magellan360

My husband and I are going to NO for Mardi Gras in March of this year. We are a mature couple in our late 50's. What advice do you offer in terms of transportation from the airport during this time, tips for parade routes and do you recommend paid/ reserved platform areas to watch parade. Any and all advise would be helpful.

vjpblovesitaly

Why did you tag all of those unrelated states?

smoot60

I would look to the New Orleans Times Picayune website, NOLA.com for some information. My daughter is at Tulane and I followed Mardi Gras closely last year on their site.

janisj

"Why did you tag all of those unrelated states?"

To clear that up -- it looks like the monitors re-tagged the thread for LA (it originally had 4 other states listed)

mscmkr

I was there for Mardi GRAS in 2009 and used the super shuttle to go from the airport to my hotel and it was perfect. It's a bit pricy but it's convenient. You can use it round trip so they will pick you up at your hotel the day you fly out.
I don't think you need to rent a space to watch the parades at all. I just walked up St Charles until I found a space and sat on the curb until the parade came. It was perfect. Everyone around me was fantastic as well. On Fat Tuesday I walked up Canal and just mixed into the crowd. The people there were so nice. I felt like they adopted me. It was my first Mardi GRAS and they were helping me with catching throws and everything.
You are going to have an amazing time! Enjoy and make sure you get your fill of the food, it's incredible!

rickyb47

The shuttle or cab from the airport will do fine. Cabs are more expensive. Buses can be a problem because of schedules (and because the airport bus only goes downtown on weekdays). I don't know where you're staying or when you'll be in the city, but if you're there on Mardi Gras day, watch the parades on Canal St. If you're in earlier (on the weekend) and want to see the daytime parades, take a cab uptown and watch along St. Charles with the locals. More children and families, fewer drunk college kids (especially this year when Mardi Gras is on many schools' spring break). I live in Baton Rouge and go to NOLA for Saturday parades, then go home, and return on Monday and stay in a hotel until Wednesday. btw -- my wife and I are in our early 60s and have a great time every year.

jomagpie

I don't know if this is wrong (since this is a Fodors website) but I found this parade route map on the Frommer's website, lol

http://www.frommers.com/images/desti...raderoutes.jpg

ccolor

For two or more people a cab is the most economical and quickest. Shuttles stop at separate hotels for everybody on board so you may have quite a trip during that time of year - Grab a cab and be at your hotel in 20-30 minutes.

Littleman

There will be cabs at the AP waiting in line for passengers. But call United if you prefer. One way cab is $33.00.

UNITED CAB @ 1634 Euterpe Street, New Orleans, LA 504 - 522 - 9771 or 504 - 524 - 9606.
.http://www.unitedcabs.com/

janisj

The OP hasn't been back to the thread - has probably moved on to some other site . . .