We decided to celebrate early for Valentines by going to New Orleans. We thought that we would not be in the middle of Mardi Gras being 2 weeks prior to Fat Tuesday but we quickly found out we were wrong, parades started while we were in town. We also were excited to celebrate Phil’s official retirement as well, we knew it was coming but was not sure when…it was times perfectly!!!
DAY 1
We arrived Wednesday evening and quickly made our way to our AirBnB which was right off of Tchoupitoulas in an 80 year old building that our hosts had made into their home 41 years ago. They raised their children there and are now creating small apartments off of the center courtyard…we loved it! We had dinner at Cochon (French for pig) and then drinks at The Rusty Nail.
Day 2
We walked ALL over New Orleans on Thursday as well as rode the full route of the famous Garden District Green-line St Charles streetcar. It was amazing how people decorate for Mardi Gras like Christmas or other holidays, the town was definitely in the spirit! We also went to Mardi Gras World which is the famous Kern family that has been creating floats and artwork since 1946. They even create all those Chic-fil-a cows you see on bill boards…it was overwhelming the sheer volume and artistry. We wrapped the evening with dinner at Mr John’s Steakhouse to celebrate Phil’s retirement and then closed the night out with drink and jazz at the Dos Jefe uptown Jazz and Cigar bar!
Day 3
We spent about 7 total hours on Friday at the National World War II Museum and words just don’t do this place justice! We could have stayed longer, read more but what a wonderful place of history and remembering the greatest generation! Wow! After the Museum closed we were let back in for a new exhibit called Expressions of America that was a light and music showed that talked about the letters and music that got Americans through the war. After we walked down to St Charles to experience our first Mardi Gras parade…there were tons of families along the road, dozens of HS bands, little girl dance troops and oh the floats and beads and every other toy or trinket you could think off being lobbed at you! What we did not realize is that every person on a float pays to be there as well as funds their own beads and gifts to throw…it can cost from $2k to much much more! We walked back to our Airbnb looking like Christmas trees all lit up and bedazzled! We were also pooped!
Amazing pictures and what a fun way to celebrate Phil’s retirement. I can’t believe how much that house looks like the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland.
What perfect timing for your trip to NOLA! Your pictures are fabulous, as always. You really crammed a lot into those days. Glad you got to see one of those parades. It seems like every time I went to NOLA, there was a parade of some sort. Congratulations to Phil on celebrating retirement in style!