THINGS have taken a turn since the flaming Café Brûlot cocktail at lunch.
I’m now a jumble of Mardi Gras sequins and feathers, and there is a giant eagle mascot lying at my feet.
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Join us riding Amtrak’s £11 train through the Deep South from Mobile to New OrleansCredit: GettyAmtrak, has reconnected Gulf Coast destinations Mobile and New Orleans after 20 years with its twice-daily Mardi Gras ServiceCredit: SuppliedThe Gulf Coast Tour’s white vintage-style streetcarCredit: Alamy
An hour earlier, the waitress at Antoine’s, in New Orleans, had ignited a punch bowl of the brandy-and-citrus coffee then ladled it on to our tablecloth in a fiery spectacle.
Established in 1840, the French-Creole restaurant still has old-world charm, with chandeliers, wooden beams, and a jazz band roaming the tables at its Sunday Brunch.
It had set us up nicely for the nearby Mardi Gras Museum Of Costumes And Culture, where curator Carl Mack encouraged us to play dress-up in the warehouse-sized closet.
So here I am, in a sparkly purple gown, 5ft-wide shoulder collar, and a precariously balanced headdress. Another member of the tour has pulled on a bird of prey mask.
We are in the Louisiana port city several weeks too early for its world-famous annual carnival, which starts in January and culminates on Fat Tuesday (“Mardi Gras” in French), the last day of street parades, colourful floats and letting loose before Lent — but the myriad museums and year-round party atmosphere have given us a taste of it.
Our railway journey across America’s Deep South had started several days earlier in a city that has ruffled a few technicolour feathers with its claim that it is the “birthplace of Mardi Gras”.
Mobile, in Alabama, says it hosted the very first celebration in the US, in 1703 — some 15 years before New Orleans was founded.
As with any “healthy sibling rivalry”, though, “if either city was in trouble, we’d have each other’s back”, Mobile historian Cart Blackwell insisted.
It is just as well, because the country’s national rail carrier, Amtrak, has reconnected the two Gulf Coast destinations after 20 years with its twice-daily Mardi Gras Service.
It takes 3hr 45min from Mobile to New Orleans — or Nola as the locals call it — with stops in Mississippi cities Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport and Bay Saint Louis.
The dramatic 233km stretch across rivers, lakes and marshland has been a resounding hit with residents and tourists who, like us, have no desire to tackle interstate traffic.
Train fares start from £11 for coach class, the seats and footwell are generous in size, and most of the main attractions in each city are within walking distance.
Southern comfort food
Blackwell, the curator at Mobile’s Carnival Museum, stresses its Mardi Gras is more family-friendly than New Orleans’, but is hopeful the trains’ early-morning and evening departure times will allow revellers to attend parades in both cities on the same day.
After admiring the regalia from mystic societies’ former kings and queens, including intricately hand-sewn robes with trains weighing up to 50lb, we boarded Gulf Coast Tour’s white vintage-style streetcar.
Tour highlights included the awesome USS Alabama battleship and fighter plane pavilion and neighbourhoods of charming Creole cottages and Colonial and Greek Revival houses.
The city is fast-becoming a foodie haven, and downtown’s Dauphin Street is the main entertainment and restaurant hub.
Think streets lined with Forrest Gump’s childhood home, all in varying sizes and pastel tones, with wraparound porches, shuttered windows and swing chairs.
The book about a loveable Alabama man, later adapted into the hit 1994 film, was written by Winston Groom, who lived for much of his life in Mobile.
The city is fast-becoming a foodie haven, and downtown’s Dauphin Street is the main entertainment and restaurant hub.
Stops on Bienville Bites’ walking tour served historical anecdotes and Southern comfort food including hickory-smoked Conecuh sausage, pecan bread pudding and oysters “fried, stewed and nude”.
At the bustling 87-year-old Wintzell’s Oyster Bar, there are diner-style brown leather booths and walls covered in thousands of multicoloured plaques with more of the founder’s witty sayings.
“Y’all should try” its sampler of 16 fresh Gulf oysters smothered in rich toppings like jalapenos, bacon and cheddar.
A band at one of Mobile’s previous carnivalsCredit: SuppliedBay Saint Louis’ legendary 100 Men D.B.A music hallCredit: AlamyA paddlewheeler on the Mississippi RiverCredit: Alamy
For beer and meat-lovers, the family-run Callaghan’s Social Club has won awards for its juicy burgers (from £7.50).
