Packing List
February Packing List for New Orleans — What to Wear & Bring
February is Mardi Gras month in New Orleans — the biggest parades roll through Uptown and the French Quarter in the final two weeks, drawing millions of visitors. Temperatures average 66°F highs and 48°F lows with 9 rain days. Days can be pleasant enough for a light jacket, but standing on St. Charles Avenue for hours watching floats roll by at night gets cold fast at 48°F with Gulf humidity. Pack festive, layerable clothing you don't mind getting dirty in parade crowds, flat shoes for cobblestones, and rain gear — Mardi Gras rolls rain or shine.
Averages 48–66°F, ~9 days of rain
Clothing
Mardi Gras parades along St. Charles Avenue can last 3–4 hours in the evening when temperatures sit at 48°F — New Orleans' Gulf humidity makes that feel substantially colder, and a warm outer layer you can unzip during milder 66°F afternoons is essential for the long parade watches.
February is the peak of Carnival in New Orleans — purple, green, and gold are the official Mardi Gras colors, and wearing them signals you're part of the celebration along the Uptown parade route and throughout the Quarter. Long sleeves handle the 48–66°F temperature range comfortably.
Parade-watching in New Orleans means standing on neutral grounds (medians) and sidewalks for hours — full-length pants protect against the 48°F evening chill and the inevitable contact with parade-crowd debris along the St. Charles and Magazine Street routes.
Mardi Gras crowds on Bourbon Street and along the Uptown parade route are dense and messy — drinks spill, beads fly, and king cake frosting gets everywhere. Wear a top you won't mourn if it doesn't survive Fat Tuesday.
The temperature gap between a sunny 66°F afternoon on Magazine Street and a 48°F evening standing on Napoleon Avenue waiting for Endymion to roll makes a packable mid-layer the most versatile piece in your February New Orleans suitcase.
Footwear
Mardi Gras parade routes in New Orleans — especially the neutral ground along St. Charles Avenue — become muddy, beer-soaked, and littered with crushed beads and cups. Wear shoes with grip that you won't cry over if they're ruined, because the French Quarter cobblestones will be slick with spilled drinks.
With 9 rain days in February and New Orleans' chronic street flooding, waterproof boots are practical insurance — Bourbon Street and the lower French Quarter can have 4–6 inches of standing water after even a moderate storm, and Mardi Gras parades roll rain or shine.
Between parade days, exploring the Garden District's oak-canopied sidewalks, walking the 2.5-mile Riverwalk, or browsing the French Market requires comfortable flat shoes — your feet will already be sore from hours of standing at parades.
Accessories
New Orleans Mardi Gras parades run regardless of weather, and February's 9 precipitation days make rain during at least one major parade almost guaranteed — an umbrella is impractical in packed parade crowds along St. Charles, so a hooded rain jacket is the right call.
Mardi Gras crowds on Bourbon Street and along parade routes are some of the densest in America — a zippered crossbody bag keeps your phone, wallet, and keys secure while leaving hands free to catch throws from parade floats.
Evening parades on St. Charles Avenue and Napoleon Avenue run until 10–11 PM when February temperatures drop to 48°F — a scarf adds quick warmth without requiring a full wardrobe change between afternoon exploring and nighttime parade-watching.
Daytime parades in New Orleans' February can be bright and clear at 66°F — the sun sits low enough to hit your eyes directly while standing on the St. Charles neutral ground watching floats approach from either direction.
Local tips for New Orleans in February
- 1.Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans follow specific routes — the Uptown route along St. Charles Avenue is family-friendly with ladder seats and lawn chairs, while the French Quarter route is more intense and adult-oriented. Dress accordingly: comfortable and expendable for Bourbon Street, layered and practical for the Uptown route.
- 2.The Endymion and Bacchus super-krewe parades draw the largest crowds and run on the Saturday and Sunday before Fat Tuesday — arrive early (2+ hours) to secure a spot on St. Charles Avenue, and wear shoes you can stand in for 4–5 hours straight on concrete and grass.
- 3.February is also peak po'boy and gumbo season — if you're planning dinners at Commander's Palace or Galatoire's, pack one smart-casual outfit with flat dress shoes, as these iconic restaurants enforce dress codes but the walk from parking still involves New Orleans' uneven sidewalks.