Is December a Good Time to Visit New Orleans (ANSWERED)
Is December a good time to visit New Orleans, you ask? The short answer is yes. Spending the holidays in New Orleans adds the perfect amount of festive flare to any winter plans! Keep reading and learn what December in New Orleans has to offer, and make the most of the holiday season!
Table of Contents
- December in the South
- Tis the Season with Airboat Tours
- Eat, Drink, and be Merry
- Food Tours
- Pub Crawls
- Seasonal Shenanigans
- Warm Up by the Bonfire
- Holiday Parades
- Holiday Lights
- Enjoy a Live Event
- Sports
- Concerts
- St. Louis Cathedral Concert Series
- Carolers in Jackson Square
- Celebrate the City and Enjoy the Top Things to Do
- Visit the Audubon Zoo
- See the Mighty Mississippi
- Holiday Haunts
- Ghost Tours
- Carriage Rides & Tours
- Kick off the New Year
- Is December a Good Time to Visit New Orleans?
December in the South
When spending the holidays in New Orleans, you may see beads instead of icicles lining the streets. “Christmas in New Orleans” by HarshLight via Flickr
Is December a good time to visit New Orleans? December in the South doesn’t yield your typical winter wonderland with ski lodges and snowball fights, but is uniquely its own, specifically New Orleans. From bonfires built to light the way for Papa Noel, to illuminating holiday lights like you’ve never seen, NOLA makes up for the lack of snow in its own, interesting, New Orleans fashion.
Besides the abundance of holiday fun to be had, winter temperatures in New Orleans are fairly mild, with an average high of 65 and low of 46. This means you can still get out and explore without having to drag your feet in giant snow boots. With perfect sweater weather and incredible things to do, spending December in New Orleans is a great way to create memories with your favorite people that will last a lifetime!
Tis the Season with Airboat Tours
A group takes an airboat ride to see the alligators.
An airboat tour in December is one of the most amazing experiences you can have. Travel through the bayous and explore the wetlands of the swamps. You will have the opportunity to spot alligators, eagles, and blue herons.
{Read Reviews & Book New Orleans Airboat Tours Online}
Eat, Drink, and be Merry
Beignets from Café du Monde, pictured above, are a New Orleans delicacy and a must-try when in New Orleans in December and beyond! Image by Phil Roeder via Flickr
There’s no better way to get into the spirit of the holiday season than with some refreshing spirits and delicious eats, which New Orleans has plenty of! From Cajun classics like jambalaya and gumbo to fresh seafood and specialty cocktails, your tummy and your taste buds will be thankful you submerged yourself into the area’s rich food culture.
Food Tours
A food tour is one of the best ways to enjoy samples of New Orleans’ finest cuisines.
Is December a good time to visit New Orleans? December in New Orleans is the perfect time to treat yourself to some mouth-watering cuisine! The food in NOLA is world-renown, and trying some of the city’s savory staples is a must. If you’re wanting to try it all, but your time is limited, then a New Orleans food tour is the perfect option for you!
Food tours allow you to taste and sample the best of New Orleans, and visit some of the restaurants that have been feeding the area for over 100 years! Why limit yourself to one meal at one restaurant, when you can explore the city and taste multiple area dishes at once? Check out a few of the crowd-pleasing restaurants you may visit during a food tour in NOLA:
- Antoine’s
- Brennan’s
- Tujague’s
{Read Reviews & Book New Orleans Food Tours Online}
Pub Crawls
Pictured above is a tour guide explaining the history of Jackson Square on a New Orleans pub crawl
Toast to the upcoming New Year with a yummy cocktail on a New Orleans pub crawl! Pub crawls are a great way to not only indulge yourself, but also to learn about the local history, landmarks, and beverages that helped shape the city you know and love!
Taking a pub crawl also means tasting New Orleans’ native drinks and local favorites like Sazerac and the Hurricane. A pub crawl during the holiday, however, means seasonal beverages may also be available! From crisp ciders to sugar cookie martinis, there is truly something for everyone!
{Read Reviews & Book Pub Crawls in New Orleans Online}
Seasonal Shenanigans
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season is one of the best times to visit the Big Easy, as the city is as beautiful and festive as ever! With holiday cheer as far as the eye can see, there is no shortage of fun, seasonal things to do.
