3 Perfect St. Louis Mardi Gras Itineraries

We’ve put together three itineraries for experiencing St. Louis Mardi Gras with varying degrees of “Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler.” That’s fancy French for “letting the good times roll.”

I bleed purple, gold, and green

• Before Mardi Gras weekend, buy a ticket to Molly’s in Soulard’s Mardi Gras Experience, Blues Alumni or the Bud Light Party Tent.
• Wake up at 7:30 AM and immediately brew a pot of Cafe du Monde coffee, while enjoying your mini king cake from Pint Size Bakery.
• Get dressed. It’s the one day of the year that your spouse approves of you wearing that that gold and purple bedazzled denim jacket.
• Because you have time to kill and you aren’t sure you’ve consumed enough calories yet, head into one of the Half & Half locations for breakfast. Get the king cake french toast and more coffee.
• Head into Soulard. If you park in Laclede’s Landing or take the MetroLink to Arch-Landing Station, you can catch the free shuttle running from 9:30 am to 10:30 pm.
• Watch the Bud Light Grand Parade, then head over to whichever event you bought tickets to.
• Responsibly enjoy the rest of your day with your friends, new and old, before cabbing it over to Sister Cities Cajun for an early dinner.
• Recover for the next 365 days.

Dipping your toe into this whole Mardi Gras thing:

• You head into Soulard the weekend before Mardi Gras to get a feel for the celebrations. You eat at Taste of Soulard, then you watch the Purina Pet Parade (the largest costumed pet parade in the country), followed by the most exciting sports event in town: the annual Wiener Dog Derby.
• You enjoy your Sunday in Soulard so much you decide to go see the Bud Light Grand Parade on February 22nd
• Wake up and head to Brasserie in the Central West End for brunch. Get the king cake eclair and an order of piping hot beignets.
• Grab a taxi or take the MetroLink into Soulard, making it just in time for the Grand Parade.
• Make your way over to Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co. for a delicious meal and to give your feet a much needed break.
• Take a taxi back home and feel good about the fact you’ve officially experienced Mardi Gras in St. Louis

Still celebrating, but avoiding Soulard like the plague:

• Wake up and feel good about the fact you won’t be driving into the madhouse that is Soulard later today.
• Wander into your kitchen and cut a slice of Companion’s king cake. Eat it. Realize you’re still hungry and cut a second slice when no one is looking.
• Kill time until lunch.
• Head into Grace Meat & Three in the Grove and enjoy their Southern staples, plus a variety of Mardi Gras specials.
• Pop into Vincent Van Donuts across the street for a king cake donut. That’s tonight’s dessert.
• Drive to either Clementine's Naughty & Nice Creamery or Serendipity Ice Cream (whichever is closer to your house) for some NOLA-inspired lunch dessert.
• Nap.
• Eat a Cajun-filled dinner at Evangeline’s in the Central West End or Highway 61 Roadhouse.
• Go back to sleep.

For more information about St. Louis' Soulard Mardi Gras visit stlmardigras.org

Written by Olio City