Prelim research for a big trip to New Orleans.

[uhockey]

Hi all, plenty of posts elsewhere but none on the NO front. At the time I'm planning a trip to New Orleans in late January/early February but wanted some input first.

#1) I'm not a drinker/partier, but I've always wanted to see Mardi Gras in person just to experience the craziness. That said, I don't want the festival to make my first trip to the city unenjoayble from a epicurian standpoint. Are the major restaurants open during Mardi Gras and if so, are they easy to get reservations at (provided significantly advanced notice?)

#2) Is the city navigable by foot/public transport during Mardi Gras? Walking is never an issue for me, I put about 50 miles under my feet in a 3 day visit to SF and about 60 in 4 days in NYC - I find it the best way to see the culture, find "hole in the wall" foodie stops, etc.

#3) Aside from King Cake, any other culinary treats that are more commonly available at Mardi Gras than other times of the year?

-- I realize that for someone who lives there the whole festival is probably kinda crazy and perhaps even a time you DON'T want to be in town, but from an outsiders perspective who'd like to see the city at its best and/or most lively, while traveling mostly for the architecture, arts, and food would Mardi Gras be an okay time to be there, or should I do late January instead?

[roro1831]

Well, Mardi Gras is Feb 16th, so if I were you and really wanted to see Mardi Gras, the time to come would be the weekend of the 12th and stay through Mardi Gras. The best parades roll the weekend before. I personally stay away from the quarter, I always knew someone who lived on St Charles or one block or so off the parade route, so having a place to watch the parade was never a problem.
I still ride in a parade and can honestly say that watching them since I started riding doesn't even compare, riding is way more fun.
The city, especially the french quarter and surrounding areas are walkable, but as with any other coty, be sure you know where you are going, one wrong turn and it could be trouble.
Public transportation during that time is tough, the St Charles streetcar is limited due to parades and cabs are tougher to come by and sitting in traffic is the norm. Public transportatuion will run normally till a little before a parade starts.

[shanefink]

Mardi Gras is an amazing event and you should definitely experience it once in your lifetime. All major restaurants are open. You usually won't get the greatest service because the staff is often hungover, but you should be able to enjoy everything if you are a little more patient than usual. You can walk anywhere, especially from downtown to uptown to enjoy the parades in a more family-friendly environment. King Cakes are the only food indigenous to Mardi Gras, but it is in the middle of oyster season and at the beginning of crawfish season.
By the way, the first weekend of Mardi Gras is much more low-key, family friendly and easier to get around than the second weekend. If you don't like huge crowds, you might enjoy that weekend a little more.

[uhockey]

Thanks to you both - I'll probably be looking at the 13th through 17th.

[kibbles]

one of my favorite events of mardi gras season is the thurs nite prior -- this is usually the nite Muses and Chaos roll. as a man its nice to have an all-female parade where i can get some good throws!

[BrooksNYC]

Muses is GREAT!

[BrooksNYC]

Since this thread isn't strictly about food, Chowhound may move it to another area. It's useful info, though, so I hope they won't delete the thread entirely!

If there are restaurants you really want to try (most popular places book solid), it'd be a good idea to make reservations 3-4 weeks in advance. It's easy enough to cancel a reservation if you change your mind once you get to town. Some of the big restaurants are closed on Fat Tuesday.

In January, you can start checking in on the parade schedules and routes (check back periodically, in case there are time/route changes):
http://www.mardigrasguide.com/calendar/ (NOTE: This is the 2009 schedule.)
Clicking on a parade will link you to a route map.

Parades move slowly, and delays are par for the course. If a parade is scheduled to roll from Napoleon Avenue at 4:15, it may not hit Canal Street until 6:30 or later.

Off-topic, I recommend the waterproof Streetwise Map:
http://tinyurl.com/ltkqaj

Sometimes you can hail a taxi on the street. If phoning for a taxi, allow an extra 20-30 minutes for the taxi to reach you. Not only are they in high demand, but once parades start rolling, drivers often have to take circuitous routes to reach their destination.

For your cellphone: United Cab 504-522-9771 and 504-524-8380

The police start barricading the parade routes about two hours before the parades roll. Traffic is re-routed, and if the parade is rolling down St. Charles Avenue, streetcar service is suspended. When the barricades go up on Canal Street, getting across Canal usually means walking an extra 10-15 minutes towards the River before you can cross an un-barricaded section of the street. Keep that in mind if you're staying in the Quarter and need to get uptown.

The big evening parades are spectacular. Hope you arrive early enough Saturday to catch Endymion! Bacchus on Sunday is another huge parade.

When you watch a parade from Canal Street, you're competing with the French Quarter hordes, which often line Canal Street 50-deep. The crowds are so huge that I always recommend crossing Canal and heading up St. Charles for the best views. The whole route will be lined with people, but the density thins as you head uptown. (Well......relatively speaking.) Also, it's nice to be in motion. Canal Street before and during a parade is like Times Square on New Year's Eve. You really can't move.

Uptown Mardi Gras is all about family, friends and neighbors. Mardi Gras in the Quarter, catering more to visitors, is rowdier and raunchier. You'll want to see both. The contrasts are wonderful.

Have a great time! Mardi Gras really is something to see.

P.S. To experience a less frenetic New Orleans, you'll have to come back when Carnival isn't in full swing. Mid-November through mid-April is great weather for walking. (I love December.)