New Orleans Mardi Gras

[SlimJim]

It's been a few years since I've been to Mardi Gras.  I'm considering going this year.  Any others considering heading to the Big Easy in February?

[+ FrankR]

On 1/7/2023 at 7:47 PM, SlimJim said:

It's been a few years since I've been to Mardi Gras.  I'm considering going this year.  Any others considering heading to the Big Easy in February?

I am thinking of taking a trip to New Orleans towards end of February. Just need to so some homework and figure out where to stay and what we can do while visiting. 

[cany10011]

Good friends of mine who love New Orleans and got married there, always love the Royal Sonesta. It’s in the heart of everything but can get quite noisy if the room faces Bourbon Street. During festival time, a lot of hotels have minimum multiple night stays and the rates are often higher during this time period. If you do go, try Coquette, a cute restaurant in the Irish Channel neighborhood. A little bit off the beaten path but the food is amazing. I still think about their dishes/ food to this day

[gymbeaux]

For parades, you want to be uptown, preferably in the Garden District on St Charles.  Only small parades go through the Quarter, and they are this weekend, Krewe Boheme, my fav.    Fat Tuesday is Feb 21, that is the day to roam the Quarter, but better, Frenchmen St in the Marigny.   

The Wednesday before Fat Tue, the big parades roll everyday until Ash Wed.  

My advice:  Book uptown on the parade route, uber to the Quarter and Marigny to party.

If you need any more info, please ask.  I've been visiting New Orleans since I was a child, and owned a condo there for 15 years, so I am familiar.  I'm headed over tomorrow for the weekend parades. 

 

[JayJxn]

Decide on what you really want to experience. If it is the parades, then definitely uptown. If it is the gay bar scene, then the Quarter or Marigny. I like the Bourbon Orleans, right next to some of the more popular gay bars in the quarter; however, they REALLY jack up the prices during Mardi Gras. Hotel Saint Marie is another one of my favorites and is less expensive. 

[cany10011]

Does anyone remember the gay sauna on Toulouse? Believe it has been closed for a while… but had lots of fun there whenever I visited NOLA for work. 

[JayJxn]

Yes, it has closed. A great loss to the community. And the Country Club is no longer clothing optional. What’s the city cumming to???

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

On 2/11/2023 at 2:33 PM, JayJxn said:

Yes, it has closed. A great loss to the community. And the Country Club is no longer clothing optional. What’s the city cumming to???

Just as long as they don't fuck with the New Orleans Athletic Club.  

Yeah, it's not a traditional bath, but I've had some good times there.

(And it's a unique, well-equipped gym too)