Warm Up by the Bonfire
Pictured above is one of the many bonfires built along the Mississippi River to light up the bayou on Christmas Eve. Image by Eira Tansey via Flickr
While most people in the country are setting out milk and cookies for Santa Claus, families in New Orleans gather along the Mississippi River levees on River Road and light bonfires to help light the way for Papa Noel. According to tradition, these massive, 20-foot bonfires help Papa Noel navigate through the swamp, ultimately finding his way down the chimney delivering gifts for those on the nice list.
Hundreds of years later, this tradition still holds strong as thousands of people travel from across the country for this giant Christmas Eve celebration! Now called Festival of the Bonfires, this event also boasts the following:
- Incredible live music
- Bonfire contests
- Art
- Car shows
- Pageants
- Cook-offs
- and MORE!
Holiday Parades
Image of Santa Claus in the Christmas Parade on Canal Street in New Orleans taken by Tory via Wikimedia
It wouldn’t be December in New Orleans without beads, moon pies, parades, costumes, and celebration! Parades are definitely a signature of New Orleans, and you don’t have to be in town for Mardi Gras to experience one. Holiday parades take place throughout the month of December, and are a great way to get in the holiday spirit... NOLA style.
Holiday Lights
With “eccentric” and “extravagant” defining the two “e’s” in “New Orleans,” it’s easy to see why checking out dazzling displays of holiday lights made the list! Light up the night and check out one of these popular locations to see incredible light displays in New Orleans:
Enjoy a Live Event
New Orleans is always bustling with people, music, and things to do! If you’re looking for something different, why not check out a live event? From the world’s top performers, to professional sports, and beyond, there is something for every age group and interest! A live event is an especially great choice for families visiting NOLA with teenagers and older children.
Sports
Image of the interior of the New Orleans Superdome, where the New Orleans Saints play, taken by Davide Gabino via Flickr
Sports in the South, especially football, are more like a way of life and a part of the culture. The same is true in New Orleans, which is why experiencing a sporting event in NOLA should definitely make the bucket list! Especially if the weather is a little frightful for your flavor, you’ll be warm in no time after screaming “WHO DAT” for the win!
December is a great time to catch both professional and collegiate football and basketball in New Orleans with one of the following teams:
- New Orleans Saints | NFL
- Tulane Green Wave Football | NCAA
- New Orleans Pelicans | NBA
- New Orleans Privateers | NCAA
- Tulane Green Wave Basketball | NCAA
Aside from your regularly scheduled programming, New Orleans will also occasionally host special games including:
- Super Bowl
- College Football Playoff National Championship Game
- BCS National Championship Game
- Sugar Bowl
- Men’s Final Four
- Women’s Final Four
- NBA All-Star Game
From the thrill of the first kickoff or opening tip, to sharing a high-five with your favorite person after putting some points on the board, sporting events in New Orleans are a great way to create memories that will last a lifetime!
Concerts
Expect to see plenty of street performers, like the group pictured above, when walking through the French Quarter. Image by brando via Flickr
From street performers in the French Quarter, to some of the world’s top artists at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, there’s no shortage of incredible music in the Big Easy year-round! And you don’t have to pay hundreds of dollars to jam out to some marvelous music. Local music halls, like the ones listed below, are a great way to witness the incredible talents that keep New Orleans alive through music and celebration:
- Preservation Hall on Bourbon Street
- Mother-In-Law Lounge on Claiborne Avenue
- Rock-N-Bowl on Carrollton Avenue
- Maple Leaf Bar on Oak Street
- The Spotted Cat Music Club on Frenchman Street
- House of Blues New Orleans on Decatur Street
And that’s just to name a few! These lively dive bars/music halls have produced some world-renown musicians including:
- Louis Armstrong
- Fats Domino
- Allen Toussaint
- Trombone Shorty
- Dr. John
It’s safe to say that when you’re enjoying the sounds of the Crescent City, you could quite possibly be listening to the next up-and-coming jazz superstar! While dancing to some awesome music is a great way to warm up in December, if you’re looking for something more seasonal, NOLA has that, too:
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St. Louis Cathedral Concert Series: Year after year, hundreds flock to the beautiful St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square for their annual St. Louis Cathedral Concerts. This free concert series features local favorites, church choirs, jazz musicians, and more! Donations are welcome, and all shows are open to the public.
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Carolers in Jackson Square: Light up Jackson Square by candle light and caroling! Since 1946, this free event has been one of the city’s favorite ways to spread holiday cheer. It is recommended to arrive early, since capacity is usually met.
