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February 2026 Newsletter

🎭 JGOOT Family Travel Newsletter

February Edition: Mardi Gras, But Make It Family-Friendly

Mardi Gras doesn’t have to mean late nights, loud bars, or 18+ atmosphere. February is actually one of the most underrated months for family travel if you know where to go and what to skip. Parades, costumes, music, food traditions, history, and community — all wrapped into an experience kids genuinely love. 

This month’s blueprint shows you how to do Mardi Gras in a way that works for families: festive, culturally rich, and realistic with kids in tow… the way families who actually live in the “Big Easy” do it…every year. Mardi Gras memories make up the fabric of a childhood in NOLA, so consider giving your family a peek into this rich cultural phenomenon without the chaos!

✈️ Monthly Family Travel Blueprint:



Family-Friendly Mardi Gras Destinations

New Orleans (Uptown + Metairie focus)

For families visiting during Mardi Gras, where you stay and where you watch parades matters.

Uptown New Orleans and nearby Metairie are where local families spend Carnival season. Routes start earlier, streets are wider, and the atmosphere feels like a neighborhood gathering rather than a packed spectator event. You’ll see blankets, wagons, bead trading, and kids moving freely — not shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.

🎭 Family-Approved Parades (Worth Planning Around)

How to use this list: pick one or two parades as anchors, then build the rest of your days around food, museums, and one kid-focused activity. Standing closer to the start of a route usually means lighter crowds and more throws.

Official parade schedules and route maps:



https://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/parades/

🎈 Krewe of Little Rascals – Metairie

This parade is built specifically for children. Kids ride the floats, throws are aimed toward younger spectators, and the crowd energy stays relaxed. For first-time Mardi Gras families, this is one of the easiest and most joyful entry points.

🐕 Krewe of Barkus – French Quarter / Marigny

A shorter parade centered around costumed dogs and their owners. The pace is manageable, the tone is playful, and kids stay engaged from start to finish. Works especially well for younger kids or families easing into parade days.

⚓ Krewe of Okeanos – Uptown

A classic large-scale parade that still works for families thanks to earlier start times and wide Uptown streets. Floats and marching bands deliver the full spectacle without the late-night energy.

🦖 ’tit Rex – Marigny

Handmade floats, clever humor, and a strong neighborhood feel. Smaller scale and slower pacing make it easy to appreciate the creativity without committing to an all-day route experience.

🛰️ Krewe of Chewbacchus – Marigny / Bywater

Best for older kids and teens. Sci-fi, fantasy, and pop-culture themes blend with Mardi Gras traditions, creating a creative, participatory atmosphere rather than a chaotic one.

🌳 Beyond Parades: First-Timer New Orleans Essentials

🎡 New Orleans City Park

A reliable reset between parade days.

City Park includes Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, with classic rides and a storybook aesthetic, and Storyland, where kids explore oversized fairy-tale scenes. Many families plan this as a half-day to balance parade energy with open space and play.

🚋 St. Charles Streetcar

An easy way to experience a classic side of New Orleans while also getting around the city. The ride through the Garden District works well for sightseeing without extra planning.

🚢 Steamboat NATCHEZ

A slower-paced daytime experience that fits well after busy mornings. The cruise offers river views, live jazz, and a sense of the Mississippi’s role in Louisiana history.

Official site and schedules:

https://www.steamboatnatchez.com/

🍽️ Louisiana Food (Why It’s Not Like Anywhere Else)

Louisiana is one of the very few places in the United States with a cuisine that stands completely on its own. This isn’t just “good local food” — it’s a food culture with clear identities, rules, and history behind it.

Creole cooking grew out of New Orleans itself: layered, urban, influenced by French, Spanish, African, Caribbean, and Italian traditions. Cajun cooking developed outside the city: rural, resourceful, built around what could be hunted, fished, or grown, and cooked slowly with intention. They overlap, but they are not the same — and you can taste the difference.

For visiting families, food becomes one of the easiest ways to understand where you are. Kids don’t need a history lesson to get it; they feel it when bread is different, flavors are deeper, and meals don’t look or taste like what they eat at home. February’s parade rhythm naturally creates space for those meals — not rushed, not overplanned — and those are often the moments that stick.

👑 King Cake (Seasonal + Essential)

A Carnival-season tradition that kids immediately latch onto — the colors, the ceremony, and the hunt for the baby.

🥪 Po’boys (The universal kid win)

Crispy bread, straightforward flavors, and easy customization make po’boys an easy family choice.

🍩 Beignets (You’re doing this)

Powdered sugar everywhere, zero regrets.

🍲 Gumbo & Creole comfort food

Best after parade days when everyone wants something warm and grounding.

Helpful background for first-timers:

https://www.neworleans.com/restaurants/traditional-new-orleans-foods/

🏛️ Mardi Gras Museums & Cultural Context

These stops help kids connect what they see on the streets with the traditions behind it.

