Mardi -Gras

Will be traveling to New Orleans in late Feb. with daughter for a work conference she has to attend.When is Mardi Gras?Is it also possible to still do city and plantation tours while we are there?What are some of the better sites to find out about these or can someone recommend one for us to try?Haven%26#39;t been to the city since I was a teenager(a Long Long time ago),any info would be appreicated.Thanks

Mardi -Gras

Mardi Gras is very early next year...the first week in February, 2008. All tours are running..review recent comments on this forum for the latest recommendations.

Mardi -Gras

Fat Tuesday is February 5 for 2008. A forum search will reveal quite a few suggestions. Some sites are www.nola.com, www.louisianatravel.com,www.toursbyisabelle.com, and other searches could be www.fqfi.com. Grayline also offers tours and for ghost tours there are so many Lord Chaz, Haunted History, NO Spirit Tours, Magic Tours. I think you can still order the Louisiana book from the state tourism site I posted already. Keep checking the trip advisor forum for information too.

Like mentioned earlier Mardi Gras is early this year. It is very possible to visit many plantation homes during your stay. The main cluster of home are located in the River Parishes-nestled between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. You can contact Greyline, Dixieland Tours, Cajun Pride Tours, and I am sure they have other small tour companies. I would reccomend you see Oak Alley Plantation-the view of the alley of oaks and grounds is outstanding! Another plantation home that is unique is Laura Plantation-their tour is one of the best in the area. If you plan on spending a day in Plantation Country you can drive out from New Orleans tour Oak Alley and Laura (these are about 3 miles apart on River Road) then cross the Mississippi River on the Veterans Memorial Bridge and stop off to eat at Nobile%26#39;s Restaurant. Their food is delicious and the restaurant used to be a saloon.

The tours last around an hour and most of the plantations have beautiful gift shops!

You could be back in the city before the night parade starts.

If you need help planning your tip contact the convention and visitors bureau.

www.takemetotheriver.com

www.lauraplantation.com

www.oakalleyplantation.com

www.destrehanplantation.org

There are many others to list so visit the CVB website.

Hope you enjoy your trip!

monsterdeer, how far is it to Nobile%26#39;s from either Laura or Oak Alley?

Thanks everybody for all of your info.I will do some checking out the different tours.Now,Monsterdeer What is the night parade that you mentioned?Also we will have our 2 1/2 yr. grandson with us, would you still plan on doing tours with him,he%26#39;s pretty laid back and enjoys people and there will be 4 of us to keep him entertained?

I think they will have to push Mardi Gras back since Bacchus Sunday will conflict with the Saints in the Super Bowl.

What do you mean by ';push Mardi Gras back';? I thought it was set in stone as 47 days before Easter?

I believe nolachar%26#39;s comment was made with tongue firmly planted in cheek.

Yes. It is always the Fat Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Though I think we are going to have to tweak the Sunday schedule a little bit - and I am serious about that.

IF the Saints are in the Super Bowl (only 2 of 32 teams will make it, but I also hope we%26#39;re one of them!) then I can see Bacchus postponing its Sunday parade and rolling with Orpheus to ';celebrate'; on Monday night or some other minor date switch. That would be the extent of it. Fat Tuesday is, as always, set in stone. You can move parades around but you can%26#39;t move the date!!