Holidays in New Oleans

A waterfront city steeped in American musical tradition and famous for its creole, Cajun and international cuisine, New Orleans is a city that’s proud to be different. Known world-over as the city of jazz, gumbo and Mardi Gras, if you can’t have a good time on holiday in New Orleans, you might need to take a long, hard look in the mirror!

A culturally diverse city, New Orleans blends colonial French, Caribbean, Haitian and east coast American influences, and has emerged with a unique and quirky identity of its own. Whether you’re listening to one of the city’s many brass band parades, strolling down lively Bourbon Street, exploring the waterways of rural Louisiana, or enjoying a fresh beignet in a quaint café, you’re bound to fall in love with the joyous New Orleans spirit.

• Take a tour of the historic neighbourhoods: New Orleans is home to some of the most incredible architecture of any city in the United States. The iconic French Quarter is a vibrant cultural district composed of French and Spanish colonial buildings, while there’s streets and streets of Victorian style mansions in Uptown.
• Explore the spiritual home of Jazz: New Orleans is a music-lover’s paradise. A city in which it’s impossible to stop your foot tapping, hips swinging, or body grooving, it is the spiritual home of jazz, funk, and Cajun country music. We recommend trying to catch a show at Preservation Hall – but be warned, it’s best to buy tickets in advance, as this place gets busy.
• Hop on a Bayou tour: New Orleans is surrounded by truly epic natural wonders, filled with some seriously big critters! Keep an eye out for ‘gators on a tour of the Louisiana swamps.

New Orleans is known for its love of festivals and celebrating the rich histories of the city and its background. On your holiday to New Orleans, be sure to look out for:

• Mardi Gras: the biggest carnival in the USA, Mardi Gras has to be seen to be believed. A spectacular combination of parades, music, food, and perhaps a drink or two, Mardi Gras runs for two weeks around Easter, and is definitely one to tick off the bucket list.
• French Quarter Festival: music may come first in New Orleans, but food is its natural companion. If you want to taste the best gumbo in town while listening to some soul-searingly awesome jazz, visit in April for the French Quarter Festival. The best bit? It’s free!
• New Orleans Pride: the loudest, brashest, and most colourful LGBTQ festival in the USA, New Orleans Pride is fabulous. All are welcome, and it’s a wonderfully warm, fun celebration that makes June one of the brightest months in the calendar.
• Museum Month: August is the month to check out all of the city’s quirky little museums with a wealth of special events, exhibitions and shows on for the whole family.

New Orleans is known for having one of the most distinctive cuisines in the whole of the United States. Its incredible creole-inspired cooking is one of the city’s biggest attractions, and anyone who enjoys their food will be blown away by New Orleans’ dynamic and delicious culinary scene. The city is home to more great restaurants than you can shake a stick at, but here’s a few that you have to try during New Orleans holidays.

• Café Beignet: the beignet is a uniquely New Orleans food and is the city’s take on the great American doughnut. A beignet and coffee is the best way to start the day when visiting New Orleans. Café Beignet is the most famous vendor of these delicious treats, and a city institution.
• Brennan’s Restaurant: New Orleans is jam-packed full of historic eateries, many of which are now an integral part of the city’s identity. Brennan’s is one such place. Specialising in beautiful breakfasts and brunches - with which it is traditional to take a morning cocktail - Brennan’s is a wonderful slice of New Orleans heritage.
• Cochon: Cochon is a great place to try some comforting Cajun grub. It is hearty and wholesome food, and representational of one aspect of Louisiana’s traditional cuisine.

New Orleans experiences lovely hot summers, and milder winters. If you’re looking at holidays to New Orleans, spring and autumn are both popular times to visit, as there’s plenty of sunshine and temperatures are comfortable for those sightseeing adventures.

• June to September: summer in New Orleans is generally hot with the average high around 35°C. It doesn’t cool down too much at night either, so head to the bars and soak up the music and some long, cool drinks.
• October to November: autumn is a great time to visit the city, as temperatures drop a little and it’s more comfortable for kids or those who don’t like it quite as hot.
• December to February: in winter, the average high is 18°C, and the average low is 8°C.
• March to May: spring is another popular time to visit New Orleans. The average high rises from around 22°C to 26°C, and the nights are refreshing and cool.