🎭 Mardi Gras World

A behind-the-scenes look at float construction and parade scale. Visiting before or after a parade makes everything click.

https://www.mardigrasworld.com/

🎨 The Presbytère

Located on Jackson Square, with exhibits on Mardi Gras history, costumes, and traditions.

https://louisianastatemuseum.org/museum/presbytere

🎷 Backstreet Cultural Museum

Focused on Mardi Gras Indians and neighborhood traditions, adding depth and perspective.

https://backstreetmuseum.org/

🏨 Where to Stay for Mardi Gras (Family-Friendly, Out of the Quarter)

This is the part that makes or breaks a family Mardi Gras trip.

During Carnival, the French Quarter is not the right base for most families — even if it’s fine the rest of the year. Noise, late-night foot traffic, and logistics get old fast with kids. Instead, these areas consistently work better.

🏡 Uptown / Garden District (Best All-Around Choice)

Close to major parade routes, quieter at night, and walkable in a way that feels manageable with kids.

🏘️ Metairie (Underrated + Very Family-Friendly)

Less touristy, easy parking, and home to some of the best kid-focused parades.

🏨 Central Business District / Warehouse District (Good Compromise)

Works well for families who want hotel amenities but plan to take the streetcar or rideshare to parades.

Parent takeaway:

If you can walk to a parade route and sleep at night, you picked the right neighborhood.

✈️ Getting There: Flights (Cash + Points Highlights)

February offers better availability than spring break — and Mardi Gras routes benefit from frequency, not scarcity.

💵 Cash Pricing Snapshot (Round-Trip, Typical February Ranges)

  • New York City (JFK/LGA/EWR): ~$100–$160

  • Chicago (ORD): ~$150–$220

  • Atlanta (ATL): ~$60–$120

  • Washington DC (DCA/IAD): ~$140–$220

  • Denver (DEN): ~$150–$230

  • Los Angeles (LAX): ~$170–$260

Many airlines (notably Frontier!) add extra volume to MSY during Mardi Gras. More volume helps stabilize cash pricing, even throughout a busy carnival season!

Nonstop route map into MSY:



https://flymsy.com/nonstop-flights/

✈️ Rule 2: Flying to New Orleans (MSY) on Points

When it makes sense to use points instead of cash for flights to New Orleans, Rule 2 applies: transfer flexible points to airline partners where the value beats paying cash. MSY is well-served by several airlines that work cleanly with Chase and Amex points, which makes this a strong destination for strategic redemptions.

Southwest Rapid Rewards (via Chase Ultimate Rewards)

Southwest is often the most reliable option for families flying to MSY on points. Award pricing tracks cash prices closely, so when fares dip, point requirements usually drop as well. This is especially useful for Mardi Gras travel, when nonstop routes and schedule flexibility matter.

  • Points transfer 1:1 from Chase Ultimate Rewards

  • Strong coverage into MSY from cities like DEN, MDW, BWI, HOU, DAL, ATL, and MCO

  • Two checked bags included, which matters for families

  • Companion Pass holders can add a second traveler for no additional points

Search tool:

https://www.southwest.com/air/low-fare-calendar/

United MileagePlus (via Chase Ultimate Rewards)

United offers consistent access to MSY from multiple hubs, and saver-level economy awards appear regularly, particularly on midweek flights.

  • Points transfer 1:1 from Chase Ultimate Rewards

  • Useful hubs include ORD, DEN, IAD, EWR, and IAH

  • Works well for families outside traditional Southwest markets

Award search:

https://www.united.com/en-us/featured-awards

JetBlue TrueBlue (via Chase Ultimate Rewards)

JetBlue can be a solid option for families flying from the Northeast or Florida when availability lines up.

  • Points transfer 1:1 from Chase Ultimate Rewards

  • Common routes include JFK, BOS, and FLL

  • Best used when cash fares are elevated but TrueBlue pricing remains reasonable

Award search:



https://www.jetblue.com/trueblue

Strategy Notes for MSY Redemptions

  • MSY is a high-frequency airport, which improves your odds of finding usable award space

  • Midweek flights tend to price better on points than weekend departures

  • Always compare the point cost against the cash fare to confirm the redemption clears JGOOT’s value threshold

📚 Educational Opportunities

Mardi Gras is one of those rare celebrations where kids can see, taste, and create their way into understanding a place. A little preparation at home makes the parades, food, and traditions click in a much deeper way once you arrive — or let families bring the celebration home if they’re not traveling this year.

🎥 Learn the Story Behind Mardi Gras

Before the beads and floats, Mardi Gras has a long history tied to calendar traditions, community celebrations, and cultural identity.

Kid-friendly history video:

What Is Mardi Gras? (explained for kids):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBFSY4RM0p4

This short video works well for elementary-age kids and gives just enough context to help them understand why people celebrate Mardi Gras — not just what it looks like.

🍰 Make Your Own King Cake (The Easy Way)

King Cake is one of the most recognizable Mardi Gras traditions, and making one together is a simple way to connect food with meaning.

Easy King Cake using canned cinnamon rolls (kid-friendly):

https://www.imthecheftoo.com/blogs/cooking-with-kids/easy-king-cake-for-kids-our-fun-mardi-gras-recipe

This version keeps things simple while still explaining the significance of the colors and the hidden baby. It’s approachable for younger kids and fun for older ones who want to help decorate.

