How to Do Mardi Gras at Home

Most of us are not going to headed to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, but that doesn't mean you can't get in on the celebrations. There are tons of places that have festivities and you can even do your own at home like we have for several years. 

Here are some ideas for your Mardi Gras staycation:

Throw your own Fat Tuesday party

Invite all your friends and celebrate the last day before Lent with food and beads and drinks and photos. Get a backdrop that everyone can take their pictures in front of. I love this one that's sparkly and in the traditional Mardi Gras colors. You can also get a backdrop of Bourbon Street, so you feel like you're in The Big Easy. Decorate the rest of your space, so it's over the top. Get a set of signs and street lamps and some big floats - or get a box, or several boxes, and create your own floats at home with your guests. This lady has the quickest and easiest tutorial for all the things you might want for your float - and a ton of beads! 

Have your friends bring their own dish, or make food yourself, or get takeout, if you have a Cajun or Creole place near you. Head to your nearest Party City or other party store for colorful platters and bowls and cheap drinking cups. I'm partial to the aluminum Ball cups, because they keep stuff really cold and they are recyclable. Throw some of these flashing cube lights into cups for more party atmosphere. They light up as soon as they touch liquid. Maybe have everyone bring their favorite hot sauce and you can do a tasting. 

Set the tone before folx even step into your house with yard signs, bunting on your porch railing (or maybe a lot more beads <---these have a $10 off coupon right now). Here's how I used beads all over last year for my Mardi Gras party. I got a lot of boring regular ones and then picked up some fancy ones at my local Dollar Tree. Or maybe you just want some banners to hang around your door. 

Make a YouTube playlist of Mardi Gras parades to play in the background, throw on some zydeco music, and mix up some mint juleps. Don't forget the King Cake! I also like to place some signs with fun facts around the party, because I always like to learn new things. 

Go to your nearest parade

Not all cities have a Mardi Gras parade, but a lot of them do. I just learned last year that Portland has one. Check your local calendar and you might be surprised. If you are near any of these places or want to road trip, check out these best parades.

Start planning your trip for next year

If, like me, you've never been to Mardi Gras (though I highly recommend going just after, because airfare and hotel rates are much lower and the weather is gorgeous and not that humid) then you probably need some tips. Now, I've been to Mardi Gras World, so I learned a lot of what to do and not to do, but it's still not going to the parades. Learn some general first-timer tips from Lonely Planet and then these more specific tips from locals.

Learn about the consequences of Mardi Gras

Did you know that parades in just New Orleans create hundreds of tons of trash? The majority of that trash is beads, but it also consists of throws that spectators catch and leave behind. There's a group looking to change that. The Grounds Krewe has been collecting and recycling beads for years and are offering eco-friendly alternatives to plastic and foam throws that are becoming more popular among the parade krewes.

Now you're ready to laissez le bon temps rouler (let the good times roll) wherever you are. I hope you have a great Mardi Gras!

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5 Affordable Valentine's Travel Destinations

Still looking for a great getaway for your Valentine? Travel is a great experience, and many times experiences are better than things. Candy and flowers last only so long, but memories last forever. If you can swing a trip in February with your sweetheart, I guarantee it'll be more exciting than one fancy dinner. 

Not sure where to go on a budget? Well, here are 5 destinations for you:

Chicago 

Bring your big coat and layers, because it will be cold, but you can easily escape the rough weather by heading inside and exploring places like the Chicago Cultural Center, with it's gorgeous Tiffany Dome, Harold Washington Library Center, and walk hand-in-hand through Garfield Park Conservatory. If you are brave enough to go outside, walk the Magnificent Mile, take photos in front of the Bean, see some outdoor art, and enjoy Lurie Garden in Millennium Park. All of these things are free, so you can spend money on dining out. Check out Eater's list of best heated patios in the city. I also love this list of covered patios and rooftop eateries.

San Francisco

Soak up a bit of sun in the Bay Area. While it'll still be foggy, which can trap the cold air, you can get some warm moments in the city. Mardi Gras will be happening on the 13th, which means free parades, live music, and a masquerade ball with (free) dinner! You can also check out the Cable Car Museum, take a tour of the dome in the City Hall building, hit up the Ferry Building for its year-round farmers market, and see a 360-degree view of the city at de Young's Harmon Observation Tower. All the money you saved can take you to the beautiful gardens of Golden Gate Park: the Conservatory of Flowers, Japanese Tea Garden, and the San Francisco Botanical Garden. Choose one or all.

