In true Jen fashion, the first time I visited The Big Easy was during Mardi Gras. Even though I was only there for the first weekend, it still is one of the craziest trips of my life. I don’t even know why I waited long to experience one of the best festivals in America. Ok, maybe it was for the best. If I had gone when I was still young and innocent in college, things would have been different. Craaazy different.
Mardi Gras season is an expensive time to travel. Rentals and hotels should be booked way in advance to get the best of them. Plane tickets are off the charts during this time, this is something you need to accept and be ready for. I went during the first weekend of Mardi Gras and so prices were still quite affordable. Of course, I wish I was there for Fat Tuesday but it was just too costly for a bunch of young underpaid group of friends. Nevertheless, we still had a blast!
The French Quarter
The French Quarter is the heart of New Orleans.It’s transformation after the sun sets is one of my favorite things.There are different kinds of parades every weekend, colorful lights and decorated floats fill the streets. Music and mayhem fill the air. In a good way!
I went back to New Orleans for my birthday recently, and it just was not the same. I was used to seeing Bourbon Street packed and those flying beads were pretty iconic themselves. I was told the Jazz Festival is also a great time to go the Big Easy and hopefully I get to experience that as well. Maybe I will go back to New Orleans for another round of Mardi Gras before I get too old.
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Jen is a Chicago-based traveler and creative. She is a full-time development & communications executive specializing in non-profit organizations. Originally from the East Coast, she created The Jetsetter as a place to share her travel stories and photos with friends and family. Now, it is a place for adventurers and dreamers. Its purpose is to inspire and encourage busy professionals to see the world and achieve a better work-life balance.