A favourite with locals for 80 years, the dive bar has walls draped in neon lights and littered with family portraits, Irish memorabilia and pictures of local legends who have performed there.
The city drew worldwide attention in 2019 after archeologists working the Mobile River, found the burned wreckage of the last- known slave ship to land in America.
The Clotilda transported 110 captured West Africans to Mobile Bay in 1860 — 52 years after the US had outlawed importation of slaves. It was then sunk to hide the evidence.
At the Africatown Heritage House, a ten-minute taxi ride away, a deeply moving exhibition tells some of the individuals’ stories through written accounts and artefacts.
It is a sobering reminder that much of the economy of the Deep South once relied on slavery.
Back downtown, we stayed at The Admiral, a quirky Versailles-inspired hotel, which has rooms decorated in a Mardi Gras colour palette of purple (justice) and gold (power).
It’s a five-minute walk to the station for our sunrise departure to Biloxi, once known as the “seafood capital of the world”.
Its past can be explored at the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum but to see the trade first-hand, we strolled along the Small Craft Harbour, where shrimp boats with recognisable outriggers and nets are moored, and pelicans perch on pilings.
The Sun’s Hayley Doyle on her Deep South Amtrak adventure, in Mardi Gras costumeCredit: suppliedThe group at the Mardi Gras Museum Of Costumes And Culture, where curator Carl Mack encouraged everyone to play dress-up in the warehouse-sized closetCredit: supplied
We then dived into tasty shrimp-and-crabmeat gumbo (a heavily seasoned stew) for just £6 at Mary Mahoney’s. Built in 1737, it is one of the oldest houses in the US, and even Elvis Presley once dropped by.
One of the main draws to Biloxi is its big-name hotels and casinos, but Mississippi is most famous for founding the Blues. So an evening at actor Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Blues Club is a must for live music.
And, for a hotel oozing Southern charm, the White House, dating back to the 1890s, has white-stucco pillars and views of the Mississippi Sound. Less than an hour on the train and we were in Bay Saint Louis, which has a vibrant small-town vibe.
Tourist-heavy Bourbon Street provided blocks of hedonism, though we preferred the jazz and brass bands on Frenchman Street.
The seafront main strip has boutiques, antique stores, lively late-night wooden watering holes painted lime green and yellow that wouldn’t look out of place in the Caribbean, and The Pearl hotel, which is modern with spacious rooms overlooking the marina.
Paddle-wheel steamboat
We embraced the slow pace in the day — golf buggies are the vehicle of choice — and joined athleisure-wearing locals at the Mockingbird Cafe, the place to be.
Bay Saint Louis also boasts a cultural gem — the 100 Men D.B.A Hall where blues and jazz greats including BB King and Etta James have played.
Our final stop, New Orleans, proved to be a glorious assault on the senses.
Tourist-heavy Bourbon Street provided blocks of hedonism, though we preferred the jazz and brass bands on Frenchman Street.
Strolling along the banks of the Mississippi, we took in the sight of a cruising paddle-wheel steamboat, one of the last of its kind, and spent hours wandering the French Quarter’s beautiful brick townhouses with floral wrought-iron balconies.
For a behind-the-scenes look at carnival we toured Mardi Gras World to see floats and the artists who build and paint them.
And there was time for a more sobering trip, to the vast National WWII Museum.
French Beignets with powdered sugarCredit: GettyWintzell’s Oyster Bar platterCredit: supplied
There we saw a Higgins vessel, a shallow-water bayou boat built in Nola, that was instrumental in the D-Day landings.
And confirming why it is frequently-named the “best food city in the world,” we indulged in beignets (powdered-sugar doughnuts), Po’boys (crusty bread filled with slow-cooked roast beef), and, given its close proximity to swampland, alligator (yes, tastes like spicy chicken).
It has never been easier to navigate the party-loving Deep South, so make tracks for Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service.
GO: AMTRAK MARDI GRAS
GETTING & STAYING THERE: North America specialist journeyscape.com offers a nine-night break aboard Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service from Mobile to New Orleans with stops in Biloxi and Bay St Louis from £2,318pp.
