The next Mardi Gras falls on 25 February 2020. I was hoping to visit New Orleans the week before (16-21 Feb). Can I get in and out of the city, find hotels, etc., without getting caught in the Mardi Gras madness (crowds, tourist pricing, hotel shortage, etc.)? Or is that too close to the holiday, and I should find another time to go?
Update
To address the concern raised below in the comments, I will now rephrase my question: How early does New Orleans start filling up with Mardi Gras tourists?
