Think New Orleans is the only option for Mardi Gras? If the expensive and overpriced rooms, rowdy crowds, and lack of advanced preparations threaten to ruin your celebrations - consider some of the lesser known venues.
Not just New Orleans
Southerners and Texans alike know that Mardi Gras celebrations come in all shapes and sizes. From the massive, world-famous New Orleans bash to the smaller, more intimate celebrations across the southern states of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Texas, there are plenty of options for revelers on any budget.
Galveston, Texas
Galveston, Texas is just one of the family-friendly venues that won't break the bank. This tiny island off the coast of Texas enjoys abundant sunshine and mild, seventy-degree days in February, making sunscreen a must.
It also offers a variety of activities for people looking to enjoy a Mardi Gras weekend; lots of parties and parades along with some of the coast's best seafood. There are several bars and nightspots ranging from the casual beachfront bars to the more upscale downtown nightclubs for people wanting to have a night on the town, and the traditional Hurricane cocktails.
There is more than just drinking and partying in this mini-Mardi Gras. Galveston itself offers many other attractions that aren't available in the "Big Easy" including miles of beaches, rides and attractions on the boardwalk, a museum dedicated to the real-life pirate, Jean Lafitte and dolphin sightseeing tours. There is no Marie LaVeau but there are tarot card readers, haunted hotels and historic homes that rival the elegant grandeur of the Garden District.
Other Mardi-Gras Celebrations
Here are five more Mardi-Gras celebrations outside of New Orleans:
- Shreveport, LA
- Pensacola, FL
- Orlando, FL
- Mobile, AL
- Mississippi Gulf Coast (Biloxi, Gulfport, Long Beach)
