It’s Mardi Gras, First name / friend! One of my favorite days of the year in New Orleans.

 

If I were home right now, I’d be bouncing to a brass band somewhere between St. Charles and the Marigny. Instead, I’m blasting the music through the house, trying to be productive. Spinning my content toward New Orleans feels efficient at least.
 

I grew up on parade routes. Marched through the Marigny in ridiculous costumes. Sweated through brass band sets with a tuba in my face. Ate snowballs after school like they were a food group.

 

New Orleans always has something going on. It loves an excuse to gather and will make a party out of anything. Once Halloween hits, it’s a straight shot of festivity through May. There’s always something to dress up for.
 

October through May is prime time.

 

The air cools in October and the gatherings begin. Halloween. Thanksgiving. Christmas. New Year’s. A tiny breather in early January, then Carnival season ramps up and carries you through parade after parade. Everything crescendos at Jazz Fest by mid-spring.

 

By June and July, you’re in the tropics. It’s hot. We all sweat. Summer means longer stretches on the porch under the fans, cold drinks, and ducking into air conditioning when needed.

 

There isn’t a bad time. You just need to know what you’re signing up for.

New Orleans doesn’t shine through global brands. It shines through its local spots. If there’s anywhere to skip the big chains, this is it.

 

Hotel Peter and Paul (Marigny)
A former church, schoolhouse, convent, and rectory turned hotel. Stay here for Jazz Fest and walk to Frenchmen Street at night. The Elysian Bar alone is reason to book.

 

The Chloe (Uptown)
Right on St. Charles. Like crashing at the home of your very stylish uncle who knows everyone. Ideal during parade season when Uptown is one version of Mardi Gras, and for parents visiting Tulane or Loyola.

 

Hotel Saint Vincent (Lower Garden District)
Former orphanage, now design-forward with big porches and a pool. Strong location between Uptown and Downtown with easy access to most everything I love in the city. Plus a wonderful store and the birthplace of my favorite silk scarf.

 

Hotel Monteleone (French Quarter)
Family-owned, historic, iconic. If you want to wake up in the Quarter and spin through the Carousel Bar before dinner, this is your place. You come for heritage and history.

 

Henry Howard Hotel (Garden District)
Quiet, classic, Southern. Good if you want oak trees, Magazine Street, and residential calm.

 

The Celestine (French Quarter)
I usually steer people away from staying in the Quarter, but if you must, this is the move. From the same team as The Chloe, it’s a Creole townhouse around the type of inner courtyard you’ve seen in every New Orleans movie.

 

Mosquito Supper Club
A must. Prix-fixe rooted in Louisiana ecology, served inside a restored 19th-century Creole cottage in Uptown. Intimate and communal.

 

Turkey and the Wolf
Creative sandwiches that make total sense once they’re in your mouth. Loud, fun, very New Orleans. Magazine Street.

 

Commander’s Palace
Sunday brunch is still a staple and worth doing at least once. An institution for over a century. Of course things evolve over time, but some elements never change, and you come for that..

 

Cochon
By Chef Donald Link. Cajun-forward and straightforward. Order generously.

 

Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits
Backyard wine garden energy in the Bywater. Food, wine, music, lights in the trees. Come for one or all and you won’t be disappointed.

 

Domilise’s Po-Boy & Bar
Talking about the “best” po’boy starts fights. In the end, they’re all great. Get it dressed. Lettuce, tomato, mayo. Don’t overthink it.

 

Casamento’s Restaurant
Old-school oysters on Magazine Street. Try them every which way you can.

 

And of course, get a snowball. Not a snow cone. Totally different. You’ll need a serious sweet tooth. Add condensed milk if you want to soften the sugar high you’re about to create.

Clients often come to us first for the big, complex itineraries. But once they work with us, they start coming back for everything, including the one-stop getaways.

 

You don’t have to start big.

 

For singular stays like New Orleans, we help you choose the right neighborhood and hotel, add VIP perks, arrange transfers, and organize everything into a clean digital itinerary so you can land and step straight into the rhythm.

 

Singular stays we book often: beach weeks, city stays, mountain weekends. Singular Stays we book often: beach getaways, city stays, mountain escapes, places that might seem simple enough to handle alone, but are better with insider intel and friends on the ground.

 

P.S. The piece of advice I always give: don’t be the drunkest person on the street and you’ll be just fine.