We Love a Parade: January at Hotel Provincial
Fat Tuesday is on Tuesday, March 4th this year but the celebration actually begins on January 6, Twelfth Night, with the Joan of Arc Parade which rolls right past our door at the Hotel Provincial. More than 70 parades, spectacular balls, house floats, costuming, king cakes, Carnival-inspired cocktails, and restaurants offering special Mardi Gras menus and music await. Book your stay now and see our list of things to do when you’re not on the parade route here.
Try on Costumes at a Mardi Gras Museum
There are several good Mardi Gras museums in the city. Along with the famous Mardi Gras World, which will send a shuttle to pick you up at our hotel, you can walk to the Presbytere beside St. Louis Cathedral to view their impressive Mardi Gras: It’s Carnival Time in Louisiana exhibit. At the Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Culture on North Rampart Street, you can try on costumes and take selfies. It’s right next to the new New Orleans Storyville Museum. A must experience! Call all museums ahead to make sure they’re open before you go.
Take a Streetcar Ride to City Park
City Park is home to the largest collection of live oaks in the world. In its way, it’s every bit as impressive as California’s Redwood Forest. From your seat on the streetcar, you’ll be able to see the Cities of the Dead, our fascinating above-ground cemeteries, at the foot of Canal Street. Learn more.
Go Back in Time on a Steamboat Ride
Feel the spray of the paddlewheel on the Steamboat NATCHEZ. Join them for a lunch, Sunday Brunch, or Dinner Jazz cruises on the Mighty Mississippi. Learn more.
Get Back to Nature on a Swamp Tour
The swamps are alive with the sounds of turtles plopping, birds calling, frogs croaking, and wild boars snorting. Climb aboard an airboat or traditional swamp boat and learn about Cajun culture. Learn more.
Learn the Whole Story on a Plantation Tour
Destrehan Plantation, Houmas House, Oak Alley, Laura, Nottoway…come learn what life on a plantation was like for both the owners and the enslaved. Learn more.