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Mardi Gras with small children
Posted on 7/8/16 at 4:31 pm
Posted on 7/8/16 at 4:31 pm
My wife and I have the week off the week before Mardi Gras next year and she has always wanted to go. I have been before but not since college and was only there during the last weekend/Fat Tuesday.
We were considering bringing our 5 and 3 year old for the parades but I wasn't really sure what to expect. I guess my question is if I am there the week before will the crowds be a lot smaller but parades still big enough to be cool?
Any tips on doing it with children that small? How early do you need to get on a parade route to get a decent spot etc...
We were considering bringing our 5 and 3 year old for the parades but I wasn't really sure what to expect. I guess my question is if I am there the week before will the crowds be a lot smaller but parades still big enough to be cool?
Any tips on doing it with children that small? How early do you need to get on a parade route to get a decent spot etc...
This post was edited on 7/8/16 at 4:38 pm
6
Posted on 7/8/16 at 4:32 pm to RandySavage
Don't do it. At least not in New Orleans.
Posted on 7/8/16 at 4:57 pm to papasmurf1269
quote:
Don't do it. At least not in New Orleans.
Let me guess, you only know about mardi gras on Canal St and in the quarter?
OP, get back with us as it gets closer and we can give you a good plan. There are pretty good parades in Nola and you can go uptown on St. Charles and be around families and your kids will enjoy.
If you are scared to death of the idea of seeing a few black folks here and there
you can go to Metairie and go on Bonnabel and see parades that Friday and Saturday night. Not near as good as Nola, but not horrible. Posted on 7/8/16 at 5:49 pm to RandySavage
Mardi Gras in New Orleans can be great with small kids. I would recommend finding a good spot on St. Charles street near or on Napoleon. Better to be at the beginning of night parades with kids because they end quicker.
The Wednesday and Thursday night parades are really fun and have a lot of cool blinky light things the kids love. They are mostly all female too so they give so tons of stuff to the kids. I like Magazine St. for Muses.
You can get a good spot for Endymion on Orleans or Carrollton for the Saturday parade.
Just avoid French quarter/Canal st/and St. Charles by the interstate areas and you will have a great time and your kids will love it.
The Wednesday and Thursday night parades are really fun and have a lot of cool blinky light things the kids love. They are mostly all female too so they give so tons of stuff to the kids. I like Magazine St. for Muses.
You can get a good spot for Endymion on Orleans or Carrollton for the Saturday parade.
Just avoid French quarter/Canal st/and St. Charles by the interstate areas and you will have a great time and your kids will love it.
Posted on 7/8/16 at 10:21 pm to jsquardjj
NO!!!
Posted on 7/9/16 at 9:39 am to RandySavage
Napoleon at Prytania for all parades except Endymion. Lots of kids and families.
A good spot for Endymion might be tough to do without having extra help. Try to get close to the beginning.
A good spot for Endymion might be tough to do without having extra help. Try to get close to the beginning.
Posted on 7/9/16 at 3:16 pm to RandySavage
CBD is convenient with kids, simply because they have grandstands and bathrooms. So find a hotel on the route down there and talk to them about grandstands and bathrooms. 5 & 3 are fairly young so this will be a good idea for a first trip. The big negative is it is near the end of the route.
Ideally uptown is the best place to watch a parade. If you can find an Air Bnb or a hotel on the route on St Charles or Magazine(there are a few), then do that.
As for the parades, the week before Mardi Gras has a few good ones, but they used to be every night in the past, and some nights do not have parades.
Wed-Thurs-Fri before Mardi gras weekend features some strong parades. Saturday, the big one is Endymion on the mid city route. It's more of an all day party. Kid friendly, but a pain in the arse. There are 2 early day parades uptown, Iris and Tucks. With kids 3 and 5, you could watch these and stay out of the cluttler.
Id eat least stay thru Sunday, as Sunday is the best day for all day parading, ending with Bacchus.
Ideally uptown is the best place to watch a parade. If you can find an Air Bnb or a hotel on the route on St Charles or Magazine(there are a few), then do that.
As for the parades, the week before Mardi Gras has a few good ones, but they used to be every night in the past, and some nights do not have parades.
Wed-Thurs-Fri before Mardi gras weekend features some strong parades. Saturday, the big one is Endymion on the mid city route. It's more of an all day party. Kid friendly, but a pain in the arse. There are 2 early day parades uptown, Iris and Tucks. With kids 3 and 5, you could watch these and stay out of the cluttler.