Price includes return flights from London to New Orleans, transfers, Amtrak train tickets and accommodation at The Admiral in Mobile, The White House in Biloxi, The Pearl in Bay St Louis and Le Meridien in New Orleans.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: Bruno Mars performs onstage during the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)Credit: Getty
All you need to know about the 24k Magic singer’s latest tour
Bruno Mars is back with a new project, a decade after his last solo release.
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Bruno Mars at a party in 2022Credit: Getty
Here is everything you need to know about the tour dates and how you can get your hands on the hotly anticipated tickets.
Bruno Mars of Silk Sonic performs onstageCredit: GettyBruno Mars putting on a showCredit: GettyBruno Mars knows how to put on a showCredit: Getty
The tour is entitled ‘The Romantic tour’ and will show the Grenade singer showcasing songs from his new album ‘The Romantic’, which is released on February 27.
BEAT the January blues and see everything that the UK has to offer thanks to these great train travel savings from Trip.com.
We have partnered with Trip.com to offer all Sun Club members the chance to save up to 25 per cent on a railcard purchase, plus 5 per cent on a train ticket purchase.
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Join Sun Club for just £1.99 a month and save up to 25 per cent on a railcard plus 5 per cent on a train ticket purchase with Trip.com
Sun Club offers readers access to more of our award-winning articles from showbiz exclusives, real-life stories, and unrivalled investigations, as a member you will get 350 more articles to read a month.
Along with being able to unlock extra articles, there are big perks including instant access to our Hols from £9.50 offer which returns this January.
How to get discounted railcards and train tickets with Sun Club
Sun Club Membership Programme
Step 1: To get discounted railcards and train tickets with Sun Club and Trip.com, join Sun Club now for just £1.99 a month.
Step 2: Then head to the ‘Offers Hub,’ select the Enjoy discounted railcards and train tickets’ page and click ‘Redeem’.
Step 3: You will be taken to Trip.com page and once there follow the steps on the Sun Club ‘Offers Hub’ page.
18+ UK only. Offer ends 23:59pm on 31/01/26. Online access and Sun Club subscription required. Railcard activated by purchasing any train ticket via the Trip.com platform. Railcard and train ticket promo codes valid until 31/03/26. Sun Club new customer offer: £1.99 per month or £12 per year, unless you cancel at least 7 days before your next billing date.
Plus, discounted tickets to the UK’s top attractions like Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Chessington World of Adventures plus competitions and offers, saving you hundreds every year.
This month new Trip.com customers can enjoy 25 per cent off railcard purchases, whilst existing Trip.com customers can claim 10 percent off a railcard.
This includes the following digital railcards: 16-17 Saver, 16-25 Railcard, 26-30 Railcard, Family & Friends’ Railcard, Network Railcard, Senior Railcard and Two Together Railcard. The offer excludes the Disabled Persons Railcard and the Veterans Railcard.
And the deals do not stop there, new Trip.com customers can also get 5 per cent off a train ticket purchase, so if you are not already a Trip.com customer, this is the time to join in and book a trip this January.
Plus members get priority booking for Hols from £9.50 and many more amazing deals and offers throughout the year
Working with over 300 rail companies, including National Rail, Great Western Railway, London North Eastern Railway, South Western Railways, CrossCountry trains, Trip.com is committed to offering the best prices for UK rail tickets.
Plus, with Trip.com’s price match if you find trains for a cheaper price elsewhere, let them know and they will refund the difference*.
So, take advantage of the great deals and no booking fees through the Trip.com app today.
*Best Price Promise Terms and Conditions. For full Sun Club T&Cs, visit thesun.co.uk/club.
HEADING off to different destinations in the UK can get expensive, but from tomorrow you could save money across thousands of popular rail routes.
Running from January 6 to 12, the Great British Rail Sale will return with discounts on over three million tickets.
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You could travel from London to Whitstable in Kent for £7.50Credit: AlamyThe popular seaside town is known for its oystersCredit: Alamy
Travellers can book travel during the sale for trips between January 13 and March 25 to get the discount.
Nearly all train operators are taking part, meaning that if there is a UK town or city you have wanted to visit for a while, there couldn’t be a better time to go.
Here are some of the best offers in the sale, great for staycations and day trips.
London St Pancras to Whitstable
Tickets between London St Pancras and Whitstable in Kent are being cut down from £15.10 to £7.50.
The historic seaside town of Whitstable is famous for its oysters, but also has a beautiful pebble beach with multicoloured beach huts and a plethora of independent shops to explore.
