Should I go to Mardi Gras?

Hey now -

Last year I began what I hope will be an annual tradition of celebrating Carnival at different places around the world. Last year it was Trinidad, but for various reasons I don%26#39;t think international travel is gonna be in the budget for %26#39;08. I like the idea of partying, taking part in a historic tradition, and helping out the recovery of the gulf states.

So who can sell me on the charms of Mobile?

Thanks!

(btw, I%26#39;ve been to NoLa 3 times already, but never for Mardi Gras)

Should I go to Mardi Gras?

we enjoyed a fine carnival in mobile several years ago. and it was well described by the previous poster. GO! i think you%26#39;ll enjoy it.

Should I go to Mardi Gras?

Even have parades in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, an hour away from Mobile. The snowbirds love them. In fact, I think they have their own parade.

the sunday before fat tuesday us mobilians celebrate joe cain day which is a day that we honor the guy who brought the carnival to the U.S. . the day is filled with parades and is really fun. they do a widow walk that leads to the grave of joe cain. its really interesting. Fairhope and gulf shores also have their own parades.

Hi J-A-W-P,

I have seen you on the NYC forum a lot. Welcome to Alabama.

I haven%26#39;t been to the festivities in Mobile or NO, but if I were going to one, it would be Mobile. As you are probably aware, Mardi Gras started in Mobile and then ';branched out'; to New Orleans. From all I have read and heard, the parades and festivities in Mobile are much tamer than NO. Mobile is a beautiful, historic city. There are battlefields, forts and historic buildings all around. You are very close to the Gulf of Mexico and the most beautiful white sand beaches anywhere. If you are at all interested in flowers, Bellingrath Gardens is in Mobile and is well-known for their beautiful Azaleas in the spring time. If the weather is warm enough, they may be in bloom at that time.

I hope you enjoy your time in my beautiful state if you decide to come. I just returned from my fourth trip to NYC.

dbh- Hope you had a good time in New york.

It%26#39;s looking like downtown hotel rooms are not to be found... Right now I see La Quinta Inn and Marriott Mobile are still available. Any thoughts on either of these? How difficult would it be to get to/from ';the action'; from either location?

Thanks!

We had a great time in NYC. Trip report posted today on the NYC forum.

I have stayed at the LaQuinta on Airport Rd. dozens of times on business. The Marriott is on the opposite side of Interstate 65 at the same Airport Rd. exit. No experience at this one, but I%26#39;ve heard good things about the Marriott. ;) The LQ is your basic motel with exterior rooms. The Marriott is a nicer hotel. If you want to stay somewhere really nice, and pay what we have to pay when we come to NYC, check out Marriott%26#39;s Grand Hotel in Point Clear (less than half an hour from Mobile on the eastern side of Mobile Bay).

I haven%26#39;t been to Mardi Gras, but looking online at the parade maps from 2007, it looks like the Mobile parades are in the downtown area near the civic center. That area is about 6-8 miles east of either of the hotels mentioned. It would be easy to get to, although I don%26#39;t know how traffic and parking will be. There are also parades in other cities nearby - Pritchard (north of Mobile), Tillman%26#39;s Corner (west of Mobile) and Fairhope (close the Grand Hotel).

As one who grew up in Mobile and have family in Fairhope - Mobile is the best kept secret for Mardi Gras in the world. Because of that, I%26#39;ll give you some hints, but you cannot share them with too many other people, as they will all come to Mobile for Mardi Gras and ruin the ';hometown feel';.

First, hotels - you will not find one close to downtown unless they have a cancellation, so you will need a rental car to go down there for parades, etc. I would try a few on the Eastern Shore of the bay (Spanish Fort, Daphne, Fairhope, Malbis) or try for a B %26amp; B (there are a couple of great ones there, especially Fairhope Inn), but chances are few will have vacancies at this point in time. That area is much prettier, just as close to the downtown Mobile activities, as well as a place where several great organizations do their own parades for Mardi Gras (not as crowded, but just as good). If you%26#39;re looking for the NOLA ';packed together like sardines'; feeling, go to downtown Mobile parades the Wed, Thurs, Fri, and Sat nights prior to Fat Tuesday. The Stripers, Crewe of Columbus, etc have the best traditional parades and wilder crowds. You WILL have trouble parking down there unless you get there early enough to use the civic center parking lot or some of the pay lots just off Government SStreet.

As noted, the Sunday prior to Fat Tuesday is Joe Cain Day, where the true Mobilians (and many of their friends) go to ';raise Cain';. We used to be able to really go to the Church Street Cemetery where he is buried to finish up the party, but too many people desecrated it and ruined it for the rest of us.

Fairhope and Daphne also have great parades during the week.

Balls - Feel like Black tie and tails? You possibly could luck into tickets to one of the balls the parading organizations have (if you%26#39;re truly interested, I%26#39;ll try to help with that - muchas familias in different organizations.)

Mobile has a website with all of the Mardi Gras info, including the surrounding communities. You might even consider making a side trip to Pascagoula/Biloxi for a day of gambling - help their economy which has been devastated after Hurricane Katrina!