ludocdoc

I'll be in NOLA Monday night the 27th, staying at the hotel Indigo-- right at the corner of St Charles and Jackson, so very hopeful for great parade views a tthe turn.

Problem is, I have to leave in the afternoon Tuesday. I have some flexibility on when, but will need to pick up a rental car. Looks like downtown locations are closed so I'll have to head to the airport to pick up there. Any advice on how painful it's going to be to get from the corner on the parade route out to the airport? Uber? Taxi? I'm traveling light, but not sure I feel like taking the bus back (might do that inbound Monday daytime)

Also, any good eat ideas for late Monday night in that area? I'm currently leaning to Red fish grill, but could be swayed.

FLYMSY

if you go out to the airport after 1:00 Tuesday afternoon, you should be fine and not experience any parade issues. Depends if the truck parades have finished going by your hotel. As far as Uber or taxi, depends if Uber is doing surge pricing at that time. Ask at the hotel what the taxi normally costs. The hotel is not convenient for public transportation from the airport. Only public transport by the hotel is the St. Charles Ave. streetcar.

The Redfish Grill is in the French Quarter and your hotel is literally on the borderline of the Garden District and Lower Garden District. No way that I would go to the FQ that night, but maybe that's because I've lived here all my life. Also, what do you mean by "late" for going to a restaurant on Monday night?

FLYMSY

Edited to add:
Since you're going to be at the corner of Jackson & St. Charles, it is going to be very crowded. After Zulu comes down Jackson & turns onto St. Charles, Rex & a couple of truck parades will immediately follow on St. Charles. You might want to leave valuables in your room.

swag

Here's the Uber info for parade days:
https://www.uber.com/info/2017-mardi-gras-ride-guide/

ludocdoc

So, for next year's searchers, here's how this went.

Monday, St Charles street was a zoo. By the time I got there it was a mess, covered in people, debris, etc. I don't know when the streetcar stopped running, but it wasnt running at dinner time Monday the day before fat tuesday. Getting parked a the hotel in the evening was difficult, but doable as the parking lot has a back entrance, but required calling the front desk to have the valet guy meet me back there, and timing that was a pain as the street behind the hotel is the one just north of and parallel to St Charles, and since its open, everyone who wants to parallel St Charles is on it, and you cant stop. So I gave up on the quarter for Monday night.

Tuesday, Zulu came right down Jackson as expected, and they took forever. According to the schedule, the parade starts about 8, and they got there a bit before 9. The Parade lasted about 2.5 or a bit more hours. Rex seemed backed up on St Charles waiting for them to get moving. Evidently Zulu has a rep for being slow. Both were a great show.

It was impressive how soon after Zulu was done it became possible to drive on Jackson. I was walking about there in the aftermath and cars were on the street within less than a half hour after the last float went by.

FLYMSY

What you experienced was normal, although, I'm sure frustrating for the inexperienced.

The St. Charles Ave. streetcar stops it's normal schedule/route 2 hours before parades start. It will run farther Uptown during the parade, but outside of the parade zone. See this link for future reference:

http://www.norta.com/Maps-Schedules/Mardi-Gras

Zulu has a reputation for starting late and being slow.

The weather was perfect this year and, therefore, the crowds were large. The hotels were pretty much at capacity.