Cultural · Louisiana
Mardi Gras 2028 — New Orleans
Feb 22–29
Tell us your Louisiana datesNew Orleans · Louisiana
Starts Feb 22
- Start looking
- by Jul 27
- Arrive
- Feb 21
- Head home
- Mar 1
Mardi Gras 2028 — Fat Tuesday Feb 29 (leap year).
Beads fly from floats down narrow streets while brass bands and second lines pass under the oak trees.
What you need to know
Mardi Gras 2028 — New Orleans runs Feb 22–29, 2028, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Leap-year Mardi Gras is rare — special parades + traditions often added.
Mardi Gras 2028 Fat Tuesday falls on February 29 (leap year). Parade season runs 2 weeks ahead.
Safety rules and an insider tip
Safety + legal. Same NOLA rules. Respect cultural traditions. Designated driver always.
Insider tip. Leap-year Mardi Gras is rare — special parades + traditions often added.
Official source: mardigrasneworleans.com
Where to sleep near New Orleans
Verified campgrounds whose own nearest town is New Orleans — rig limits, fees and booking windows straight from the operator. Book these directly; they are not PickRV rentals.
Going to Mardi Gras — New Orleans? Tell us the nights.
Local owners list their own rigs here. You get a single email when one is listed for your window.
Around Mardi Gras — New Orleans
Frequently asked about Mardi Gras — New Orleans
When is Mardi Gras 2028 — New Orleans?
Mardi Gras 2028 — New Orleans runs Feb 22–29, 2028, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Where is Mardi Gras — New Orleans held?
New Orleans, Louisiana.
What are the exact 2028 dates?
Feb 22–29, 2028.
What RV should I rent for Mardi Gras — New Orleans?
Best categories: rv, trucks-vans. Mardi Gras 2028 Fat Tuesday falls on February 29 (leap year). Parade season runs 2 weeks ahead.
How early should I book an RV?
Recommended lead time: 30 weeks. Event windows book up early, so search and lock your dates as soon as your plans firm up.
What safety and legal guidance applies?
Same NOLA rules. Respect cultural traditions. Designated driver always.
What's an insider tip?
Leap-year Mardi Gras is rare — special parades + traditions often added.
Everything you need to plan Mardi Gras — New Orleans
Best RV parks, rigs, safety, transit and the booking timeline.
Mardi Gras 2028 is the rare one: Fat Tuesday lands on February 29, a leap-day Carnival that has not happened since 1904 and will not happen again until 2056. Krewe parades roll for roughly two weeks ahead of the climax, so the practical visitor window opens mid-February and peaks the long weekend before Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras itself. That rarity will pull heavier-than-normal demand, which is exactly why an RV makes sense here. French Quarter and downtown hotel rates spike and sell out during Carnival, and the Quarter's narrow one-way streets, parade barricades and rolling road closures make it unsuitable for any rig. The smart move is to base a self-contained vehicle at a full-hookup park on the edge of the city, leave it parked, and ride the RTA streetcar, bus and ferry network in on a cheap multi-day Jazzy Pass. New Orleans law allows open containers and public drinking, which makes a designated driver or rideshare absolutely non-negotiable - sobriety enforcement on I-10, the Crescent City Connection and the Causeway is heavy across Carnival weekends. February weather is mild but damp, with average highs near 65F, lows in the low 50s and a real chance of rain on any given day, so pack layers and rain gear. Inventory is limited and listings are demonstration-stage - for a once-in-a-generation leap-day Carnival, lock your park reservation and vehicle early rather than assuming availability.
Best RV parks
French Quarter RV Resort (private) · Walking distance / ~5 min to French Quarter; 500 N. Claiborne Ave, just off I-10
Gated downtown resort with 24-hour monitoring and full-hookup paved sites (30/50-amp, water, sewer). Closest base to the Quarter - books out months ahead for Carnival, so reserve very early.
New Orleans RV Resort & Marina (formerly Pontchartrain Landing)
fullNew Orleans RV Resort & Marina (private) · ~12-15 min to French Quarter via I-10
Lakefront gated park at the Industrial Canal / Lake Pontchartrain; all sites 50-amp full hookups, on-site marina and bar, and a shuttle into the French Quarter so you can leave the rig parked.
Riverboat Travel Park
fullRiverboat Travel Park (private) · ~10 min to French Quarter via Chef Menteur Hwy / I-10
Locally owned, pet-friendly, full-hookup park at 6232 Chef Menteur Hwy sitting directly on the city bus line - ride the RTA in instead of driving and parking near parades.
Bayou Segnette State Park
partialLA State Parks (Westwego) · ~18 min / 13 mi to downtown via Crescent City Connection (US-90)
West Bank state park with 30/50-amp electric and water at sites but no sewer (dump station on-site) - bring full fresh water and budget a dump. Quieter, well-priced family base across the river.
Fontainebleau State Park
partialLA State Parks (Mandeville) · ~50 min / 40 mi to downtown via the 23-mile Lake Pontchartrain Causeway
Scenic North Shore park on Lake Pontchartrain with electric + water sites (no full sewer at all sites). Calm overflow base - best if Carnival noise is not your thing and you do day trips across the Causeway.
