Louisiana is a state unlike any other in the United States — a vibrant gumbo of French, Spanish, African, and Native American cultures simmering along the Gulf Coast. Home to New Orleans' legendary French Quarter, Cajun country's cypress swamps, and world-class cuisine ranging from crawfish étouffée to beignets, Louisiana captivates visitors with jazz-drenched streets, extravagant Mardi Gras celebrations, and antebellum plantation grandeur set against a backdrop of moss-draped live oaks.
Louisiana has a humid subtropical climate characterized by hot, humid summers, mild winters, and year-round rainfall. New Orleans averages 64 inches of annual rainfall. Summer temperatures regularly reach 95°F (35°C) with heat indices above 110°F (43°C). Winters are mild but can see occasional freezes. Hurricane season (June 1–November 30) is the primary weather risk for visitors.
Best time to visit
Best: Year-round
Avoid: None
Month-by-month weather
Typical conditions throughout the year.
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The seasons
What to expect in each part of the year.
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Crowds & peak times
When to expect tourists and when to avoid them.
- Items
- Period
- Mardi Gras (2 weeks before Fat Tuesday)
- Crowd level
- Extremely High
- Note
- Hotels sell out; prices triple; French Quarter overwhelmed; book 3–6 months ahead
- Period
- Jazz Fest (late April–early May)
- Crowd level
- Very High
- Note
- Fairgrounds sold out; accommodation premium; book 2–4 months ahead
- Period
- March–April (non-fest)
- Crowd level
- High
- Note
- Peak tourism; comfortable weather; advance booking recommended
- Period
- June–August
- Crowd level
- Low–Moderate
- Note
- Heat deters visitors; best hotel deals; indoor attractions less crowded
- Period
- October–November
- Crowd level
- Moderate
- Note
- Growing popularity as shoulder season; comfortable; Halloween events add a busy weekend
- Period
- December–January
- Crowd level
- Low
- Note
- Quietest period; Christmas events draw some visitors; January is least busy month
Major events & festivals
Time your visit around what matters.
World's largest free street party; parades, beads, balls, and extraordinary revelry
When: Carnival season (January–February); Fat Tuesday 2026: February 17
One of America's premier music festivals; 12 stages, 500+ artists; fairgrounds setting
When: Late April to early May (two weekends)
Free music festival in the French Quarter with 20+ stages; largest free music event in the South
When: Early April
Major LGBTQ+ festival drawing 200,000+ visitors to the French Quarter
When: Labor Day Weekend (September)
New Orleans Halloween parade with elaborate floats; themed bar crawls and cemetery tours
When: Late October
Annual arts and food festival on the plantation grounds under the iconic oak alley
When: March