BBC’s Mardi Gras Transportation Tips!

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With Mardi Gras around the corner, getting from one place to another can be a tedious endeavor. Not to worry! Whether you are staying uptown, downtown or somewhere in between, BBC is here to provide you with some useful transportation tips.

Transportation Tip #1: Try a Classic

Some of the best parades begin uptown and then make their way downtown, so if you are trying to see the city and make it in time to catch some throws, catch a ride on the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar line, the longest and “oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world” (source: http://www.experienceneworleans.com/new-orleans-streetcars.html).

St. Charles Avenue Line

Source: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/51/cb/73/51cb73aa844a6d12fb028158772d94d2.jpg

For $1.25 per ride, you have five lines to choose from: the St. Charles Avenue line, the Canal St. line, the Riverfront line, Loyola/UPT line, and the Rampart/St. Claude line. Learn more about each Streetcar lines by clicking here. Please note that the street cars do not operate two hours before and two hours after the parades, so be sure to plan a little in advance.

Transportation Tip #2: Ubering or Lyfting

Though Uber and Lyft are obvious solutions for moving from point A to point B, it is important to understand some tricks and perks to both transportation services.

To facilitate the flow of traffic, Uber will be working within and outside of the “Box”, i.e. the area between St. Charles Avenue and the Mississippi River that is literally boxed in due to the road closures. This makes getting in and out tricky as some drivers will only move passengers inside the grid and vice versa. Know whether or not you are trying to get in or get out before ordering your Uber so that you both know where to be without halting the traffic. For additional Uber tips, click here.

The “Box”

Source: https://newsroom.uber.com/us-louisiana/mardi-gras-ride-guide/

Lyft has not formally announced that it will be working with the same grid-like system, but Lyft spokeswoman Mary Caroline Pruitt has informed the press that passengers in New Orleans are able to use a special promo code that will take off $5 their first two rides! Learn more here!

Not interested in staying uptown? No problem- you’ve still got options!

Transportation Tip #3: Eco-friendly your way around Downtown Nola

Staying in the downtown area sans car? Not a problem! Pedicabs are a great and eco-friendly alternative to cabbing it. You can enjoy the sights in a comfortable two-person buggy while your cyclist does the moving for you. Nola Pedicabs and Need a Ride are both premier pedicab companies that live up to their highly acclaimed reputations.

Nola Pedi Cab

Source: http://neworleanspedicabads.com/_img/panelad-2.jpg

Whether you are hoping for a nice stroll in the French Quarter, or a visit to one of our many vibrant neighborhoods, such as the Warehouse District and the Marigny, consider this alternative mode of transportation!

Need a Ride

Source: http://www.needaridenola.com/_img/jester.png

Transportation Tip #4: Take a iourney through time

Are you looking for a break from the parade madness? Why not take a leisurely journey through time with one of New Orleans’ signature carriage rides? Good Old Days and Mid City Carriages provide passengers with a chance to enjoy the sights while getting a comprehensive narrated tour of the architecture, the city’s many urban legends and, of course, a taste of our rich history!

Good Old Days

Source: https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/0c/1a/98/ba/great-tour.jpg

Mid City Carriages

Source: http://midcitycarriages.com/image/113846171.jpg

Transportation tip #5: Sight-seeing at your own pace

If you prefer experiencing the city without having to adhere to a tight schedule, then Hop On Hop Off is a fantastic option for seeing what you want, when you want and for however long you want. For one fixed price, you can visit key historical locations in the French Quarter all the way up to the Garden District. Each bus comes equipped with a local and experienced tour guide so that when you do hop back on, you can pick up right where you left off! You will even get some helpful tips on what to check out before you hop off. Who says that you can’t sightsee and enjoy the parades in the same day?

Hop On Hop Off