Bathrooms During Mardi Gras bathrooms are scarce in New Orleans, so you might want to take that into consideration when picking a spot to watch parades. The drinking age is 21. Have a designated driver, especially when there's heavy traffic and many revelers on the streets. Be safe and responsible if you drink. Keep your wits about you.
Petty thieves look for inebriated people to rob, especially persons separated from their group.
The amount of alcohol you drink will directly influence how many bathroom stops you have to make. Finding a bathroom can be a challenge.