However you decide to spend your December in New Orleans, diving in to the music scene is a necessity. Whether you’re checking out the talented street performers on Bourbon Street, or listening to some jazz at the Spotted Cat Music Club, this music is truly the heart and soul of the city, and one of the best ways to understand the area’s rich culture.
Celebrate the City and Enjoy the Top Things to Do
With so many fun and fantastic things to do in New Orleans, it can sometimes be hard to choose the best activities for you and your group. Don’t worry! We’ve narrowed down some of the top tours and attractions, and compiled a list of some of the best things to do in New Orleans in December:
Visit the Audubon Zoo
The Audubon Zoo is a New Orleans staple, and a great outing for the whole family!
With multiple coupons and discounts available to the Audubon Zoo, visiting in December is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday on a budget. Since 1884, the Zoo ranks consistently as one of the best in the country with 100-year-old oak trees, a vast array of impressive and interesting animals, and a wildlife sanctuary that reflects New Orleans’ style and flavor. The cool, crisp weather that December brings to NOLA is perfect for a stroll through the Audubon Zoo, as well.
See the Mighty Mississippi
According to a recent Traveler Story, a dinner cruise is one of the best ways to make beautiful memories in the Big Easy
December is also the perfect time for a New Orleans river cruise! With sightseeing, dining, romance, and fun all in one, a trip down the Mississippi on a paddlewheeler is the perfect winter activity. With lunch and dinner options to choose from, there is something for everyone!
{Read Reviews & Book a New Orleans River Cruise Online}
Holiday Haunts
Charles Dickens wasn’t the only one searching for ghosts at Christmastime! New Orleans is considered to be one of the most haunted cities in the country, and this is reflected in the sheer amount of ghost tours available. Get into the holiday spirit, and learn about the ghosts, spirits, and hauntings in the French Quarter and beyond!
Ghost Tours
Pictured above is a tour group taking the Haunted Pub Crawl Tour through New Orleans Ghost Adventures Tours
Ghost tours are probably one of the most popular types of tours to take in New Orleans. With an expert and enthusiastic guide leading the way, you’ll learn everything you need to know about NOLA’s spiritual side. Aside from that, ghost tours are a great way to see the city up-close-and-personal, and learn about the history and hauntings that made the city what it is today.
Below are just a few of the different types of ghost tours available in NOLA:
- Cemetery Tours (Check out our guide to New Orleans cemeteries for more info)
- Voodoo Tours
- Haunted Bus Tours
- Vampire Tours
- Witch Craft Tours
- Haunted Pub Crawls
- Haunted Bike Tours
- Family-Friendly Ghost Tours
No matter what type of ghostly experience you’re looking for, you can find it in New Orleans!
{Read Reviews & Book a New Orleans Ghost Tour Online}
Carriage Rides & Tours
A carriage tour, like the one pictured above, is a unique way to see the sights of New Orleans.
A carriage tour is the perfect activity for a NOLA date night, girls night, and everything in between. Mule-drawn carriages were the original Uber in New Orleans, helping settlers travel the unpaved streets. Now, they’re operated by some of the best tour guides in the business, and are one of the best ways for visitors to see the city! Unfold 300 years of incredible history, architecture, sights, stories, and more as you sit back, relax, and trot through the French Quarter!
{Read Reviews & Book a New Orleans Carriage Ride Online}
Kick off the New Year
Image of Bourbon Street in New Orleans on New Year’s Eve taken by Gary J. Wood via Flickr
New Orleans is one of those places where once you’re there, it’s really hard to leave. With December coming to an end and the new year approaching, you may want to consider extending your stay through the first and start the year off New Orleans-style! As you would expect, there will be plenty of food, music, and festivities.
Is December a Good Time to Visit New Orleans?
Image of the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans decorated for the holidays taken by Information of New Orleans via Flickr
So, is December a good time to visit New Orleans? New Orleans, Louisiana, is a great place to visit all year long! With a wide variety of incredible shopping, dining, drinks, history and so much more, the party doesn’t stop once the winter weather starts.
The holidays are definitely different in New Orleans, from bonfires lighting the way for Papa Noel, to joining thousands in Jackson Square and singing your favorite Christmas tunes. With that being said, December is the perfect time to visit New Orleans for unique and magical holiday memories that only the Big Easy can provide!