Id eat least stay thru Sunday, as Sunday is the best day for all day parading, ending with Bacchus.
Posted on 7/9/16 at 5:54 pm to Lester Earl
In metairie.... go on severn between causeway and west esplanade parades every night good parades fat tuesday
In new Orlean.... Corner of Napoleon and St Charle... Lots of families with kids
In new Orlean.... Corner of Napoleon and St Charle... Lots of families with kids
Posted on 7/9/16 at 9:01 pm to nevilletiger79
Thanks for all the suggestions so far, just looked and the Pontchartrain Hotel is on St. Charles and Josephine.
Would that be a decent spot to view most of the Uptown Parades?
It seems like the all pretty much travel down St. Charles?
Also, would the weekend before (2/17-2/19) be better or the Wednesday, Thursday, Friday leading up to Fat Tuesday?
By better I mean less crowded/easier to manage with kids? I'm kind of thinking the weekend before due to the day parades.
Would that be a decent spot to view most of the Uptown Parades?
It seems like the all pretty much travel down St. Charles?
Also, would the weekend before (2/17-2/19) be better or the Wednesday, Thursday, Friday leading up to Fat Tuesday?
By better I mean less crowded/easier to manage with kids? I'm kind of thinking the weekend before due to the day parades.
This post was edited on 7/9/16 at 9:07 pm
Posted on 7/9/16 at 9:51 pm to RandySavage
The Pontchartrain hotel, while you can get a killer porterhouse at Mr johns, it's too far down the route and it'll start getting sketchy.
I ride in endymion. It's awesome. My young kids go on the route so it's not a safety issue, it's just a logistics nightmare. For someone not knowing where they are going with two small kids, it might be worth to watch the Saturday uptown parades and save endymion for when they get older.
The grandstand idea is also a good one if you are staying downtown, it will just cost more. Uptown past the Columns Hotel doesn't have many accommodation options outside of Airbnb.
The weekend before is kind of meh. It's on from Wednesday through Saturday. Sunday and Monday are also good.
I ride in endymion. It's awesome. My young kids go on the route so it's not a safety issue, it's just a logistics nightmare. For someone not knowing where they are going with two small kids, it might be worth to watch the Saturday uptown parades and save endymion for when they get older.
The grandstand idea is also a good one if you are staying downtown, it will just cost more. Uptown past the Columns Hotel doesn't have many accommodation options outside of Airbnb.
The weekend before is kind of meh. It's on from Wednesday through Saturday. Sunday and Monday are also good.
This post was edited on 7/9/16 at 9:55 pm
Posted on 7/10/16 at 12:20 am to RandySavage
Ponchatrain isnt sketchy. Ive stayed at the hotel next door for many mardi gras. Just stay in front of the hotel.
Hampton Inn is a little farther up the street could feel safer tho.
Hampton Inn is a little farther up the street could feel safer tho.
This post was edited on 7/10/16 at 12:21 am
Posted on 7/10/16 at 8:49 am to pjab
quote:
The grandstand idea is also a good one if you are staying downtown
This.
The hotel Intercontinental is one hotel that does it and there are a few other in the CBD/Warehouse District.
OP, if you can get into that Hampton on St Charles, that is an excellent spot as well.
Posted on 7/10/16 at 9:32 pm to notiger1997
Alright so there is availability at the Hampton and the Intercontinental. Which one is better?
If I do the grandstand how does that work, do I have a reserved seat or is it pretty much first come first served? How cramped is it going to be?
If I stay at the Hampton can I pretty much just walk out the hotel door and be in a good spot to watch the parades?
The Hampton is like $70 more than the Pontchartrain a night and it looks like just a few blocks away. Is it really that much better of a spot?
Thanks again for the help!
If I do the grandstand how does that work, do I have a reserved seat or is it pretty much first come first served? How cramped is it going to be?
If I stay at the Hampton can I pretty much just walk out the hotel door and be in a good spot to watch the parades?
The Hampton is like $70 more than the Pontchartrain a night and it looks like just a few blocks away. Is it really that much better of a spot?
Thanks again for the help!
This post was edited on 7/10/16 at 9:44 pm
Posted on 7/10/16 at 10:03 pm to RandySavage
I would wait another year until when the construction on Napoleon is done. Right now, there's no room on Napoleon, making Uptown, the more family friendly area, really too crowded to enjoy.
If you want a family friendly "mardi-gras" experience, take them to Lafayette until Napoleon Construction is done.
