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Ten Reasons to Stay in the Vieux Carré on Mardi Gras Day.

February 1 2018 | News

Some people will tell you to stay away from the French Quarter during Mardi Gras. "It’s too packed, too loud and just too plain crazy," they’ll say. Unless you’re traveling with children, we disagree. Along with hundreds of thousands of revelers every year, we think the Vieux Carré is just where you ought to be when the good times start rolling.

While Carnival along the Uptown route or in the suburbs has its advantages, we always find ourselves standing on the sidewalk side of those routes musing, “I wonder what are they’re doing in in the Quarter right now?” If you want to see the most outrageous and creative costumes, meet people from all over the world, and find out firsthand what it really means to “laissez les bon temps rouler,” you have to book a room with the French Quarter Collection of Hotels. Here are 10 reasons why.

1. You’ll be the envy of all your friends who will want to use your hotel room as basecamp – especially if you have room with a balcony

2. You’ll always have a bathroom close to the action (MAJOR PERK)

3. You can be in the French Quarter bright and early for the Bourbon Street Awards, Carnival’s most spectacular costume contest

4. It’s an easy walk up to Canal Street or Gallier Hall to see Zulu, Rex and the truck parades

5. There’s not a lot of standing around waiting for the fun to begin. You can always find a pop-up parade, second line or marching group to join in or a band playing somewhere

6. There’s just something special about celebrating Mardi Gras in the Old City, the way it’s been done it for centuries

7. Mardi Gras in the French Quarter is the best photo op ever. You’ll be able to take and share great pics of “The Greatest Free Show on Earth”

8. There are beignets, po-boys, jambalaya, red beans and rice and other traditional New Orleans dishes to be had around every corner at great French Quarter restaurants

9. You’re never far from a frozen daiquiri, a hurricane, a hand grenade or the hair of the dog that bit you

10. The fun doesn’t stop when the parades are over but keeps on going till the mayor of New Orleans rides through the French Quarter on a horse, proclaiming the official end of Mardi Gras 2018

Remember, Mardi Gras is more than one day. The fun begins on January 5 this year and goes all the way to February 13. So check out the parade schedule, brush up on your Mardi Gras traditions, and choose your Mardi Gras hotel from the French Quarter Collection of Hotels


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