Where to Watch the Parades
General guidance on picking a spot. Crowds vary by parade, day and weather, so treat this as a starting point, not a guarantee.
👪 Family-friendly
- Uptown St. Charles Ave., between Napoleon Ave. and the Garden District: residential blocks, earlier in the route, and a common choice for families. Arrive early on weekends.
- Metairie, Veterans Memorial Blvd.: a wide boulevard with suburban shopping centers nearby [1].
- Daytime weekend parades: for example Iris and Tucks (Sat., Feb. 6) or Okeanos, Mid-City and Thoth (Sun., Feb. 7) [2].
- Season openers and Northshore parades: usually smaller crowds.
🎉 Party atmosphere
- Lower St. Charles toward the CBD and Canal St.: denser, more adult crowds, especially at night.
- Night "superkrewe" parades: Endymion (Sat., Feb. 6), Bacchus (Sun., Feb. 7) and Orpheus (Mon., Feb. 8) draw some of the biggest crowds [2].
- French Quarter & Marigny walking parades: Krewe du Vieux and krewedelusion (listed for Jan. 23) are satirical and aimed at adults [2].
- Bourbon Street is not a float-parade route, but it is crowded and closed to vehicles during peak periods [3].
Rules that apply anywhere on the route
- Don't set up earlier than 4 hours before a parade. Ladders can be no taller than 6 ft, must stand on their own at least 6 ft back from the curb, can't be fastened together, and can't be left overnight [4] [5].
- You can't rope off or fence public property, including the neutral ground [5].
- Not allowed: tents and enclosures, open flames and grills, gas or diesel generators, upholstered furniture or scaffolding, confetti guns, Mylar balloons, unattended coolers, and pets other than service animals [4].
- Stay behind barricades, never cross between floats, and don't throw anything back at riders (a $250 fine per violation) [6].
Want a seat?
Ticketed grandstands and balcony parties are sold privately and change every year, so we only list offers we can link to.
Parade viewing experiences (grandstand seats, balcony parties) — listed once 2027 inventory is published.
Disclosure: boxes marked “affiliate” will link to partners such as Viator, GetYourGuide, Booking.com or SpotHero. If you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Recommendations are not paid placements.
Next: how to get there · what to bring
Sources
- Visit Jefferson Parish – Mardi Gras Parade Routes
- NOLA.com – When is Mardi Gras 2027? List of New Orleans parade dates
- WWL-TV – RTA announces Mardi Gras 2026 transit changes
- NOLA Ready (City of New Orleans) – Mardi Gras: Along the Route
- New Orleans Code of Ordinances, Ch. 34 – Carnival and Mardi Gras (Municode)
- NOLA Ready (City of New Orleans) – Mardi Gras: Safety & First Aid
- City of New Orleans – Routewise parade map (restrooms, first aid, lost-child stations)
Last checked 2026-10-23. Rules and schedules change — always confirm with the official source before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.