New Orleans is one of the few cities I’ve visited that really does feel singular. There’s nowhere else on Earth quite like it—and during Mardi Gras, it’s all turned up to 11 and beyond. Some 1 million visitors take to the streets to participate in the city’s iconic Fat Tuesday parades and festivities. The annual celebration of excess and indulgence is observed everywhere from Rio de Janeiro to Venice, but New Orleans’s unique Mardi Gras customs make the city’s celebration particularly renowned in the United States and beyond.
If you’ve never been, it’s one of those weeks-of-a-lifetime. And even if you’re a veteran, it’ll keep surprising you. I’ve visited the city multiple times in recent years, for the Jazz Fest in April, the Tales of the Cocktail conference in the summer, and more. But nothing compared to riding on a float with the Krewe of Orpheus during an Afar Mardi Gras Experience.
The Mardi Gras date always varies a little, and in 2025, it will fall on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (In 2026, it’s much earlier, landing on February 17; in 2027, it’s even earlier, February 9.) Here’s everything you need to know about the Big Easy’s biggest party of the year.
The best places to stay in New Orleans for Mardi Gras
The Garden District is a great neighborhood to stay in during Mardi Gras: still central, but a bit quieter than the French Quarter.
Photo by Jade3234/Shutterstock
Hotels naturally sell out fast during this popular time to visit New Orleans, so it’s never too early to start thinking about (or booking) your rooms for Mardi Gras. As of November 2024, there is still availability during the 2025 Mardi Gras season at places like the Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans and the Virgin Hotel.
Neighborhoods
Location is everything if you’re visiting New Orleans during Mardi Gras because parking is difficult, and you’ll want to walk if you’re planning to consume alcohol. To remain close to the parades Uptown, stay in the charming Garden District bordered by Magazine Street and St. Charles Avenue. This tree-lined neighborhood is filled with boutique shops, top-notch restaurants, and grand dame mansions, and the French Quarter’s festivities are just a streetcar ride away. The Pontchartrain Hotel here has availability.
For a quieter—but still exciting—Mardi Gras experience, consider the Faubourg Marigny (commonly called “the Marigny”) and Bywater neighborhoods. These laid-back districts east of the French Quarter will offer a more off-the-beaten-path Mardi Gras experience (I loved the city’s downriver delights here)—but the action of Bourbon Street is still close enough to access without having to drive.
Hotels
Regardless of where you choose to rest your head during Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the chances that a colorful parade will pass through the neighborhood during your visit are strong. Some other of our favorite New Orleans hotels include:
- Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, an IHG Hotel, Warehouse District
- Hotel Saint Vincent, Lower Garden District
- The Chloe, Uptown
- Hotel Peter & Paul, Marigny
Crowds line St. Charles Avenue to catch some throws as a Mardi Gras parade rolls past
Photo by Suzanne C. Grim/Shutterstock
Mardi Gras events not to miss
Between masquerade balls, parties, and parades, I didn’t have a spare minute when I experienced New Orleans’s Mardi Gras. You’ll be busy, but it’s worth it. You can sleep when you get home.
Enjoy the parades
You’ll experience several parades at least; they snake through the city, dominating the streets for hours on end. Hundreds of people line the streets with arms outstretched, hoping to catch the throws and other goodies hurled from costumed float riders. It’s an electrifying experience whether you’re in the crowd or lucky enough to be on a float.
With a packed parade schedule—there are dozens to participate in—it may be hard to pick which ones to attend. Melissa Comardelle, chief concierge at the Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans and New Orleans native, recommends the all-female Krewe of Muses parade. “The prized catch is a decorated shoe,” Comardelle said. “I haven’t caught one yet, but I’m working on it.”
In 2025, Mardi Gras parades kick off on January 6 with displays from Société Des Champs Elysée and Krewe of Joan of Arc among others and run all the way up to Mardi Gras week. These earlier parades are a good way to get a feel for the festival if you’re in town earlier (or don’t want to join the crowds for the full event).
Be the belle of the ball
Balls are another integral part of the Mardi Gras experience. Many are private, invite-only affairs (such as the Krewe of Lafitte’s bash at the Pensacola Bay Center) but there are some ticketed events. The “evening of opulence and purpose” on February 22, from the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children is one such example. Big indoor events can be really fun, especially if the weather is inclement.
Sample some king cake
It’s not hard to spot—a large oval pastry (with a long history) topped with icing and often decorated in the traditional purple, green, and yellow—but it’s hard to stop eating. King cake is a Mardi Gras must; Levee Baking Co. and Gracious Bakery are two places to try it.
Visit a Mardi Gras exhibition
The Presbytère is home to a wide-ranging collection of Mardi Gras memorabilia, while Mardi Gras World is open daily and features a huge “float den” where you can see artists working on props.
Keep an eye out for the Mardi Gras Indians
These costumed tribes, also known as Black Masking Indians, spend months crafting their dazzling, sequined outfits as part of a tradition that goes back centuries. They parade several times during the season. “We go onto the streets of New Orleans and we play war games,” Chief Shaka Zulu of the Golden Feather Hunters tribe told Afar. It’s something to behold.
Timing your trip: the best dates to visit New Orleans for Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras day falls on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. However, Carnival celebrations always begin on January 6, a date referred to in the Christian calendar as the Twelfth Night because it marks the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas (and hence the holiday season). Every year, Carnival season kicks off on this date at sundown and is followed by a weeks-long schedule of lively parades and street parties.
Celebrations usually ramp up later, especially in the two weeks before Fat Tuesday. Unsurprisingly, this tends to be the busiest time to go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. To be honest, the city is fun on any given weekend of the year. If crowds aren’t your thing, you can feel festive there earlier in the season.
What is Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras—also known as Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, or Carnival—is a debaucherous prelude to Lent, a six-week-long religious fast observed before Easter. The legacy of Mardi Gras can be traced to European Carnival celebrations during the 17th and 18th centuries.
The holiday’s connection to New Orleans dates back to 1699, when explorer Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville arrived in what is now Louisiana and declared a plot of land “Pointe du Mardi Gras” upon realizing it was the eve of the holiday.
In 1718, the city of New Orleans was established near that very spot, and by the 1730s, Mardi Gras parades and masquerade balls became an annual tradition in the Southern city. While Mardi Gras officially takes place on Fat Tuesday—the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Lent—in New Orleans, annual Mardi Gras festivities start weeks beforehand.
This article originally appeared online in 2018 and was most recently updated in November 2024. The Associated Press, Lyndsey Matthews, and Sarah Buder contributed to this story.
