Mardi Gras is coming: Let the good times roll

Parade floats are being built, costumes are being fitted and krewes are practicing. Let the good times roll! It's almost time for Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Mardi Gras — Fat Tuesday — is Feb. 24 this year, and you can find a schedule of the parades leading up to the big day at the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau — http://tinyurl.com/7wg9ks — for the city and surrounding areas. The CVB Web site provides a little history on the local pre-Lenten celebrations, and before you go you should read "Mardi Gras 101" and check out "Fun Facts ..." And since this is Mardi Gras, you'll want to browse through the nightlife and restaurant guides.

One of the CVB's facts is that most of the metropolitan area's more than 30,000 hotel rooms get filled for Mardi Gras, so make your reservations early with the help of the "Where to Stay" section. If you can't find anything, click on "Outside Metro" to broaden your search. And if you can't be there for Mardi Gras, look for the "Festivals" link; the French Quarter Festival — http://www.fqfi.org/ — is coming up on April 17-19.

Who are these "krewes" and what are "throws"? Find out in the "General Info" section of Mardi Gras New Orleans — http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/ — and read "King Cake History" to see what you should look for in your slice of this seasonal treat. They also provide photos, videos and a link to a Bourbon Street Web cam, plus maps of the parade routes.

The wildest partying, and some of the best music, takes place in the French Quarter — http://www.frenchquarter.com/ — the Vieux Carre, which still bears the marks of French and Spanish rule. Before heading to the city, look for the links to maps of the quarter.

Go for the partying but take home memories of the Big Easy's food and music.

Get profiles of dining landmarks such as Antoine's and Brennan's at New Orleans Restaurants — http://www.neworleansrestaurants.com/ — along with an interactive map to plot your travels from table to table, and recipes for etouffee, gumbo and more.

The folks at About.com also have put together a collection of recipes — http://tinyurl.com/7zgx6y — including one for beignets, the sugar-dusted pastry served at the Cafe du Monde — http://www.cafedumonde.com/ — in the French Market.

Next, head to Mardi Gras Music — http://www.mglinks.com/Mardi-Gras-Music/ — for links to local groups, and consider some cajun, creole and zydeco events — http://www.arnb.org/Mardigras.php — around Mardi Gras time.

Look for "Things to See and Do" at New Orleans Online — http://www.neworleansonline.com/ — and read the music guides. Start with "Music History and Traditions" to learn some essential background, then check out some of the clubs, including Tipitina's — http://www.tipitinas.com/ — on Napoleon Avenue.

Pick up more music information by going back to the CVB Web site — http://www.neworleanscvb.com/ — and clicking on "Music and All That Jazz."

For instant gratification, crank up the volume on your computer and tune to WWOZ — http://www.wwoz.org/ — the radio home of New Orleans music. And after you arrive in New Orleans, save some of your souvenir money until you get to the Louisiana Music Factory — http://www.louisianamusicfactory.com/ — so you can take home a few CDs of local jazz, cajun and zydeco artists.

Back at New Orleans Online, look under "Travel Tools" for guides to the city's major streets and neighborhoods. And for more subdued activities after your late-night partying, go back to "Things to See and Do" to locate historic homes you can visit, like the 1826 Beauregard-Keyes House, and plantations such as Oak Alley — http://www.oakalleyplantation.com/ — which you might recognize from movies.

New Orleans history also moves. The St. Charles Streetcars — http://www.norta.com/StCharles/ — are a nostalgic to tour part of the city.

There's so much more to occupy your time that you might want to consult the tourist Guide section of New Orleans Website Directory — http://tinyurl.com/6setdm — for links to live music clubs, antique shops, galleries, golf courses and other attractions.

And keep in mind that the festivities aren't limited to New Orleans. Southwest Louisiana — http://www.swmardigras.com/ — has a full range of krewes including Bonaparte, Versailles and Krewe des Jeunes Amis. Farther east, Mobile, Ala., boasts that it had North America's first Mardi Gras — http://tinyurl.com/8vnstp — and it's keeping up the tradition with weeks of parades and parties.