Slideshow: Carnival celebrations

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From Rio de Janeiro to Venice, revelers take to the streets in colorful costumes.

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Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Carnival. Call it what you will, the festivities leading up to Ash Wednesday are one of the world’s truly global parties.

For Americans who have experienced and fallen in love with the cathartic hedonism of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, it is only logical to want to experience the excitement elsewhere. And the obvious next step is the granddaddy of all Carnivals, the biggest party in the world: Rio de Janeiro.

However, with the recent strength of the Brazilian currency, Rio's skyrocketing cost of living and general inflation in the lead up to 2014’s FIFA World Cup (the final game will be in Rio) and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, celebrating in “The Marvelous City” has become a very expensive option.

Fear not. Here are three budget-friendly (or, at least, budget-friendlier) options for those who want to enjoy an international Fat Tuesday, but don’t want to starve to do it.

Related: New Orleans revs up for Mardi Gras

Veracruz, Mexico
You need not travel to another hemisphere for an international Carnival. Slightly more than an hour-and-a-half flight from Houston is Mexico’s port city of Veracruz, home to one of the country’s largest Carnival celebrations. Revelers fill stadium seats to watch dozens of salsa dance groups compete and then show off their own moves in the town square at night. "Carnival here is not just about music and parties, but also about the food," said Mauricio Reyes, head waiter at Veracruz's well-known Mariscos Villa Rica Mocambo seafood restaurant. "During Carnival, people love to eat ceviche, pompano a la sal (salt-baked pompano fish) and shrimp with chile and lime."

Patras, Greece
Greece’s in-country tourism prices have been down since its economic crises started. For a different spin on Carnival, check out the lively celebration in Patras, which has roots back into the 19^th century. This family-friendly Carnival is a mix of different mini-Carnivals that include parades, treasure hunts, a kid's carnival and masquerade balls. As the country is Greek Orthodox and not Catholic, the dates are a little different. It begins on Jan. 17 and continues until Clean Monday (the beginning of Greek Orthodox Lent).  

Recife, Brazil
While Rio is Brazil’s most famous pre-Lenten party, it is certainly not the only one in the country. The city of Recife in northeastern Brazil hosts a wild street party that is crowned by the Saturday morning Galo da Madrugada (Rooster of Dawn) which is arguably the largest single Carnival parade in Brazil.

Recife-born banker Diogo Bezerra says, “While Recife has also become expensive compared to the past, it is not yet as expensive as a more developed city like Rio. Now’s the time to come for Carnival as we are one of the fastest-growing regions in the country and prices are catching up.”

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One of the famous Mardi Gras Indians, right, appears at a news conference Jan. 6, 2009, in New Orleans.

Whether you have ever set foot in New Orleans during the bacchanalian days building up to Fat Tuesday or not, you have a pretty good idea of what Mardi Gras entails: drinking, parades, beads, Bourbon Street, masks and, yes, some more drinking.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

According to Ronald Lewis, founder and director of the House of Dance and Feathers cultural museum (1317 Tupelo Street), “It’s taken a long time for the outside world to realize that there is much more to Mardi Gras than just the French Quarter. Mardi Gras is what makes the people of New Orleans who we are.”

The beads, beer and Bourbon Street festival is one (very fun) aspect, but the deeper cultural event is what makes Mardi Gras so sacred to locals and visitors who venture beyond the main party. From the folk art of the Mardi Gras Indians to the culinary and family elements, Mardi Gras is not just a top New Orleans event, but one of the great American cultural traditions.

Nowhere are these traditions more apparent than with the Mardi Gras Indians. Tracing their roots back to when Native Americans aided runaway African slaves, these dancers and musicians dress in elaborate “Indian” costumes of hand-sewn beadwork. The costumes take all year to create and are worn only once.

Lewis, who has been involved with the Indians for more than 45 years, says that the costumes “have been handmade by individuals and sewing committees since the 1800s and are among of the best traditional folk art in the United States.”