Per-vehicle-type recommendations
RV
A Class C in the 22-26ft range is the sweet spot for Carnival: it fits the full-hookup sites at French Quarter RV Resort, New Orleans RV Resort and Riverboat Travel Park, handles I-10 traffic, and is self-contained for the state parks where sewer is dump-station-only. Skip a 35ft+ Class A - Quarter and Uptown streets, parade barricades and rolling closures make a big rig a liability. Park it and ride the streetcar.
Trucks & vans
A Class B campervan is the New Orleans flex play. It threads narrow Uptown and Mid-City streets, parks far easier near streetcar and bus stops along the parade routes, and crosses the Crescent City Connection or Causeway without sweat. Best choice if you want to base at Bayou Segnette or Fontainebleau yet still nip into town on parade mornings before barricades drop and roads close.
Safety + legal — sourcedOfficial guidance for this event, with the source named on each card.
NOPD
New Orleans allows open containers and public drinking, but DUI enforcement and sobriety checkpoints on I-10, the Crescent City Connection and the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway are heavy across Carnival weekends. Use a designated driver, the RTA, or rideshare - never drive after drinking, no matter the open-container law.
City of New Orleans / Mardi Gras parade authorities
Stay behind parade barricades and respect the route. Krewe traditions and indigenous Black Mardi Gras Indian processions are living cultural and spiritual practices - observe quietly and avoid aggressive or intrusive photography.
NWS New Orleans/Baton Rouge (LIX)
Late February averages a high near 65F and a low in the low 50s with high humidity (~77%) and a real chance of rain on any given day. Pack layered clothing and rain gear, and verify rig heat and propane for cool, damp nights.
New Orleans EMS / LSU Health
Alcohol-related and dehydration ER visits peak during Carnival. Hydrate aggressively, pace alcohol, and know the nearest medical tent and hospital before you head into the crowds.
RTA New Orleans
Buy a multi-day Jazzy Pass for unlimited streetcar, bus and ferry rides, and plan around parade-day route detours and service changes posted by the RTA. Leave the rig at your hookup park and ride in.
Transit from your RV base to the eventModes, real costs and what each one is good for.
RTA streetcar (Jazzy Pass)
St. Charles, Canal and Riverfront streetcar lines into and around downtown and the Quarter edge; one Jazzy Pass covers unlimited rides.
RTA bus + park shuttle
From Riverboat Travel Park (on the bus line) or the New Orleans RV Resort shuttle, ride into the French Quarter / downtown.
Algiers Ferry
RTA ferry across the Mississippi between Algiers Point and Canal Street for a car-free Quarter approach from the West Bank.
Rideshare (Uber/Lyft)
Surge-priced to designated drop-off zones outside the parade barricade perimeter; heaviest surge on Lundi Gras and Fat Tuesday.
Booking timelineWhat to do, and when, counting back from the dates.
- 1. 30 weeks before
Reserve a full-hookup park near downtown (French Quarter RV Resort, New Orleans RV Resort, Riverboat Travel Park) - a leap-day Carnival sells out very early.
- 2. 24 weeks before
Book a self-contained PickRV rig sized for narrow streets (Class C 22-26ft or a Class B van), not a 35ft+ coach.
- 3. 12 weeks before
Plan your transit - buy or earmark a multi-day RTA Jazzy Pass and map parade routes and rolling closures.
- 4. 4 weeks before
Confirm rig heat/propane and pack layers and rain gear for mild, damp ~65F days with rain potential.
- 5. Event week
Park the rig at your hookup base, ride the streetcar/bus/ferry in, and use a designated driver or rideshare despite the open-container law.
Keep Mardi Gras — New Orleans on your list
- Save a rig search for Louisiana, for its dates, to your account.
- Your trips and host messages, in one place.
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State rules, safety and legalLicense + towing rules, insurance basics and the non-affiliation notice.
Important: travel + safety + insurance disclaimer
This guide is provided for general informational purposes only. PickRV is not an insurer, legal advisor, or vehicle-safety authority. Trip planning, route selection, rig suitability, weather, and emergency decisions are the renter's responsibility. Always consult the rig manufacturer's owner's manual, your insurance provider, the U.S. National Park Service (nps.gov), NOAA / NWS weather alerts (weather.gov), state and local emergency-management agencies, and current local regulations before and during travel. Cost figures, season windows, road conditions, and fee references on this page are estimates as of May 2026 and vary by season, location, rig, carrier, and operator. Mentions of brand names, state-tourism marks, national-park feature names, or third-party programs are informational only and do not imply affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement.
Before you rent in Louisiana — key local rules
Motorhomes under 26,001 lbs GVWR drive on the standard license — LA OMV
Boating Education required for operators born after 1984 — LDWF — Boating Education
Kisatchie NF MVUM; limited state OHV land — USFS — Kisatchie NF
Louisiana BAC 0.08%; open container in passenger area prohibited — Louisiana RS §14:98
Editorial summary, not legal advice. Verify with Louisiana OMV before relying. Reviewed in the last 5 months (as of 2026-05-24).
Louisiana rules · last verified 2026-05-10
- State rental tax
- 7% · not collected by PickRV
- Min driver age
- 21+ std · 25+ Class A
- Gravel roads
- Allowed — disclosure required
- Generator quiet
- 22:00-07:00