Holidaying in the Big Easy is a no-brainer for frequent jet setters, primarily for holidaymakers that enjoy partying, food, drink, and music. Being one of the U.S’s biggest bucket-list cities, New Orleans’s name cannot be eradicated from cocktails, voodoo, jazz, and carnival season. The latter is one of the many reasons that approximately 1.4 million visitors flock to the Louisiana city to take part in the weekend-long celebration of Mardi Gras.
A free festival of excess and indulgence for all, if you’re fortunate enough to have booked a visit to New Orleans during the Mardi Gras season or thinking of booking a stay shortly, there are an unbelievable number of ways to celebrate the Mardi Gras experience.
Regardless of how you spend Mardi Gras, you’re bound to have an unforgettable time; however, if you want to heighten your experience, we’ve outlined several unique ideas in this list. Although our list barely starches the surface of what the Big Easy offers during carnival season, our ideas should give you inspiration on what to add to your itinerary in preparation for your visit.
Try A King Cake
New Orleans is an American city home to much history and traditions, one favorite being the Mardi Gras heritage, King Cake. The cake is typically baked in an oval shape and covered with icing. or decorations that are green, yellow, or purple in color.
While the cake is being made into the dough, a plastic baby is placed, and the finder must host next-years King Cake party. During Mardi Gras, thousands of King Cakes are consumed, especially in Louisiana, where the tradition originated. Still, nowadays, you can find and consume King Cakes no matter where you’re located.
Grab A Balcony
Celebrating Mardi Gras from above is considered a separate event altogether. So, if you get the chance, grab a balcony on one of the most famous streets in New Orleans, Bourbon Street. A few of the most popular balconies on Bourbon Street include The Bourbon Vieux, The St. Christopher Hotel, and The Avenue Pub. Balconies fill up fast during the Mardi Gras season, so to better your chance of reserving your space, you could consider staying in a hotel on Bourbon St.
Some of the best hotels on bourbon street include Royal Sonesta, Four Points by Sheraton, Lafitte’s Guest House, and Hyatt Centric French Quarter. Fair warning, hotels in Bourbon St get booked up months in advance leading up to Mardi Gras. So, ensure that you do not delay booking your hotel on Bourbon St using hotel comparison sites and save yourself the disappointment.
Learn About Mardi Gras History
Like most American cities, New Orleans is known for having a rich history, especially when it comes to Mardi Gras. Sadly, many visitors and Americans only recognize the celebrations that Mardi Gras is renowned for and not the history behind the event. So, while exploring what Mardi Gras has to offer, you could consider learning more about its history by visiting one of New Orleans’s museums.
Most popular free (and paid admission) must-see Mardi Gras museums are Germaine Cazenave Wells Mardi Gras Museum, Mardi Gras World, The Presbyrère, the Backstreet Cultural Museum, and the Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Culture. Most of the museums feature a range of exhibits showcasing historical Mardi Gras costumes, vintage photographs, carnival masks, party favors, and much more.
Experience New Orleans’s Cuisine
Another way to participate in the Mardi Gras celebrations is by indulging in New Orleans’s signature Creole-influenced cuisine. A fusion of Creole-inspired Cajun cuisine, seafood, and soul food, visitors flock to New Orleans to experience some of the city’s most popular dishes such as gumbo, crawfish etouffee, jambalaya, beignets, bananas foster, po-boys or beans and rice.
Some of the most popular eateries in New Orleans recommended by both locals and tourists alike are Dooky Chase’s, Mother’s Restaurant, Brennan’s Restaurant, Parkway Bakery & Tavern, Commanders Palace, and many more, where you can find classic New Orleans food staples like those listed above and much more. Whatever your food palette, you can guarantee that the Big Easy has something to suit your tastebuds.
Visit A Graveyard
Admittedly, touring a graveyard may sound like a peculiar way of spending your vacation. However, much like the catacombs of Paris, New Orleans is renowned for having some of the oldest and most beautiful above-ground graveyards.
Plus, not only are Mardi Gras celebrations in full swing out on the streets, but they also find their way into the cemeteries of New Orleans. During the time of year when the iconic, colorful, plastic Mardi Gras beads are in plentiful supply, if you visit a graveyard, you are sure to find them draped over specific gravesites.
In some cases, the citizens of New Orleans will leave beads on the gravesites of those who played pivotal roles in Mardi Gras history, such as Michael Krafft, Joe Cain, Elizabeth Rabby Cain, Marie Laveau, and many more. However, sometimes the reasoning behind leaving Mardi Gras beads on graves has no historical bearing.
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