If you want a family friendly "mardi-gras" experience, take them to Lafayette until Napoleon Construction is done.
Posted on 7/10/16 at 10:08 pm to RandySavage
The Hampton inn is a good its right by Superior and the columns. It's a tough call both spots are good. I don't useually ever go past Louisiana.
Posted on 7/11/16 at 9:00 am to RandySavage
You will be fine bringing small kids contrary to what others say, however; don't try bringing them through the quarter/bourbon unless you want to teach them what NSFW means.
There are lots of parades to see the week/end prior to fat Tuesday just know that several of the larger crews will bring crowds that can be 8-10+ deep in some sections.
WEDNESDAY | Feb 22
Route Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Druids 6:30pm
Krewe of Nyx 6:45pm
THURSDAY | Feb 23
Route Uptown New Orleans
Knights of Babylon 5:30pm
Knights of Chaos 6:15pm
Krewe of Muses 6:30pm
FRIDAY | Feb 24
Route Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Hermes 6:00pm
Krewe d'Etat 6:30pm
Krewe of Morpheus 7:00pm
Krewe of Centurions 7:00pm
SATURDAY | Feb 25
Route Westbank
Krewe of NOMTOC 10:45am
Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Iris 11:00am
Krewe of Tucks 12:00pm
Madisonville
Krewe of Tchefuncte 1:00pm
Mid-City
Krewe of Endymion 4:15pm
Metairie
Krewe of Isis 6:30pm
SUNDAY | Feb 26
Route Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Okeanos 11:00am
Krewe of Mid-City 11:45am
Krewe of Thoth 12:00pm
Krewe of Bacchus 5:15pm
There are lots of parades to see the week/end prior to fat Tuesday just know that several of the larger crews will bring crowds that can be 8-10+ deep in some sections.
WEDNESDAY | Feb 22
Route Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Druids 6:30pm
Krewe of Nyx 6:45pm
THURSDAY | Feb 23
Route Uptown New Orleans
Knights of Babylon 5:30pm
Knights of Chaos 6:15pm
Krewe of Muses 6:30pm
FRIDAY | Feb 24
Route Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Hermes 6:00pm
Krewe d'Etat 6:30pm
Krewe of Morpheus 7:00pm
Krewe of Centurions 7:00pm
SATURDAY | Feb 25
Route Westbank
Krewe of NOMTOC 10:45am
Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Iris 11:00am
Krewe of Tucks 12:00pm
Madisonville
Krewe of Tchefuncte 1:00pm
Mid-City
Krewe of Endymion 4:15pm
Metairie
Krewe of Isis 6:30pm
SUNDAY | Feb 26
Route Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Okeanos 11:00am
Krewe of Mid-City 11:45am
Krewe of Thoth 12:00pm
Krewe of Bacchus 5:15pm
Posted on 7/11/16 at 10:40 am to kingbob
Disregard what Kingbob is saying. Thanks.
This post was edited on 7/11/16 at 10:41 am
Posted on 7/11/16 at 11:19 am to kingbob
quote:
If you want a family friendly "mardi-gras" experience, take them to Houma
FIFY
Houma has some great parades for young kids and is very safe.
Posted on 7/11/16 at 12:16 pm to RandySavage
Hampton Inn- it's directly on route. Passenger side. More locals than what you'll see at the ponchatrain but also a ton of douchey college kids.
In front of Ponchatrain is more just tourists staying there and at hotel next door as this is more of a commercial area of St Charles. Some blacks coming from the neighborhood do come out, but is is relatively safe. The hotel is on the driver side, or neutral ground side. There will be plenty of room for a ladder or chairs
In front of Ponchatrain is more just tourists staying there and at hotel next door as this is more of a commercial area of St Charles. Some blacks coming from the neighborhood do come out, but is is relatively safe. The hotel is on the driver side, or neutral ground side. There will be plenty of room for a ladder or chairs
Posted on 7/11/16 at 4:13 pm to Lester Earl
As many have said go with the Hampton Inn on St. Charles. Having a 3 and 5 y/o the first weekend of parades will be plenty enough to keep them entertained and far more manageable crowds. Watch and eat at Superior Grill for those Saturday and Sunday parades and y'all will have a blast.
The second weekend gets a whole lot more hectic. A lot harder staying in a hotel with small children to get a good spot and catch a lot for the Saturday/ Sunday parades.
The second weekend gets a whole lot more hectic. A lot harder staying in a hotel with small children to get a good spot and catch a lot for the Saturday/ Sunday parades.
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