The best time to visit New Orleans is early spring and late fall. Specifically from March to April and from October to November. These months offer the best tourist climate and decent audience levels. New Orleans gets the most tourists for Mardi Gras and the Jazz Festival, which are usually held on weekends from February to early May.
The dates of these events change every year, so plan ahead and check well in advance if you want to avoid the crowds (both tourists and locals) that accompany these busy festivals. As in the previous section, the best time of year for the weather is a subjective question. February and March, with the massive Mardi Gras celebrations, are considered the best time to visit New Orleans. However, keep in mind that these events draw large crowds and prices increase dramatically.
In addition to the heat, summer also brings great deals, so you can enjoy Coolinary New Orleans, a month of special offers at restaurants in the city. A mild period from October to November is another lovely time to explore New Orleans and sample a wide variety of local seafood. December and January are perfect for savvy tourists, as hotel rates are low and the city cools down substantially. The short answer is that, for most people, the best times to visit New Orleans in terms of weather are between March and May, as well as from mid-October to November.
September is also a good month to find cheap travel rates on hotels and airline tickets, and the weather is starting to cool down due to summer highs. There are several food festivals in September, making them some of the best things to do this month in the city. The best time to visit New Orleans is anytime, but depending on your vacation list, some months are better than others for different types of events and activities. Festivals with local food and music also continue, such as the Freret Street Festival in the upper part of the city, the French Quarter Festival and, finally, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival or simply Jazz Fest, which closes the month and continues until May.
You can enjoy pleasant temperatures and fewer tourists and visit some of the lesser-known and unique museums in New Orleans, such as the Pharmacy Museum, the Backstreet Cultural Museum and Mardi Gras World, where you can see up close the flamboyant parade floats used during the annual festivities. And while it's not a bad time to go to New Orleans, there are more (and fewer) ideal times to visit it, depending on your vacation schedule. The main attraction for outsiders in July is the Essence Festival, a great celebration of black culture that makes a busy week one of the quietest months of the year. If you are looking for the cheapest time to go to Big Easy, August and September are the months to get the best deals.
December and January are the coldest months, although they are still mild compared to the rest of the country, with daily highs averaging 60 degrees and daily lows in the 40s. This month's festivals include the Oak Street Po-Boy Fest, the Treme Creole Gumbo Fest, the Congo Square Rhythms Fest, the Caribbean Bayou Bacchanal festival, and the New Orleans Film Festival. Tourists visiting New Orleans outside of the Mardi Gras season can still get a taste of the festivities by visiting Mardi Gras World, the only museum in the city dedicated to this annual celebration. So, whether you're trying to stay here during the holidays or to avoid the busiest and busiest time of the year, it's essential to check the date before planning a trip during the months of January, February or March.
That said, New Orleans is a city of festivals and events, so if you want to experience that scene (or avoid it), it's worth specifying more about each month. .
