Hey folks! Chicagoan here who has a couple weeks off in between jobs and is looking to cross Mardi Gras in NOLA off his bucket list

My plan is to take the Amtrak all the way down the line and arrive on either 2/7 or 2/8. Departure would probably be 2/14.

In terms of location, I’m fairly well-traveled and don’t need to be too close to the action downtown, but somewhere I could get to/ & from on transit or taxi/rideshare. I’ll be traveling alone, so I don’t need much more than a place to crash. Fancy hotels are always nice but I’d rather save my money for the streets 🎊🍾🎭

Any tips on where to find good deals on hotels or non-exploitative room/apt rentals (I’m kinda wary of Airbnb and what they’re doing to affordability for longtime residents) would be much appreciated!! 🙏🏻