Mardi Gras

[grest Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close grest]

Anyone have any grand plans? It looks like crazy fun in NOLA.

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

When I took the food tour in NOLA, the guide said that the locals try to avoid Mardi Gras crowds because it is TOO crazy!

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Never been there at that time. I can tell you anything about the area, I also have a private driver that is cheap to use

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

Never been there at that time. I can tell you anything about the area, I also have a private driver that is cheap to use

I have used him, thanks to you. Great service and price.

[grest Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close grest]

what do you use him for, Frank? We aren't heading back until the end of October. Mostly we've spent our time in the French Quarter, though we have taken a tour and have spent some time in the Garden district as well. We are always open to recommendations. Just love NOLA....wish we could afford The Commander's Palace!

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

I read that you can lunch at the Commander's Palace. The lunch will cost about $30 but you can get up to 3 martinis for 25 cents each. If you are a drinker, it suddenly becomes very affordable.

[Hoc Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Hoc]

Mardi Gras is a lot of fun, but if you don't like crowds, you'll hate it. The crowds at the parades are often 10 people deep or more, and it is hard to walk down Canal st. during the parade. Also, the French Quarter can get quite crowded. But, if you do it right, you can have a blast. Imagine an entire city full of people who have lost all inhibitions and just want to have a good time.

For Mardi Gras Day, it's a smart idea to spend the $200-$300 a person and have a balcony over Bourbon St. Here is an example, but there are others. It's also a good idea to go to one of the balls. I like to go to Orpheus, and to bring a trash bag, so that I can collect all of the throws from the floats that come into the ballroom, and thrown them from the balcony the next day. But I had a great time riding in the Tucks parade, and one year I wound up getting invited to Endymion, and that was a spectacle.

Just remember that there are a lot of overly drunk people, so if that turns you off, you won't enjoy Mardi Gras. I like to go a few days before Mardi Gras, and stay a few days after, because the city pretty much clears out on Wednesday and then you wind up avoiding the crowds for the other tourist stuff you want to do.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

what do you use him for, Frank? We aren't heading back until the end of October. Mostly we've spent our time in the French Quarter, though we have taken a tour and have spent some time in the Garden district as well. We are always open to recommendations. Just love NOLA....wish we could afford The Commander's Palace!

Hopefully I will see you in Oct, We try to go for Coulmbus week. This past year I had to cancel our Flight 10 hours before take off. I use my driiver for RT airport and any tour I want to do, BTW if you are there in OCT go to the Haunted mansion. Best one I have ever been to. John can take you there. We also use John to take us outside the FQ.

[ronparise Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ronparise]

For the last 5 years i have made as many reservations at the Wyndham timeshares for mardi Gras and rented them out. last year I had 50 this year only 25.
Wyndham has 2 properties here, La Belle Maison is about a block off canal, and Avenue Plaza is in the Garden District right on the Saint Charles Avenue parade route. For the people that know, Avenue Plaza is the preferred location. None of the rooms have a balcony, but there is a common balcony from which you can view the parades. But if you watch from the street, the crowds arent bad at all, at least they wernt last year when I went. Avenue Plaza also offers a very nice courtyard with a heated pool, a rooftop deck and gargen room to enjoy when you arent watching a parade.


Contrary to one of the above posts, I have a number of locals that rent from me every year, some members of one krew or another, that ride in a parade and some that dont even sleep at the property. They use it for the cheap safe and secure parking and as a base of operations and as place to pee throughout the evening, but they go home each night and to work the next day

The Garden District is where families and locals come to enjoy the parades. Its an altogether different atmosphere than the French Quarter.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

This video was taken by the owner of the Cigar Factory https://www.facebook.com/shawna.shar...2490062435418/

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

For the last 5 years i have made as many reservations at the Wyndham timeshares for mardi Gras and rented them out. last year I had 50 this year only 25.
Wyndham has 2 properties here, La Belle Maison is about a block off canal, and Avenue Plaza is in the Garden District right on the Saint Charles Avenue parade route. For the people that know, Avenue Plaza is the preferred location. None of the rooms have a balcony, but there is a common balcony from which you can view the parades. But if you watch from the street, the crowds arent bad at all, at least they wernt last year when I went. Avenue Plaza also offers a very nice courtyard with a heated pool, a rooftop deck and gargen room to enjoy when you arent watching a parade.


Contrary to one of the above posts, I have a number of locals that rent from me every year, some members of one krew or another, that ride in a parade and some that dont even sleep at the property. They use it for the cheap safe and secure parking and as a base of operations and as place to pee throughout the evening, but they go home each night and to work the next day

The Garden District is where families and locals come to enjoy the parades. Its an altogether different atmosphere than the French Quarter.

I stayed at both of these places. I loved the Avenue Plaza location, but liked the feel of La Belle Maison better. I would stay at either any time, just loved both my visits to NOLA.

[ronparise Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ronparise]

I stayed at both of these places. I loved the Avenue Plaza location, but liked the feel of La Belle Maison better. I would stay at either any time, just loved both my visits to NOLA.

no doubt La Belle Maison was purpose built as a timeshare, within the shell of a historic building. It was designed to evoke the "feel" of old New Orleans. Avenue Plaza was built in the 1950's as an all suites hotel.. and it looks it... However, as you say the location in a residential area of the city works much better during Mardi Gras, for families and olf farts like me.

[grest Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close grest]

Hopefully I will see you in Oct, We try to go for Coulmbus week. This past year I had to cancel our Flight 10 hours before take off. I use my driiver for RT airport and any tour I want to do, BTW if you are there in OCT go to the Haunted mansion. Best one I have ever been to. John can take you there. We also use John to take us outside the FQ.

We would love to meet you, but won't be there until the end of the month....I think over Halloween. Staying at La Pension this time.