Month guide · New Orleans · United States
New Orleans in April
What April is really like in New Orleans: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Clem from Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
April is one of the best months to visit New Orleans. Expect average highs of 26°C (79°F), lows of 15°C (59°F), about 7 rainy days and roughly 12.9 hours of daylight. Ideal weather and the city's best festival month; book hotels well ahead.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 26°C (79°F) / 15°C (59°F)
- Rainy days
- About 7
- Daylight
- About 12.9 hours
- Crowds
- Very busy
- Hotel prices
- Highest
Weather in April
April is the 7th-warmest month in New Orleans: days average 26°C (79°F) against a yearly average high of 26°C (79°F), and nights fall to about 15°C (59°F). Rain falls on roughly 7 of its 30 days. Compared with March (23°C (73°F)), April is warmer; by May highs climb to around 30°C (86°F).
- Sunrise (15 April)
- About 06:33
- Sunset (15 April)
- About 19:27
- Daylight
- About 12.9 hours
Spring (March–May). Warm, bright weather, azaleas and crawfish season, with French Quarter Festival and Jazz Fest drawing big crowds in April and early May.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, April rates 5 for crowds (the peak is February at 5) and 5 for hotel prices (highest in February). Book accommodation early: April is one of the pricier months.
Events in April
- French Quarter Festival — free music stages (usually mid-April)
- New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (usually the last weekend of April and first of May)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in April
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Experience · Warehouse District
Mardi Gras World
In riverfront warehouses near the Convention Center, Mardi Gras World is where Kern Studios builds and stores giant floats for many Carnival krewes.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Art
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Gallery · Warehouse District
Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Combine it with the WWII Museum and the Contemporary Arts Center, all within a few blocks.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Museum · French Quarter
The Historic New Orleans Collection
This free museum and research centre on Royal Street presents the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South through rotating exhibitions of maps, paintings, photographs and documents, spread across restored French Quarter buildings with quiet courtyards.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Museum · French Quarter
New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint
Check the museum's calendar for concerts and talks, then walk across Esplanade Avenue to Frenchmen Street.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
What to pack
For highs near 26°C, lows near 15°C and 7 wet days: light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is April a good time to visit New Orleans?
One of the best months to visit New Orleans, with 2 notable events on the calendar. The other best months are February–March and October–November. Compare every month.
New Orleans in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is April a good time to visit New Orleans?
It is one of the best months to visit New Orleans. Ideal weather and the city's best festival month; book hotels well ahead.
+How warm is New Orleans in April?
Average highs are around 26°C (79°F) and lows around 15°C (59°F).
+Does it rain a lot in New Orleans in April?
Expect rain on about 7 days of the month.