Things to Do Between Parades
Ideas for parade-free days and mornings, plus links to book tours ahead of time.
Disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links (marked “Partner”). If you book through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Recommendations are not paid placements.
French Quarter walking & history tours
Architecture, history and ghost tours run year-round. Book morning slots on parade days.
Food & cocktail tours
Creole and Cajun tastings, cocktail history walks and cooking classes.
Float-building studio tours
See how Carnival floats are designed and built, any time of year.
Swamp & bayou tours
Airboat and boat tours outside the city. Most include hotel pickup — check pickup rules during street closures.
Mississippi River cruises
Daytime and dinner cruises leave from the riverfront.
Museums & rainy-day backups
History, art and Carnival museums. Check holiday hours around Mardi Gras Day.
Plan around closures
Pickups can be delayed by parade closures. Uptown streets close before parades, and the French Quarter restricts vehicles during peak days [1]. Pick tours that start on foot near your hotel, or schedule them on non-parade days using the schedule.
Sources
Last checked 2026-10-24. Rules and schedules change — always confirm with the official source before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.