Photo by @hellokrisdavidson // If you go for Mardi Gras in New Orleans, see if you can befriend a local and join in on the festivities beyond the French Quarter (the entire city is awash in celebration — you can avoid Bourbon Street altogether). The French Quarter is best enjoyed early on in the day on Fat Tuesday, when costumes are fresh and the crowd is not quite at a throng level. Pictured here: A costumed couple at 10am on Mardi Gras day in the French Quarter a few years ago. #MardiGras #NewOrleans