While Route 1 doesn’t travel through New Orleans for Mardi Gras, if you really want to party hard, you can head way down south all the way to the end of Florida to a legendary celebration called Fantasy Fest.

 

For 45 years, over ten days at the end of October, the island shows up the only way Key West does, from Goombay in Bahama village and the Zombie Bike ride at sunset, to Tutus Tuesday, the Masquerade March through Old Town,  Saturday night‘s Fantasy Fest parade down Duvall street, and everything in between.

 

Nonstop parties and happy hours. There’s Mermaid Mayhem with pirates pouring drinks, mermaids singing from the shadows in the splashiest sassiest undersea party promising an afternoon of shimmering tails, salty kisses and oceanic debauchery. Whether you are a glittered drenched siren or a naughty Neptune or just a land-lover ready to make waves, you will find your sea legs at this party. 

 

There’s a Kinky Carnival, Scavenger Hunts,  Toga parties at Sloppy Joe’s, a Zombieland with dead doctors and nurses at a haunted hospital, just party like a rock star. 

 

It is not kid friendly and one last thought – bring condoms.