Safety Tips for a Mardi Gras Visit to New Orleans

A visit to New Orleans for Mardi Gras can be a great excitement. Immersing yourself in the colors and history of this festival while enjoying fabulous music, food and friends can make for one enjoyable adventure that you could surely talk about for years. However, this vacation can also go very badly if you do not take the proper safety precautions. Here are a few things to keep in mind on your trip to the Big Easy.

- Keep your valuables in the hotel safe. Don't carry anything of value that you wouldn't want to lose on the streets where pick pockets and muggers could attain them.

- Always pay attention to your surroundings and don't flash your cash, wear expensive jewelry or do or say anything else that could make you the target of a robbery.

- If your group plans to be drinking, designate someone to remain sober. That way, you'll have someone who can keep an eye on your group to keep everyone safer.

- Be careful when partying with people you don't know. Keep an eye on your wallets, purses and drinks. Don't take drinks from strangers. Use your better judgment to avoid ending up a victim of a violent crime.

- Make sure your cell phone is charged before you leave your hotel and have your ICE contacts selected if that feature is available on your phone. You may also want to have some New Orleans important numbers programmed into your phone just in case

If you are planning to visit with children, you'll need to take additional precautions to ensure their safety. Here are some tips.

- Write your last name and phone number on your child's clothing in pen. Also, prior to the visit, have your child memorize basic identifying information (first and last names of parents, street address, telephone numbers) if he or she is old enough.

- Talk to your child about not taking candy, food, or items from strangers and not going anywhere with strangers. Just because a person may be costumed and look fun in a child's eyes doesn't mean they are safe.

- Teach your child how to identify the police and other people who could help if they get lost or hurt. Also, talk to them about 911 and how they can use any phone, payphone or not, to call 911 in an emergency.

- Designate a meeting place in case your family is separated. This way you'll have a point of reference to begin to find them instead of panicking and hoping to spot them in the crowd.

- Teach your child the importance of staying away from the floats and marching bands. You don't want them to end up hurt.

For more information on Mardi Gras safety, please see visit www.neworleanscvb.com/static/index.cfm/contentID/261/sectionID/1/subsectionID/0. You'll find safety tips, important numbers, transportation information and more on that page. Also, explore the site to learn more about New Orleans to better prepare for your visit. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so take the proper precautions for your trip and have a wonderful time!

Additional Sources:

Family Mardi Gras Tiwww.neworleansonline.com/pr/releases/releases/Family%20Mardi%20Gras%20Tips.pdfps: