Mardi Gras 2019 Trip..Is it too early???

Selliott82

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jan 15, 2018
After staying at the Fort for hte first time in May we are goin back for Mardi Gras 2019. Super excited. As usual the first trip the Wife didnt have enough "Fort Days'" Think we got that handled this time. Just looking to see who else will be heading that way for mardi gras week... For everyone thats not from Louisiana Its March 5th is Mardi gras day. so we will be there March 1st-March 10th. Looking forward to it.
 
We just booked everything last week. We will be staying from March 1st to March 7th...Louisiana natives as well, I'm sure the avatar doesn't give it away LOL !!!!! We live on the west side of the state but I work in NOLA. The family will be meeting me and planning on heading out with the 5th wheel in tow from there. Do you know what the drive time is when you are towing a camper ? This will be our first time so we are looking for any information to figure ot when we will arrive. I just surprised my wife with the news about the trip today and we are not going to tell our kids until we get in the car to head out that morning as a surprise to them !!!
 
Do you know what the drive time is when you are towing a camper ? This will be our first time so we are looking for any information to figure ot when we will arrive. I just surprised my wife with the news about the trip today and we are not going to tell our kids until we get in the car to head out that morning as a surprise to them !!!

What a great surprise. We did a similar thing this summer and the kids still talk about it!

Drive time is one of those things that seems to vary greatly from one driver to the next. It all depends on your typical driving habits, how often you stop for bathrooms, what you do about meals, etc... We are not from that area, but it looks like you are staring at about 650 miles or so - and it is all pretty much interstate. I know that many use 50mph as a rough estimate (including stops). We, on the other hand, generally do better than that. We tend to pack lunches in the car and stop every 150-200 miles for bathrooms and/or gas. Our average seems to run closer to 55-60mph (save any major traffic delays). For that drive I would plan on 12 hours with HOPES of being there in 11.
 
We just booked everything last week. We will be staying from March 1st to March 7th...Louisiana natives as well, I'm sure the avatar doesn't give it away LOL !!!!! We live on the west side of the state but I work in NOLA. The family will be meeting me and planning on heading out with the 5th wheel in tow from there. Do you know what the drive time is when you are towing a camper ? This will be our first time so we are looking for any information to figure ot when we will arrive. I just surprised my wife with the news about the trip today and we are not going to tell our kids until we get in the car to head out that morning as a surprise to them !!!


This year we drove the first leg of the trip to Tallahassee and stayed the night. Woke up at about 4:30 and drive the rest of the way... Then on the return trip we drove straight through. 10 hours. with a 2 and a 5 year old. ...With that said this trip we are planning to leave around 10 at night and drive straight through. Avoiding all traffic. Kids will sleep and less stops. I added up my fuel bills for the trip and it equaled out to $450 for the round trip... I don't think thats too bad pulling a house around!
 


This year we drove the first leg of the trip to Tallahassee and stayed the night. Woke up at about 4:30 and drive the rest of the way... Then on the return trip we drove straight through. 10 hours. with a 2 and a 5 year old. ...With that said this trip we are planning to leave around 10 at night and drive straight through. Avoiding all traffic. Kids will sleep and less stops. I added up my fuel bills for the trip and it equaled out to $450 for the round trip... I don't think thats too bad pulling a house around!

Awesome, We had talked about driving at night as well we have 8 & 9 yr old boys so I was thinking about doing the same thing. Do you know if they allow early check-ins in case we arrive before 3PM. I wasn't sure exactly how it would work if we arrived and our site wasn't ready. What part of the stat did yall drive in from?
 
Awesome, We had talked about driving at night as well we have 8 & 9 yr old boys so I was thinking about doing the same thing. Do you know if they allow early check-ins in case we arrive before 3PM. I wasn't sure exactly how it would work if we arrived and our site wasn't ready. What part of the stat did yall drive in from?

In the past (before having camper) we would leave at midnight and drive straight through. It worked out great. We live in st Charles parish (25 mins outside New Orleans). This last time with the camper we pulled into The Fort around 10 a.m. and they gave us a spot right away. It was a Friday. So maybe we beat the weekend rush. Hope to do the same.
 
That sounds like a plan, Selliott82.

Early March sees an uptick in crowds at the parks and at the Fort but not as bad as later in March when many school systems have their spring break (the parks are staffed based on anticipated demand so you might still "feel" like it's sorta crowded).

My one piece of advice from friends on this board is regarding your driving plan (for others coming from your direction): the tunnels in Mobile on I-10 tend to back up around evening rush hour time so if you can avoid that (which it sounds like you can) you should be fine.

It's a great weather time in early March so enjoy!

Bama Ed
 
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That sounds like a plan, Selliott82.

Early March sees an uptick in crowds at the parks and at the Fort but not as bad as later in March when many school systems have their spring break (the parks are staffed based on anticipated demand so you might still "feel" like it's sorta crowded).

My one piece of advice from friends on this board is regarding your driving plan (for others coming from your direction): the tunnels in Mobile on I-10 tend to back up around evening rush hour time so if you can avoid that (which it sounds like you can) you should be fine.

It's a great weather time in early March so enjoy!

Bama Ed

More truer words can not be spoken about the Mobile tunnel. Hate that and Tillman’s corner. Most of our trips involve passing through mobile. If we leave our house at midnight we hit the tunnel at 2:30am.
 
Well we’re 35 days out. Kids are starting to get excited. I’m excited we got a Buckeys to make a stop at in foley Alabama. :-) Final preparations and maintenance getting done. Anyone else going to be there March 1st till March 10th?
 

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