A friend wants to go to Mardi Gras in NOLA for her 50th birthday, so we're dumb and going to Mardi Gras. The dates we'll be there are 3/3-3/5. (Fat Tuesday in 3/4) There will be 3 couples, and I'm the only one who has been but that was 30 years ago. We're good on hotel and dinner reservations. Our hotel is in the Quarter on Royal St, a couple of blocks off of Canal.

My question is about watching the parades on Tuesday morning. I've been in the King Rex parade but never an observer. The options that I see are simply finding a place on St. Charles along the parade route or shelling out $90 each for grandstand seats at Lafayette Square. Note that the VIP tent is sold out, so it does not appear that the grandstand seats have access to a restroom, which would be a huge plus. Watching in the Garden District would be great, but I don't know how it would be feasible to get there from the Quarter. Any advice (other than not to go) is appreciated!

I have only ever ridden too, a handful of times. I would go to the garden district and stand on st.Charles somewhere. Fund a spot where you can walk into a bar or restaurant to buy a beer/use the toilet.

I would imagine you can walk from the quarter to a spot that you can get an uber from the other side of canal to somewhere in the garden district.

Have fun!

I'd post up on St Charles around Jackson. Igor's is a bad ass divy type place with awesome Bloody Marys. I don't recall the pisser situation but if you establish a tab and be nice to the bartenders they may let the womenfolk in to pee instead of using a porta potty in the streets.

In nice weather (and no NOLA natives busting caps), the garden district is a great spot for day drinking.

Always go to Snakes and Jakes Christmas Club on Oak Street