Best Times to Visit New Orleans
There's no real "bad" time to visit the Big Easy, but here's when to go for great weather, fewer crowds, and travel deals.
Fact checked by Jillian Dara
The Big Easy is just that: an easygoing, jovial city where you'll find incredible food, fantastic live music, and friendly locals any time of year. And while there's really no bad time to go to New Orleans, there are more (and less) ideal times to plan your visit, depending on your vacation agenda.
If you're aiming to catch a major event — Mardi Gras or the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, for instance — you'll have to plan far ahead to make sure you arrive during the exact dates, and book a hotel room before they're all sold out. Travelers seeking perfect weather, fewer tourists, and travel bargains will also find some months preferable to others.
High season: February through May
Shoulder season: September through November
Low season: June through August, December through January
Here’s what you need to know about the best times to visit New Orleans.
Related: 21 Best Things to Do in New Orleans' French Quarter
Best Times to Visit New Orleans for Smaller Crowds
If you want to avoid the most popular festivals and still enjoy good weather, visit during the window after Mardi Gras but before the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival — usually between late February or early March and late April — or in the fall between September and November.
Winter is an ideal time to visit New Orleans if you’re looking to experience the city without the usual crowds, score solid deals on flights and hotels, and see The Big Easy decked out in all its festive holiday decoration glory. It’s a wonderful place to celebrate the holidays or New Year’s Eve if you’re looking for a timely reason to go.
January is the coldest month, though temperatures are still pretty mild compared to those around the rest of the country. Daily highs tend to average around 63 degrees Fahrenheit, while daily lows average about 48 degrees Fahrenheit. And while it doesn't snow much in New Orleans — historically speaking, according to local New Orleans news station WDSU, there have only been 17 snow accumulation events since 1852 — cold snaps do occur and temperatures have been known to drop below freezing. Check the local forecast and pack accordingly.
Best Times to Visit New Orleans for Good Weather
New Orleans in spring is marvelous, with the city coming alive as the days get warmer, and relatively low humidity. Try to time your trip with the French Quarter Festival in mid-April, a massive celebration of Louisiana music, food, and culture that features free tours of the neighborhood’s beautiful homes and gardens.
In the fall, expect average daily highs averaging 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Although hurricane season poses a threat from June through November, severe storms are rare. Barring any major natural disasters, October and November typically see the lowest rainfall amounts of the year — and the crowds of the festival-packed spring season will be long gone.
July and August are the hottest, muggiest, and rainiest months of the year, with temperatures around 92 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity near 100 percent. While air conditioning can make this more bearable, if you think the heat and humidity will hinder your desire to get out and enjoy the city, avoid a trip during the summer.
From December to January, the heat dissipates (average high temperatures are about 64 degrees Fahrenheit) as do the crowds, so if you’re looking for a more low-key trip, winter might be your best time to experience good weather and lower rates.
Best Times to Visit New Orleans for Lower Prices
If you can bear the heat, summertime is when you'll save money on a New Orleans vacation. Average hotel rates tend to drop in August, while average domestic flight prices are especially affordable from July through September. Be on the lookout for slashed rates at high-end hotels and check for summer specials, many of which include free extras like breakfast and parking.
In August, many restaurants — including NOLA institutions like Commander's Palace, Arnaud's, and Galatoire's — offer "COOLinary" prix-fixe deals: multi-course lunch, brunch and dinner specials for $50 or less.
Just be prepared for the intense summer weather. If you want to score a deal by taking a trip in August, avoid outdoor activities midday and seek out air conditioning whenever you can. Pack layers, too, as most air conditioners are cranked to meat locker levels.
If you can wait until September, that may be the best possible time to go, as you can still get good deals on flights and hotels but you'll have more enjoyable weather, with less rain and temperatures topping out in the 80s.
Worst Times to Visit New Orleans
New Orleans sees the greatest influx of visitors for major cultural events such as Mardi Gras and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which usually fall on weekends from February to early May. The dates for these two quintessential NOLA events change each year, so plan ahead and check well in advance if you want to avoid the crowds — made up of both tourists and locals, alike — that come along with these types of high-traffic, family-friendly festivals.
Other than that, the most popular annual events linked to large crowds include the Allstate Sugar Bowl — a beloved college football championship game that’s typically held on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day — and Halloween, with events taking place throughout late October. During both of these, hotels can fill up quickly, so book your rooms as far ahead of time as you possibly can just to be on the safe side and avoid disappointment.
Best Time to Visit New Orleans for Mardi Gras
Hoping to participate in one of the biggest celebrations of the year? To really partake in all the Mardi Gras revelry, arrive the weekend before and stay through Fat Tuesday (which can fall any time between early February and early March, depending on the year). That's when you'll catch the most popular parades, including Endymion, Orpheus, Bacchus, Zulu, and Rex.
It’s an extremely popular time to visit, so plan ahead. Reserve your hotel room a year in advance for more reasonable rates, and expect pricey airfares. Many hotels in the French Quarter and Central Business District require a four-night minimum stay, and because Mardi Gras is a public holiday, many attractions and restaurants will be closed. But you should be too busy dancing in the streets and collecting beads from parades to mind.
While Fat Tuesday is the culmination of the season, the celebrations actually begin long before, on Jan. 6 (the Twelfth Night of Christmas). If you'd like to experience Carnival and see krewes parading through the streets, but want to avoid the madness and inflated prices of Mardi Gras, go in January. You can still catch masquerade balls and parties while enjoying thinner crowds and more hotel availability.
Related: 8 Best Carnival Festivals Around the World
Best Time to Visit for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
The birthplace of jazz positively blooms during the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which features a lineup highlighting different musical styles, cultural attractions, and good food. The festivities usually take place around the end of April, so the weather will be fair for your trip, even if the prices aren’t.
The annual springtime event started in the 1970s as a celebration of the area’s vibrant music and culture and has since become one of the biggest events of the year — notable in a city known for its parties. You’ll want to get a head start on your plans as soon as possible, too — some festival goers even book their reservations as early as one year ahead of time. That said, you can usually track down a decent travel deal that includes accommodations and shuttle transportation to and from the festival. Remember to check the festival's website, which often lists lower rates on rooms as they become available.
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