Best time to visit New Orleans

• “April and May in the springtime and September, October and November in the fall are the best months” shebuystravel.com
• “The best time to visit New Orleans is during the months of October, January, March, and April.” travellemming.com
• “The best times to visit New Orleans for fewer tourists are April, October, or November” travellemming.com

3 of the 8 travel guides we read name these months.

1. January63°F / 46°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…January brings the Sugar Bowl and the start of Mardi Gras season.January is the cheapest month for flights in one source.Crowds are smaller in January but weather can be cold and rainy.Mardi Gras
2. February66°F / 50°F · 9 rainy daysChecking fares…February is cool and festive, with high Mardi Gras crowds.Highs in February range from 65 to 84F.Fat Tuesday can fall anywhere from February 3 to March 9.
3. March72°F / 55°F · 8 rainy daysChecking fares…March is warm and breezy with medium crowds.The Bourbon Festival is held in March.March averages a 73F high and 5 rain days.Congo Square Rhythms Festival
4. Best timeApril79°F / 62°F · 7 rainy daysChecking fares…Jazz Fest usually runs from late April into early May.The French Quarter Festival is in early April.Hotel prices peak in April.French Quarter Festival · New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
5. May85°F / 69°F · 8 rainy daysChecking fares…May is warm to hot with medium crowds, before summer humidity peaks.Jazz Fest runs the last weekend of April and the first of May.May averages an 85F high and 4 rain days.
6. June90°F / 75°F · 13 rainy daysChecking fares…June averages 89F and is much hotter than spring.Tourism spikes in June and July with family vacations.June averages a 90F high and 10 rain days.Essence Festival of Culture · New Orleans Wine & Food Experience
7. July91°F / 77°F · 14 rainy daysChecking fares…Go 4th on the River marks July 4 with fireworks from barges.July is among the rainiest months.Highs reach the 90s with matching humidity.
8. August91°F / 77°F · 14 rainy daysChecking fares…August is among the rainiest months.Hotel prices are lowest in August, but heat and hurricane risk make it unattractive.Tropical storms are most likely from mid-August to late October.White Linen Night · Southern Decadence
9. September88°F / 74°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…September is rainier than October and November.September is warm and rainy with low crowds; watch hurricane forecasts.Early September stays in the upper 80s.
10. Best timeOctober81°F / 64°F · 7 rainy daysChecking fares…The Voodoo Music + Arts Experience festival is held in City Park in late October.October is pleasant with medium crowds.The New Orleans Film Festival takes place in October.Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival · Bayou Bacchanal
11. Best timeNovember71°F / 54°F · 7 rainy daysChecking fares…November is mild with low crowds.The Oak Street Po-Boy Festival is held in early November.November needs long sleeves and a light jacket.
12. December65°F / 48°F · 9 rainy daysChecking fares…December is cool and festive with medium crowds.Reveillon Dinners are a December tradition.Bonfires on the Levee take place on Christmas Eve.Holidays New Orleans Style

Weather: New Orleans averages from NOAA (1991 to 2020 averages), as listed in its climate table on Wikipedia.

• Mardi GrasNew Orleans, LouisianaEvery January to March
• Congo Square Rhythms FestivalLouis Armstrong Park, New Orleans, LouisianaEvery March
• French Quarter FestivalNew Orleans, LouisianaEvery April
• New Orleans Jazz & Heritage FestivalNew Orleans, LouisianaEvery April to May
• Essence Festival of CultureNew Orleans, LouisianaEvery June to July
• New Orleans Wine & Food ExperienceNew Orleans, LouisianaEvery June
• White Linen NightJulia Street Arts District, New Orleans, LouisianaEvery August
• Southern DecadenceFrench Quarter, New Orleans, LouisianaEvery August to September
• Crescent City Blues & BBQ FestivalLafayette Square, New Orleans, LouisianaEvery October
• Bayou BacchanalNew Orleans, LouisianaEvery October to November
• Holidays New Orleans StyleFrench Quarter, New Orleans, LouisianaEvery December

What is the busiest time for New Orleans?

Mardi Gras is the busiest time, with about 1.4 million visitors, according to the convention bureau.

What is the busiest time for New Orleans?

Tourism peaks around Mardi Gras, and again in June and July when families vacation.

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