fauburg Marigny the third week.

We were in NO in early march this year after Mardi gras. We enjoyed Commanders's Palace , Peristyle, Mr. B's Bistro, and Upperline. Brennan's was and interesting and expensive experience-$38 for eggs. I's say i week would be enough. For a hotle close but not in the quarter we would recommend The International House One block from canal street. Have a great time.