You may think it’s a bit early, but it’s never too early to start planning your Mardi Gras trip. If you can’t decide which city to visit this February, let me give you a few reasons why Mobile (could be) a better option. But hey, if you’re stuck on New Orleans, chill.

1. First of all, Mobile is the OG of American Mardi Gras.

Brief history lesson: the official celebrations of Mardi Gras began in Mobile in 1703, years before New Orleans was established as Louisiana’s capital and Mardi Gras was started in the 1730s. It’s a joke that the only people who care about the origins of Mardi Gras in Mobile are Mobilians, but yeah, we care. Mostly because it’s one of our most celebrated holidays, yet rarely do we get any attention for it.

2. It’s family-friendly.

Look, Mardi Gras in New Orleans is fun, but it’s not very family-friendly. Downtown Mobile, though not a stranger to the not-safe-for-work guests sometimes, definitely keeps it cleaner for its guests, and the celebrations are much more oriented around family. We like to stay “classier” and keep more of an intimate affair than in New Orleans. Rarely are there people flashing and throwing drinks at people and such. But hey, if someone throws up near you, just remember Mardi Gras is a party, both in New Orleans and Mobile.

3. It’s cleaner.

Downtown Mobile is like Buckingham Palace during Mardi Gras when compared to New Orleans at Mardi Gras. I feel bad for the cleaning crews in New Orleans because there’s always so much going on, and there’s barely any time to get around drunk tourists in order to get the street sweeper through the city.

4. It’s safer.

Mobile Police Department gets one million gold stars, and so do Mobile’s tourists. Because of the city being smaller, even if the population downtown triples, there’s not as much to monitor. Also, the city is fortunate to not have had to deal with the constant pour-in of drunken trouble makers. Just be warned, you can have tons of fun (drunken or not) in Mobile for Mardi Gras, just don’t do anything noticeably stupid.

5. We’re the home of the Moon Pie.

Another OG. So OG that we drop a huge Moon Pie on New Year’s Eve. I mean, I’m not saying that’s the coolest thing, but it’s unique and a little quirky, just like Downtown Mobile.

If you want a safer, classier, cleaner experience for Mardi Gras, Mobile is the place to go. If you want to get drunk and party all day and night, Mobile is still a good place to visit. You’ll be safer – just don’t get black out before 5 p.m., people. All in all, it's a great experience, and it's nice to know that I grew up loving a great tradition. And don’t forget the most important thing to say: “Throw me a Moon Pie, mister!”