Video walkthrough (helpful for visual learners):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMRu2r0xISI

🎭 Create a Mardi Gras Mask

Masks are a core part of Mardi Gras tradition, representing celebration, creativity, and anonymity.

Simple Mardi Gras mask craft (video tutorial):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpcFjDoawys

This project uses basic supplies like paper, glue, feathers, and sequins and can be adjusted for different ages — from simple decorating for younger kids to more detailed designs for older ones.

Printable mask templates:

https://www.twinkl.com/resource/us-t-2545025-mardi-gras-mask-craft

These templates make it easy to start crafting without needing to draw patterns from scratch.

📖 Extend the Learning

  • Talk about why King Cake is shared and what the baby represents

  • Compare Mardi Gras in New Orleans with Carnival celebrations in other parts of the world

  • Let kids wear their masks or bring beads to parade days to feel part of the tradition

Background reading for parents or older kids:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_cake

📊 Industry Trends

JGOOT’s Updated Credit Card Recommendation: Why Bilt Is Now Our Preferred Strategy

After evaluating the new Bilt 2.0 cards, JGOOT has officially updated our primary credit card recommendation. We are now favoring Bilt over Chase as our go-to earning and redemption strategy.

This change is not about hype, complexity, or niche use cases. It’s about fundamentals.

At its core, Bilt has become the strongest all-around card on the market for both earning and redeeming points.

Why Bilt Now Leads

  • 2× points on all purchases

    Including international spend. Chase does not offer a true catch-all card that earns internationally without friction. For anyone spending outside the U.S. — or who simply wants one card that works everywhere — this is a major shift.

  • Stronger transfer partners

    Bilt unlocks airline partners that are not available through Chase or Amex, including Alaska Airlines and Japan Airlines (JAL). These partners open up redemption opportunities that simply didn’t exist in our ecosystem before.

  • Earning power and redemption power in one place

    This is exactly what JGOOT looks for: strong everyday earning paired with elite redemption options, without forcing people into complicated category juggling.

What This Change Is Not About

Bilt has historically been labeled “the rent card,” and many assumed the new cards mattered because of mortgage or housing payments.

That is not why JGOOT made this shift.

Our recommendation has nothing to do with rent or mortgage payments. We are recommending Bilt because, right now, it is the strongest earning card and the strongest redemption card on the market.

What If You Already Have Chase?

No need to panic — but this part matters.

Chase did not suddenly become bad overnight:

  • Chase points are still valuable

  • Chase cards are still solid

  • Staying with Chase is absolutely reasonable if you’re not ready to switch

However, there is one non-negotiable rule:

If you downgrade a Chase card to a no-annual-fee card, you lose the ability to transfer points to airline and hotel partners. At that point, those points are no longer useful for Rule 2 redemptions.

Before downgrading a Chase Sapphire card, you must do one of the following:

  • Keep at least one Sapphire-family card that allows transfers, or

  • Transfer all existing Ultimate Rewards points out to an airline or Hyatt before downgrading (this is generally not our preferred move, but it is an option)

We also do not recommend closing cards, as that can negatively affect your credit history.

A strategy we are increasingly seeing:

  • Downgrade a Chase Sapphire Reserve to a Sapphire Preferred to preserve transferable Ultimate Rewards

  • Add a higher-end Bilt card for everyday spending and future redemptions

Which One Is Right for You?

There is no single right answer.

Some members will:

  • Stay fully in Chase

  • Add Bilt gradually

  • Eventually shift most spending to Bilt

Others will move faster.

If you want to research Bilt on your own, start here:
👉 https://www.biltrewards.com/

Personalized credit card strategy — including advanced Bilt optimization — is available inside the JGOOT Lounge. For now, it’s perfectly fine to focus on what matters most: earning power and redemption potential. We’ll layer in advanced strategies as familiarity grows.

You’ll see JGOOT language slowly shift toward Bilt in future newsletters. This change is intentional, measured, and value-driven — not reactionary.

And as always, the best strategy is the one you actually use correctly.

❓ Q&A

How do we adapt this blueprint to experience New Orleans outside of Mardi Gras season? We want to see the city, but not the chaos of Carnival.

The good news: this blueprint works beautifully year-round — you just change the pace, not the priorities.

Outside of Mardi Gras, New Orleans becomes easier to navigate, quieter at night, and far more flexible for families. You won’t plan around parade routes, but the cultural anchors stay the same.

Here’s how to adjust:

Bottom line:

Mardi Gras adds spectacle. Non-Carnival months add breathing room. Either way, the heart of New Orleans — food, music, neighborhoods, history — stays the same. This blueprint simply shifts from festival mode to exploration mode.

And speaking of questions, don't forget - you get to ask us any questions you want on this month's LIVE Q&A session: Feb 27, 8am PT/11am ET. Click here to join the livestream.

Happy Travels!

Julie, Anthony, and Katie

JGOOT Family Experts

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