Where to Stay for Mardi Gras 2027: St. Charles, the Quarter or Marigny

The short answer

Stay on or near St. Charles Avenue if parades are the point. Stay in the French Quarter if you want costumes, street life and walking distance to everything. Stay in the Marigny if you want live music nearby and a quieter base.

Fat Tuesday is February 9, 2027. Parades roll every night from February 3 to 9, and rooms on the route fill early. Book as soon as your dates are set.

Uptown, Garden District and St. Charles

St. Charles Avenue is the spine of the parade route. Parades start on Napoleon and Tchoupitoulas, turn onto St. Charles toward downtown, then make a final turn onto Canal Street toward the river.

Hotels near Napoleon Avenue put you at the start of the route. Further down, in the Garden District, you will find national chains and historic hotels. Crowds here tend to be more relaxed than downtown, with better sightlines and a neighborhood feel. This is also the easiest area for families.

Central Business District and Canal Street

Downtown hotels sit where the parades finish. Some are directly on the route, and a few are only blocks from the Quarter. Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, for example, is at 501 Tchoupitoulas Street, three blocks from the French Quarter and six from Bourbon Street.

This is the best split-the-difference choice. You can see Zulu and Rex on Canal Street on Mardi Gras morning and walk to dinner. Grandstand passes are sold along the route, and they help if you are watching close to a downtown hotel. Ask your hotel what it recommends.

The French Quarter

The Quarter puts you steps from Jackson Square, Royal Street and the Mardi Gras Day costume scene, including the Society of St. Anne walking parade, which has no floats. Big floats do not roll through the narrow streets, so you walk to Canal Street for parades.

Expect the most noise and the most people. It suits a short trip where you want to be outside every hour, not a stay where you want quiet at night.

Marigny and Frenchmen Street

The Marigny sits just past the Quarter and has its own celebrations. Frenchmen Street is the main draw, with live jazz rooms like The Spotted Cat. You are within walking distance of the Quarter, with a calmer street when you head back.

The trade-off is distance from the big parades. Plan to walk or take the streetcar toward Canal Street or St. Charles on parade days.

• The Spotted Cat Music ClubClassic Frenchmen Street jazz room, an easy walk from a Marigny hotel.
• Jackson SquareHeart of the Quarter, good for a first walk after checking in.

Street closures and getting around

Rideshares cannot enter the Quarter perimeter on parade days, so get dropped at the edge and walk. On Mardi Gras Day, streets are gridlocked by early afternoon. Plan to wrap up by 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. and walk out of the closures to find a ride.

You cannot cross the route once floats roll, so pick your side of St. Charles before the parade starts. Eat first and find a restroom, such as a hotel lobby or bar a few blocks off the route. Allow 2.5 to 3 hours before your flight on Fat Tuesday because of parade-day traffic.

Our day-by-day plan pairs the Quarter with the Uptown route, and the New Orleans guide covers the rest of the city. Traveling with children? See Mardi Gras with kids.