Deputy travel editor Kara Godfrey, who has visited Whitstable, said: “Whitstable has a pebble beach – there is the famous pink Wheelers Oyster Bar, which sells, you guessed it, fresh oysters, plus The Lobster Shack on the seafront.
“Along with wine bars, the town is the starting point for a 25-mile walk from Whitstable to Ramsgate, part of the King Charles III England Coast Path.”
It takes around one hour and 20 minutes to reach Whitstable from London.
London Waterloo to Exeter
Tickets between Exeter in Devon and London Waterloo have a dramatic price slash from £41.70 to just £10.
Exeter is a major city in Devon and is full of history including a grand cathedral.
From Exeter you can also hop on a number of other trains to see the seaside, such as Teignmouth, Dawlish, Torquay or Paignton.
If travelling from Exeter to London Waterloo, while it might take longer than the Exeter to London Paddington route, it comes in considerably cheaper, meaning you could get to the capital for a bargain.
It takes around three-and-a-half hours to travel between Exeter and London Waterloo.
In Devon, you could head to Exeter – home to a grand cathedralCredit: Alamy
London Marylebone to Birmingham
From London Marylebone, you could head on a cheap day trip to Birmingham for 50 per cent less than the usual price.
Tickets to Birmingham Moor Street from London Marylebone will be slashed from £14 to £7.
The station sits right in the city centre, making it ideal to explore the city itself.
Visitors can explore the city’s vast network of canals, leading to it being dubbed the ‘Venice of the North’.
In fact, Birmingham has more miles of canals than Venice itself.
The canals are popular for narrowboat trips as well as walking, cycling and watersports.
The journey from London to Birmingham takes less than two hours.
Tickets between Birmingham and London will be cheap tooCredit: Alamy
Birmingham to Liverpool
If you are based in Birmingham and fancy heading away on the train for cheap, then you could head to Liverpool for just £5.70 with West Midlands Railways.
Liverpool is a great spot to head to if you are a Beatles fan as there is The Beatles Story Museum, which takes visitors on an immersive journey of The Beatles.
Beatles fans should also head to The Cavern Club where the band once played.
In the historic dockyard, Royal Albert Dock, there are also a number of museums and shops worth exploring.
The journey between the two cities takes around an hour and a half.
Beatles fans should grab a train ticket to LiverpoolCredit: Alamy
London Kings Cross to Cambridge
With Great Northern, you could head from London King’s Cross to the historic university city of Cambridge for just £7.60.
Sat on the River Cam, Cambridge is home to the world-renowned University of Cambridge which dates back to 1209.
Visitors can explore the university’s numerous colleges including Trinity College which was founded by Henry VIII.
One of the top experiences in the city is punting on the River Cam, which is a unique way of seeing the gardens behind the university’s famous colleges.
Another key spot worth visiting is Cambridge Market Square, which is open every day and sells local produce, street food and crafted items.
Or head to Cambridge if you want to explore a world-renowned universityCredit: Alamy
Newcastle to/from Edinburgh
With TransPennine Express, those in Newcastle can hop across the England-Scotland border into the Scottish Capital for just £4.20.
Edinburgh is home to a wealth of history, including the famous Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle.
If you fancy doing something a little more active, you can hike up Arthur‘s Seat too and discover breathtaking panoramic views of the city and sea below.
Alternatively, those in Edinburgh can hop on a train to Newcastle and explore Victoria Tunnels that were used as shelters during the Second World War.
Also in Newcastle, visitors can head to the Quayside where they will be able to go on a walk next to the River Tyne and discover the area’s seven bridges.
Travellers in Newcastle could head to the Scottish capital for less than a fiverCredit: Alamy
Manchester to Glasgow
Also with the TransPennine Express, travellers can head from Manchester to Glasgow for as little as £8.30.
Known for its Victorian and Art Nouveau architecture, Glasgow is home to the Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and the National Theatre of Scotland.
Though if you aren’t a big fan of performances, there are a number of museums too.
For example, you could head to The Gallery of Modern Art, home to art by local and international artists.
Or if you are travelling with kids, perhaps head to the Glasgow Science Centre, which has exhibits for all ages including a planetarium.
And those in Manchester could head to another Scottish city for less than a tennerCredit: Getty
Leicester to Lincoln
Taking under two hours, you could head from Leicester to Lincoln from £9.10 with East Midlands Railway.
