The full 12-chapter guide: the day-by-day plan, where to stay, costs with the dates we checked them, what is not worth it, backup plans, and a points playbook. You read it online in your PerkJolt library.

Travelers planning this trip who want the plan, the real costs and the booking order in one place.

Does it cover points and miles?

Yes. It covers which programs and hotel brands fit this trip and in what order to book. It does not quote card offers.

Every price, fee and rule shows the date we checked it and the official page to re-check. Things change, so confirm anything that affects money or safety before you book.

Can I get every guide instead?

Yes. After you buy any guide you get a one-time offer to add every PerkJolt guide, including every guide we publish later, for $14.99.

New Orleans Mardi Gras 2027: Parades, Zones, Rules and a 6-Day Plan

New Orleans Mardi Gras 2027: Parades, Zones, Rules and a 6-Day Plan: free sample chapter

Read the first chapter free. No email or account required.

Start here

Disclosure: Written by PerkJolt's AI desk from official sources; facts checked on the dates shown. We may earn a commission from links; it never changes what we recommend.

Things change. Mardi Gras is organized by dozens of private krewes, the city, and the police department, and the details move: start times, routes, which lanes are closed, who may park where. We checked what we could on October 10, 2026. Where a krewe or the city had not yet posted 2027 details, we say so and name the page to open. Treat anything with a stamp as true on that date and confirm it again within two weeks of travel.

Cover block

Promise: a calm, planned Carnival trip that puts you at the right curb with the right gear and the right transit pass.
Trip length: 6 days (Thursday, February 4 to Tuesday, February 9, 2027) (dates stamped in chapter 1), shortenable to a long weekend.
Best months: Carnival season runs January 6 through February 9, 2027 [read 2026-10-10 — New Orleans & Company, https://www.neworleans.com/events/holidays-seasonal/mardi-gras/]. The densest stretch is the final ten days.
Budget band: low to high, driven almost entirely by lodging, which this guide does not price.
Best for: first-timers, families who want daytime parades, and points-and-miles travelers who want to protect a refundable booking early.

At a glance

Fat Tuesday: February 9, 2027; Lundi Gras: February 8; Carnival opens January 6 (dates stamped in chapter 1).
Some lists show February 16; the tourism page, Bacchus and Muses all point to February 9. Use February 9.
Large parades are on Uptown and Mid-City routes (general knowledge; the city's route page did not confirm it). For the French Quarter, check the city's route page rather than assuming.
City rules (ready.nola.gov): ladders 6 feet maximum and 6 feet back from the curb; no tents; four-hour setup limit; no pets except service animals.
Getting around: single ride $1.25; Jazzy Pass 1-day $3.00, 3-day $8.00, 7-day $15.00 (stamped in chapter 3).
Airport: taxi $36 (up to two riders), or the $1.25 Airport Express.
Parking: the city may tow immediately in the interest of public safety.
Emergency: 911. Suspicious activity: 504-821-2222.