Gather information. Find out about the festival and the activities that are included. Find out the dates of the festival for the year you are attending, as this will be important to your travel plans. Check out the festival website for full event information when the festival gets closer.
Go with a friend. Attending the festival with friends not only makes the experience that much more fun, but it can make the travel expenses easier on everyone. Decide who is going to attend the festival and the accommodations you want before talking to your travel agent. Also, while the French Quarter offers great fun, it isn't necessarily the safest place to be alone at night. Travel with a friend or a group of friends or family to make sure everyone has lots of safe fun.
Call your travel agent. You can book your accommodations on your own, but often when there is a group traveling or multiple accommodations needed, it is cheaper and much easier to go through a travel agent. She may also be able to get you additional information about the festival and French Quarter area. Also, the overall landscape of New Orleans and the surrounding area have changed considerably since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, so places you visited on previous trips may not be there any more or may be significantly changed. A travel agent will be up-to-date on the current attractions and accommodations in the area.
Show up early. Plan to get to the festival a day early. This will make travel and checking in to your hotel quicker and easier. It will also allow you some time to familiarize yourself with the neighborhood a little before the start of the festival. Don't forget to scout out the night spots like Pat O'Brien's (make sure to take home a hurricane glass!) and eateries like catfish and burger joints to fine restaurants owned by world famous celebrity chefs Emeril Lagasse and Paul Prudhomme that you want to try while you are there.