Known for its medieval cathedral, the historic city is home to a number of fascinating places to explore, including a library designed by the famous architect Christopher Wren, Lincoln Castle with its Victorian prison, and even the Museum of Lincolnshire Life, which has a number of exhibits in old Victorian barracks.
If you love art, head to the Usher Gallery where you will find works by Turner and Lowry.
For a bite to eat, make sure to visit The Cornhill Quarter, which is one of the city’s newly regenerated areas, with a number of shops, bars and restaurants.
In other rail news, there’s a little-known UK train trick that lets you visit up to three destinations for the price of one.
The Great British Rail Sale is returning for the fourth year, offering millions of discounted tickets with savings of up to 50% and more on popular routes across the UK
A major sale on train travel is launching this month (Image: Getty Images)
A massive sale for rail travel is set to launch this month, offering up to 50% off on thousands of popular routes from nearly every train operator.
The Great British Rail Sale is back to make train journeys more affordable, boasting millions of discounted tickets. The week-long sale, taking place from 6 to 12 January 2026, presents an opportunity to secure bargain fares with over 50% savings on advance and off-peak tickets.
These reduced fares are valid for travel on thousands of routes from 13 January to 25 March 2026. With almost all train operators joining in and routes covering the length and breadth of the UK, it’s the perfect time to book, whether you’re planning a city getaway, commuting, or looking for half-term activities.
Some of the deals include £10 trips from South Coast destinations, such as Portsmouth to London Waterloo, offering a whopping 59% saving. Travellers hopping on the train from Exeter to London Waterloo can also enjoy a staggering 76% discount with tickets slashed from £41.70 to just £10.
In other deals, a 50% reduction will be available on the London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street route, with tickets going for a mere £7. Passengers can also benefit from the discounted journey from Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport, which will be priced at just £1.20, down from £2.90, reports the Express.
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “The Rail Sale is back – and it means further discounts for passengers as we freeze rail fares for the first time in 3 decades to help ease the cost of living. We all want to see cheaper rail travel, so whether you’re planning a half-term getaway, or visiting friends or family, this sale offers huge reductions. It’s all part of our plans to build a railway owned by the public, that works for the public.”
This marks the fourth year of the Great British Rail Sale, with travellers saving approximately £8 per trip last year, leading to more than one million tickets being snapped up. The government is understood to be determined to increase the number of people using trains in an effort to reduce carbon emissions and clear road space for emergency vehicles and freight.
Jacqueline Starr, executive chairperson and CEO of Rail Delivery Group, said: “The Rail Sale gives people even more reasons to choose rail, whether it’s reconnecting with loved ones or exploring new places. Rail continues to play a vital role in the lives of millions, supporting local economies and offering a more sustainable way to travel.
“This year’s Rail Sale will offer millions of discounted advance fares across the network from 6 January, giving customers the chance to save on journeys big and small. By making rail travel more accessible, we hope even more people will enjoy the convenience and comfort of travelling by rail.”
Key discounts
Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
THE Government is launching a week long sale on train tickets that could save you up to 70 per cent on transport.
Running from 6-12 January millions of train tickets will be discounted to help make half term activities, weekend getaways and commuting more affordable.
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The routes span the length and breadth of BritainCredit: Alamy
The reduced fares can be used to travel on thousands of popular routes between 13 January and 25 March 2026.
The routes span the length and breadth of Britain as nearly all train operators are taking part.
Make the most of the £10 fares from south coast destinations such as Portsmouth to London Waterloo by booking a big day out or catch up with a city friend.
If you’re planning a holiday abroad you could maximise your savings by booking it between January and March as journeys from Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport will cost just £1.20, down from £2.90.
This is the fourth year of the Rail Sale and last year over 1 million ticketswere sold, bringing in over £9 million in ticket sale revenue for the industry.
Passengers last time saved an average of £8 per journey.
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “The Rail Sale is back – and it means further discounts for passengers as we freeze rail fares for the first time in three decades to help ease the cost of living.
“We all want to see cheaper rail travel, so whether you’re planning a half term getaway, or visiting friends or family, this sale offers huge reductions.
“It’s all part of our plans to build a railway owned by the public, that works for the public.”
This is the fourth year of the Rail SaleCredit: Alamy