Denver 

You don't have to ski to enjoy Denver. There are tons of great museums, including the awesome interactive Convergence Station by Meow Wolf. If you're looking for freebies, you can tour the Denver Mint, hit up First Friday, a shuttled tour of art galleries, take a Hammond's Candy Factory tour, or head outside and wander the sculpture-laden City Park, where you can also get a wonderful view of the city. Book a table at one of Denver's best heated outdoor patios, like the cool af tents at Michelin-starred Wolf's Tailor. It'll cost you a pretty penny, but you just saved on all your sightseeing! For a cheaper option, book a private gazebo at Bar Dough.

Cancun

Believe me, I know how right now it's really enticing to just get totally away and sunbathe for a few days. If that's more your speed, then you can take an easy flight to Cancun, where you can sit on the beach or you can indulge in some free things like a self-guided mural tour downtown, see some awesome live music at Parque Las Palapas, or view cool birds and iguanas at Kabah Urban Park. If you want to take your love out to a romantic dinner after your day, here are some suggestions from OpenTable.

Kissimmee/Orlando

Skip the theme parks and you can not only find pretty good deals on accommodations, but there is a long list of free things you can do, including the Nature Conservancy's Disney Wilderness Preserve, Osceola County Welcome Center and History Museum and Kissimmee Lakefront Park. If you need a bit of magic, book dinner in one of the many restaurants at Disney Springs, or choose from some of these date night restaurants.

If your idea of a romantic getaway is a good road trip, here are some of the best scenic drives in the US, according to BudgetTravel. Pack a bag, throw some food and drinks in a cooler, gas up, and go.

If you missed my post on champagne and prosecco travel, go check that out. 

Tell me in the comments where your best romantic destination, attraction, or restaurant.

Literal Champagne Travel (Even On a Beer Budget)

When people celebrate things, like Valentine's Day or weddings or anniversaries or accomplishments, they often do so by popping open a bottle of bubbly. Sometimes it's sparkling wine or prosecco, but we almost always say champagne. By now, you probably know it's not champagne unless it comes from the champagne region in France. If you love a good glass of bubbles, you're not alone. 

If you want to travel to Champagne, know that the exchange rate is very favorable for Americans heading to France. That means you can save money getting and staying there and then splurge a bit on a tour. 

There are 5 zones in the region and you can hit one or all of them in a trip. If you want to only focus on non-vintage champagne where you won't find most of the tourists, check out the Aube or the Côte de Sézanne zones. If you want to do more than just drink champagne, head to the more touristy parts of the region: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs. The smaller, boutique producers generally do everything on-site, so you can learn about their bottles from start to finish. Here's a little more about where to go and when from Conde Nast. And if you are going to Reims, here are some awesome things to do there.

You can even learn a little more about champagne before you get there. In fact, Fodor's has 10 fun facts for you.

The idea of champagne and the actual bottles first came from Britain, even though we all think it was France. It wasn't until Britain had discovered the predecessor to champagne, sparkling wine, and how to make the bottles much stronger in order to keep them from exploding under the immense pressure created, that the Champagne region learned how to replicate the bubbly drink in their own way.  

Imagine having the chance to try champagne that is almost 120 years old! That's what some lucky souls are going to get to do, now that the bottles have been rescued from a collapsed cellar in the Northern France city of Épernay. Hopefully, they're still drinkable. 

Pair your champagne vacation with a tour of your favorite foods by taking a French journey to explore the country and the origins of those foods like brie and Roquefort cheese. 

If prosecco is more your speed, or you'd rather spend your time in Italy than France (decisions, decisions), the prosecco region is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. AFAR is here to tell you the best vineyards to check out, as well as where to stay and eat. 

There's also the essential guide that can tell you how to get there and around affordably. Also, where to go for the kind of prosecco you like, the benefits of hiring a driver, and other things to do in the region. 

If you want to add on a unique experience and tour, and don't need everything on your trip to be bubble-filled, check out these vineyard tours of the Bordeaux region by way of a British black cab. Wine-Cab sounds so cool to me, and I've not had the opportunity to try them out yet, but we also aren't big drinkers. The rates are pretty reasonable for half-day trips, and it's nice to not have to drive yourself (you have a built-in designated driver) and find your way around or have to navigate public transportation. It's a luxurious little way to experience the region, which gives a bit more of a romantic vibe. 

I hope this helps you plan a wonderful couple's getaway with some of your favorite beverages, while also creating fantastic memories. Tell me some of your top bubbly drinks in the comments.