Coupla Questions for Residents of/Frequent Visitors to New Orleans

Factual Questions
1

I’m going to Mardi Gras (3rd trip!!) this year :cool:.

Previously, watching parades has meant standing in thick crowds on Canal St. hoping to catch a fleeting glimpse of something. However, I’ve noticed that there are bleachers set up along the parade routes further away from the French Quarter. Some questions:

  1. Are these seats VIP’s only (that is, friends of the people in the parade)?

  2. Are tickets sold, or are they first come/first serve?

  3. If tickets are necessary, how much do they cost and where do I get them?

If anyone is up for a brief Mardi Gras dopefest, send me an “e.”

Thanks.

2

Not really answering any of your questions, but this speaks to one of them. If you’re unable to get tix to those bleachers and are tired of the big crowds on Canal, may I suggest the corner of St. Charles and Poydras? I think those are the right streets … it’s been a couple of years, so I may be confused. Right down the road from the Hyatt.

ANYway, all the parades still go by there (at least they did my last time, three years ago), and there’s not as much of a crowd. I showed up at paradetime and was able to get a front-row place to stand along the barricade. Caught a LOT of beads too. Not that I brought many home, though. :wink:

Now that I think about it, though, I was there for a non-Mardi Gras event recently and went to Harrah’s Casino for a bit. I don’t think this would interfere with the parade route as I remember it, but it just might make for more crowds due to the proximity of the casino. Dunno for sure, though.