Floats and Food Tour

Quick Details

Ages: 21+
Duration: 4 Hours
Group Size: 2-16
Activity Level: Easy – a relaxed stroll through downtown Mobile with plenty of indoor stops and front-row parade viewing
What's Included: A professional, hospitality-driven local guide + generous tastings at four iconic downtown restaurants (enough food for a full dinner) + a front-row Mardi Gras parade experience
What's Not Included: Tour guide gratuity
Rainy Day Guarantee: Mardi Gras happens rain or shine, and so do we. This tour is designed with indoor restaurant stops and covers along the way to keep you comfortable.

Tour Overview

Experience Mardi Gras the Mobile Way

This isn’t just a food tour. This is Carnival as it was born, shaped, and celebrated in Mobile.

The Floats & Food Tour is your front-row introduction to Mardi Gras in its original home. Designed for locals who want to experience Mardi Gras differently and first-time visitors who want the real story, this tour blends iconic food, deep history, and unmatched hospitality into one unforgettable evening downtown.

Where Mardi Gras in America Began

Mobile was founded in 1702, and the first Mardi Gras celebration followed in 1703. On this tour, you’ll uncover how Carnival took root here, how mystic societies were born, and how Mobile’s traditions shaped what later became the largest street party in the country.

A Guided Evening, Not a Drop-Off

Our professional guides don’t just walk you between stops, they host you. From navigating the parade route to answering questions, sharing stories, and helping you plan the rest of your night, you’ll be looked after every step of the way. When the tour ends, your guide is still there to make sure you know where to go and how to enjoy the evening safely and stress-free.

Mardi Gras Without the Guesswork

You’ll learn what the parades mean, why throws matter, and how traditions like the Moon Pie became a Mobile icon. You’ll even experience one of the city’s most famous Mardi Gras moments firsthand before the parade rolls.

Designed for Comfort and Celebration

This tour is intentionally timed and routed to maximize comfort, convenience, and atmosphere. From smart meeting locations with easy parking to indoor stops and access to clean restrooms, we’ve thought through the details so you can focus on enjoying Mardi Gras.

Why Choose Bienville Bites Food Tour?

Mardi Gras Experts, Not Just Guides
Mardi Gras is part of who we are. We’ve been telling Mobile’s story for years, and this tour is built on deep local knowledge, strong relationships, and a genuine love for the season.

A Signature Experience, Years in the Making
The Floats & Food Tour was the tour that launched our themed experiences and helped earn recognition as one of Alabama’s best food tours. Guests consistently rave about the hospitality, storytelling, and ease of the experience.

A True Taste of Mardi Gras in Mobile

Each stop on the Floats & Food Tour is intentionally timed so you can sit, relax, and enjoy. This isn’t rushed parade snacking. It’s a curated, seated experience that builds momentum as Mardi Gras comes alive around you.

This lineup was designed to showcase the foods that define Mardi Gras in Mobile. Gumbo. Oysters. Conecuh sausage. Gulf seafood. King cake. Moon Pies. These aren’t trendy dishes. They’re tradition.

Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll enjoy:

Wintzell’s Oyster House

Start the evening the way locals do, with Gulf Coast classics that set the tone for Carnival.

Award-winning seafood gumbo, a true Mardi Gras staple
Fresh cooked oysters
Crispy fried pickles

POST

The famous 504 POST Toast may nod to an area code, but on this tour, there are no nods to New Orleans.

Flatbread pizza topped with Conecuh sausage, blackened chicken, hot sauce, Guinness glaze, and melty cheese

Dauphin’s

Soak in sweeping views of downtown Mobile and Mobile Bay while enjoying refined Southern flavors.

Fried green tomatoes topped with Gulf shrimp and remoulade
The famous Joe Cain Dip, a spinach and artichoke dip featuring Conecuh sausage and named for the Father of Modern Mardi Gras

Panini Pete’s

End the tour right where Mardi Gras magic happens.

House-roasted turkey panini, featured on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives
King cake bread pudding, a sweet send-off worthy of Carnival

Cocktail Highlights (Optional Add-On)

Upgrade your evening with three Mardi Gras-inspired cocktails served along the route:

Dragon Drink – A hurricane-style rum cocktail named after the fire-breathing dragons of the Mystics of Time parade
King Cake Martini – Dessert in a glass and a Mardi Gras favorite
Moon Pie Bushwacker – A playful twist on the Alabama Gulf Coast classic

Eat king cake. Drink king cake. Only in Mobile.

By the end of the tour, you’ll be standing directly beneath the World’s Largest Electronic Moon Pie, front and center as it drops before the parade rolls. Clean restrooms, additional beverages, and your guide’s assistance remain available so you can enjoy the rest of the night with confidence.