Month guide · New Orleans · United States
New Orleans in May
What May 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
May is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 30°C (86°F), lows of 20°C (68°F), about 8 rainy days and roughly 13.6 hours of daylight. Getting hot and humid by the end of the month; Jazz Fest continues into early May.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 30°C (86°F) / 20°C (68°F)
- Rainy days
- About 8
- Daylight
- About 13.6 hours
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in May
May is the 5th-warmest month in New Orleans: days average 30°C (86°F) against a yearly average high of 26°C (79°F), and nights fall to about 20°C (68°F). Rain falls on roughly 8 of its 31 days. Compared with April (26°C (79°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 32°C (90°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 06:07
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 19:46
- Daylight
- About 13.6 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, May rates 4 for crowds (the peak is February at 5) and 4 for hotel prices (highest in February). Book accommodation early: May is one of the pricier months.
Events in May
- Jazz Fest second weekend (usually early May)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Experience · St. Charles Avenue
St. Charles streetcar
Ride out to Audubon Park, walk through to the zoo or the river, and come back at dusk; have exact change or a pass in the Le Pass app.
- Time needed
- About 45 minutes each way
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Views
Park · Mid-City
City Park and NOMA Sculpture Garden
At about 1,300 acres, City Park is larger than New York's Central Park and holds one of the world's largest stands of mature live oaks.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Art
- Nature
Zoo · Uptown
Audubon Zoo
Ride the St. Charles streetcar to Audubon Park and walk through the park to the zoo; it takes about 20 minutes on foot.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Experience · Riverfront
Steamboat Natchez river cruise
The Natchez is a steam-powered sternwheeler that sails from the Toulouse Street Wharf behind Jackson Brewery, with a calliope concert on deck before departure and a jazz band on board.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Couples
- Kids
- Views
- Iconic
What to pack
For highs near 30°C, lows near 20°C and 8 wet days: light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit New Orleans?
A shoulder-season month, with a notable event 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 May a good time to visit New Orleans?
It is a shoulder-season month. Getting hot and humid by the end of the month; Jazz Fest continues into early May.
+How warm is New Orleans in May?
Average highs are around 30°C (86°F) and lows around 20°C (68°F).
+Does it rain a lot in New Orleans in May?
Expect rain on about 8 days of the month.