Month guide · New Orleans · United States
New Orleans in December
What December is really like in New Orleans: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: ajay_suresh, CC BY 4.0
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Quick answer
December is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 18°C (64°F), lows of 8°C (46°F), about 9 rainy days and roughly 10.2 hours of daylight. Cool and festive, with Réveillon dinners, lights in City Park and the hotels' lobby decorations.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 18°C (64°F) / 8°C (46°F)
- Rainy days
- About 9
- Daylight
- About 10.2 hours
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in December
December is the 11th-warmest month in New Orleans: days average 18°C (64°F) against a yearly average high of 26°C (79°F), and nights fall to about 8°C (46°F). Rain falls on roughly 9 of its 31 days. Compared with November (22°C (72°F)), December is cooler; by January highs stay near 17°C (63°F).
- Sunrise (15 December)
- About 06:49
- Sunset (15 December)
- About 17:03
- Daylight
- About 10.2 hours
Winter (December–February). Mild with occasional cold snaps; Réveillon dinners in December, king cake from January and Mardi Gras, which falls in February or early March.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, December rates 3 for crowds (the peak is February at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in February). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in December
- Réveillon dinner menus at restaurants (throughout December)
- New Year's Eve fireworks over the Mississippi
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in December
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 18°C, lows near 8°C and 9 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is December a good time to visit New Orleans?
A shoulder-season month, with 2 notable events on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, February–April and October–November are better overall. Compare every month.
New Orleans in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is December a good time to visit New Orleans?
It is a shoulder-season month. Cool and festive, with Réveillon dinners, lights in City Park and the hotels' lobby decorations.
+How warm is New Orleans in December?
Average highs are around 18°C (64°F) and lows around 8°C (46°F).
+Does it rain a lot in New Orleans in December?
Expect rain on about 9 days of the month.