New Orleans is rightly famous for both its traditional cuisine and its variety of cutting-edge restaurants. But you need not shell out big bucks to sample the local goods. A classic Mardi Gras favorite is king cake and is sold everywhere from corner stores to cafes. It is braided Danish pastry iced in the purple, green and gold of Mardi Gras colors. Hidden in each cake is a miniature plastic baby doll. The person who finds the doll in their cake has to buy the next one.

Parts of the French Quarter can get a little too crowded and too R-rated for kids during the big event. Fortunately, the party actually extends for some 45 blocks along St. Charles Avenue. According to Mark Romig, CEO of the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corp., "The parks along St. Charles are full of blankets and coolers as Mardi Gras and the preceding weeks are an important time for multigenerational family get-togethers and picnics. Plus, St. Charles between First Street and Napoleon Avenue hosts a family-friendly parade where the whole family can cut loose together.” 

Year round, you can check out The Louisiana State Museum’s “Mardi Gras: It’s Carnival Time in Louisiana” exhibit at The Presbytere. No matter what you do, make sure to explore the many dimensions of what is not only the country’s most grand party, but also one of its great cultural treasures.

Slideshow: Big Easy returns

Lucas Jackson / © LUCAS JACKSON/Reuters/Corbis

New Orleans has reclaimed its vibrancy after Hurricane Katrina and will delight and woo you with its mojo.

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Pet ownership is no longer just about putting a dog house in the backyard and sharing scraps from the table.

Over 49 percent of American leisure travelers consider their furry friends to be part of the family, and 18 percent take their pets with them on trips, according to the U.S. Travel Association. The modern family vacation seems incomplete if our canine companions get stuck at home with a sitter or sentenced to the kennel.

The family ski vacation is a tradition that is a natural fit for dogs, and Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia leads the pack in this evolution.

Consistently ranked as the best mountain resort in North America, Whistler was also the Host Mountain Resort for much of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. According to Paula Del Bosco, director of the local animal shelter WAG (Whistler Animals Galore) and organizer of the annual Whistler DogFest, “Whistler doesn’t just love dogs, it’s actually dog crazy.”

That said, you can’t just show up with Fido in tow and expect everyone to accommodate you. The dog ski trip requires a fair amount of pre-planning. Enjoy Whistler is an excellent starting point to strategize your trip and has the most straightforward booking experience. They even have a section on their site specially designated for pet-friendly hotels.

As for accommodations, the Westin is recommended for its comfortable suites that welcome canines, its bottomless supply of dog treats in the lobby and its unbeatable location just a few easy steps from the Whistler and Blackcomb gondolas.

While you can’t take dogs downhill skiing in the resort, they can go cross-country skiing with you at Whistler Olympic Park. A short drive south of Whistler Village in the forested Callaghan Valley, the Olympic Park has a number of well-maintained dog-friendly trails and even specific dog-friendly parking lots. Skis, boots and poles can all be rented at the day lodge. If you are feeling a bit less ambitious, there are several off-leash dog-walking parks in Whistler including Rainbow Park and Alpha Lake Park.

After a full day of outdoor activity, pamper your puppy with Shampooch Mobile Dog Grooming. Owner Shayla Libin comes to your hotel and grooms your pet in her professionally equipped, heated mobile van. She makes an extra effort to provide a comfortable, stress-free environment so that they come away not only looking good, but relaxed and rejuvenated. It’s the dog version of the après ski soak in the hot tub.

And if you want to experience the amazing work that the Whistler community is doing with animals, stop in at WAG (Whistler Animals Galore). For nearly 30 years, WAG has rescued, cared for and found new homes for lost, homeless and unwanted animals.

If you come to Whistler for spring skiing, make sure to check out DogFest, the canine carnival that graces the town every spring with competitions, exhibitions and dog parades complete with costumes. It’s a great time and all proceeds support WAG.

Whistler is pioneering a broader movement of pet-friendly resort travel and proving that you need not choose between the enjoyment of the human and canine parts of our families.

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