StayAreasMardi Gras 2027: where to stay in New Orleans
Fat Tuesday is on 9 February 2027, and Carnival season starts on 6 January. The busiest stretch is the long weekend before, from the Thursday to Fat Tuesday itself.
Most big parades roll down St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street, not through the French Quarter. Streets across the routes close for hours, so being able to walk to the route matters more than anything.
Where the action is
St. Charles Avenue route
The classic Uptown route, from Napoleon Avenue past the Garden District to Gallier Hall in the CBD.
Stay nearby: Garden District · ~$185/nightCanal Street
Where the St. Charles parades end, between the CBD and the French Quarter.
Stay nearby: CBD · ~$135/nightBourbon StreetFree
The party street; the big parades don't come through the Quarter.
Stay nearby: French Quarter · ~$190/nightFrenchmen Street and the MarignyFree
Walking krewes and costumes, more local than Bourbon Street.
Stay nearby: Marigny · ~$150/night
Parades by area
Minutes on foot from each area to points on the parade routes and the party streets. Walking times are estimates; prices are a typical mid-range double, not Carnival rates.
Mardi Gras from French Quarter
~$190/nightOn foot: Bourbon Street 5 min · Canal Street 10 min · Frenchmen Street 15 min.
Parade days: 5 minutes' walk to Bourbon Street, so you can skip the traffic.
Hotels in French Quarter →Mardi Gras from CBD
~$135/nightOn foot: Gallier Hall (St. Charles) 5 min · Canal Street 5 min · Bourbon Street 15 min.
Parade days: 5 minutes' walk to Gallier Hall (St. Charles), so you can skip the traffic.
Hotels in CBD →Mardi Gras from Marigny
~$150/nightOn foot: Frenchmen Street 5 min · Bourbon Street 15 min · Canal Street 25 min.
Parade days: 5 minutes' walk to Frenchmen Street, so you can skip the traffic.
Hotels in Marigny →Mardi Gras from Warehouse District
~$140/nightOn foot: Gallier Hall (St. Charles) 10 min · Canal Street 20 min · Bourbon Street 25 min.
Parade days: 10 minutes' walk to Gallier Hall (St. Charles), so you can skip the traffic.
Hotels in Warehouse District →Mardi Gras from Garden District
~$185/nightOn foot: Gallier Hall (St. Charles) 30 min · St. Charles at Napoleon 35 min · Canal Street 40 min.
Parade days: 30 minutes' walk to Gallier Hall (St. Charles), so you can skip the traffic.
Hotels in Garden District →
The big parade days
Endymion rolls through Mid-City on the Saturday before Fat Tuesday (6 February 2027) and Bacchus on the Sunday. On Fat Tuesday, Zulu rolls in the morning and Rex follows on St. Charles Avenue.
Hotels in the CBD and French Quarter often set minimum stays for the final weekend; book as early as you can.
Written by the StayAreas editorial team · Updated Nov 2026 · How we research our guides