Mardi Gras World Tour: Behind-the-Scenes Experience
4.4
513 Ratings
New Orleans

Discover Mardi Gras magic! Explore float-making, try costumes, and savor King Cake on this all-access New Orleans tour. Perfect family fun!

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World - Mardi Gras World offers a complimentary shuttle for people taking our day tour with ten central pick-up spots. See images for shuttle pick-up locations. The shuttle is covered with photos of Mardi Gras World and has the logo on the side. There are no prearranged pick-ups, just call when you are at one of the…
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What's Included
  • Self-guided walking tour
  • Slice of King Cake
  • Shuttle pickup and drop-off from select downtown New Orleans locations
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Get a unique behind-the-scenes look at the makings of Mardi Gras with this all-access tour of Mardi Gras World in New Orleans. Perfect for the whole family, this self-guided tour shows you where the magnificent floats for the famous Mardi Gras parades are made. Witness the hard work and artistic skill that goes into every float, and learn about the…

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Location
Mardi Gras World
Port of New Orleans Place
Arrive using your own transportation or take the free shuttle. Transport is provided from 20 downtown New Orleans locations. A list can be found on your ticket. Shuttles run every half hour from each location from morning until mid‐afternoon. Please call tour operator for estimated pickup time.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.4
(513 Ratings)
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Beachcomb_33
Mar 28, 2025
Visit! - Neat place to visit. Starting off with a slice of King Cake to learn some history of Mardi Gras. Following the video you get to take a quick tour of how the pieces for the floats are made. Really interesting to learn the process and see all the pieces sitting around. There is a free shuttle service to will pick you up and drop you off. Definitely worth checking out. You will like it, have fun!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
A6221qwcarolynw
Mar 26, 2025
A definite must see! - This was an amazing experience! The tour guide we had was so knowledgeable about the business of float making, as well as the history of Mardi Gras. We were able to view hundreds of props from floats of past years as well as watch artist and craftsmen working on new props and pieces for upcoming floats.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alicel380
Mar 25, 2025
Fun thing to do in New Orleans! - This was a lot of fun! Free jitney pick-up (2 blocks from our hotel) and return, so easy to get to. Wonderful to see the "props" and floats up close; we even watched craftspeople working on new ones for next year's parade! Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Holly_b
Mar 21, 2025
Loved being able to walk... - Loved being able to walk through the warehouse and see people working on next year's floats already and see how they are made. My daughter was excited to finally eat King cake in New Orleans.
Review provided by Viator
Mary
Mar 20, 2025
This place is amazing! - This place is amazing! It was exciting to see them working on projects and to see the props from previous floats. I can't wait to see an actual Mardi Gras Parade!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hmoreau38
Mar 16, 2025
Great tour! Super unique - We loved the Mardi Gras world tour! such a unique insight to all of the planning that goes into the celebrations every year. You get to go into the warehouse and see all of their stock and current projects. Also before the tour they give you a piece of king cake!! Lucky was an awesome guide. So funny and super knowledgeable about all of the goings on.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
599cync
Mar 23, 2025
Really neat to see behind the scenes - Neat look behind the scenes. The tour is quick but you get some great info that makes you understand more about the background of Mardi gras & all that goes into it. Getting there & back can be a little challenging depending on the time of day. If the streetcar isn't running all of the way down or you can't catch the hop on/off bus in enough time, use the shuttle from your hotel or take a pedicabs over from the French quarter. The pedicab will be a little expensive but it is worth it rather than trying to walk it. There's just not great walkways in some spots.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Charlie_b
Mar 22, 2025
None - Good behind the scenes view of Mardi Gras parades. Worth doing, and an interesting history of the krewes.
Review provided by Viator
Pezheads
Mar 18, 2025
Better values out there for entertainment money - Way overpriced. Adult ticket 30 bucks for a 15 minute film, which was informative but not particularly engaging, followed by a short tour of a warehouse. We saw a few stations where they create the float adornments and then an opportunity to see some past floats up close. They do let you wonder around freely after the tour. In total this was a 45 minutes activity. You can see some of the float adornments that are in the warehouse tour for free when you enter the building and make your way to the gift shop to buy the tour ticket. The location is also not a selling point. They offer a free shuttle as there is only paid lots in the area and it’s not on a public transit line. For 2 adults with parking it was over 80 dollars for this short adventure. I was excited to go and disappointed that it wasn’t a better experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kukulkan17
Mar 22, 2025
Nullissimo! - We went there on the recommendation of the Routard guide. Expensive admission (30 bucks), uninteresting movie, kind of hagiography of the Kern family. Soporific guided tour, a real penance! Here we really think tourists are pancakes! That's enough to get a mouthful of Lent!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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