Best Things To Do In New Orleans In March

Best Things To Do In New Orleans In March

More about: Best Things To Do In New Orleans In March

NOLA, as Americans call it, offers cultural variety in every aspect and thousands of things to see and do in New Orleans. In one month you will go from dancing to Celtic music while celebrating **St. Patrick'**s Day, to singing tarantellas for the feast of Saint Josephs.

The weather in March is spring-like and ideal for outdoor activities during the day. While it's not the cheapest season, you can find events for every budget.

1. Catch a New Orleans Pelicans Game

At a New Orleans Pelicans game| ©Erik Drost
At a New Orleans Pelicans game| ©Erik Drost

If you are a basketball fan, then this plan will be to your liking. During March the most important games of the NBA regular season are defined and the Pelicans always fight until the last minute.

If you are in luck you will be able to enjoy an NBA game where the New Orleans Pelicans play at home looking for a place in the playoffs. It will be the perfect opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful indoor stadiums in the United States and see the most important stars of the sport up close.

The Pelicans' home stadium, the Smoothie King Center, is also an impressive piece of architecture with a capacity of 17,000 spectators, so you can take a tour before or after the game. It is very easy to get to, as it is located less than 10 minutes from downtown New Orleans.

Reserve NBA tickets

2. Try the traditional crawfish

Crayfish platter| ©Mauricio Oliver
Crayfish platter| ©Mauricio Oliver

March is also the month when the crawfish season officially starts and if you are interested in this type of food it will be the perfect opportunity to try it. New Orleans is known for being one of the gastronomic capitals due to the fusion between Spanish, French and Italian food, and one of its biggest attractions is the crawfish.

The typical French and American dishes often range from gourmet options to simple and hearty dishes, with which you can try new tastes and flavors.

During this month you will find several options to taste the typical "Crawfish". Whether boiled, sautéed, baked or fried, and if you prefer to go for it, you can buy fresh crab and cook it as you like.

Also, once the Mardi Gras festivities are over, every Friday in March you can enjoy Fish FryFridays.

For years, every Friday in March, New Orleans' top restaurants have donated the proceeds from the sale of fried fish to Hospitality Cares.

Book a food tour of New Orleans

3. Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day| ©Marcey Hoffman
St. Patrick's Day| ©Marcey Hoffman

Every March 17, New Orleans dresses in green to welcome a new St. Patrick's Day celebration, but it is quite common for the festivities to extend throughout the week.

The weight of the Irish community is very important in New Orleans. That's why Saint Patrick's Day is the perfect excuse to continue the festivities after enjoying Mardi Gras and learning a little more about this culture.

Perhaps the best option to enjoy "Saint Paddy's" to the fullest is to go to Parasol's Bar, in the Irish Chanell, a historic neighborhood of Irish families. This neighborhood is only 10 minutes from downtown New Orleans and the French Quarter by public transportation.

Remember that on this holiday it is common during the parade that ingredients of a typical Irish stew are thrown from the floats (minus the beef, of course). Watch out for carrots, cabbage, potatoes or onions flying through the air.

In addition, there are usually participants dressed in their green costumes who will hand out paper flowers in exchange for kisses.

You can enjoy this traditional parade starting at Magazine Avenue and St Charles, while taking advantage of the green beer happy hours dancing to Celtic music all night long. Don't forget your green clothes to avoid getting pinched and some three-leaf clover pins for good luck.

Book a tour of the French Quarter of New Orleans

4. Have fun with Wiener Dog Racing

Wiener Dog Racing| ©Nohelia
Wiener Dog Racing| ©Nohelia

If you are a dachshund lover you will really enjoy this experience. Every March, New Orleans celebrates the :::link|text=wiener dog race|url=https://www.srperro.com/blog_perro/summer-sausage-sprint-la-loca-carrera-de-los-salchichas-y-una-comedia-sobre-sus-protagonistas/**

These races have more and more followers and the cutest competitors. It is very entertaining to see how these beautiful dogs with short legs and big ears try to reach the finish line as soon as possible.

To help them achieve their goal, their owners use all kinds of incentives, from dog kibble to squeaky toys.

Interesting facts

5. Enjoy (in moderation) the New Orleans Bourbon Festival

At the New Orleans Bourbon Festival| ©FalvioD
At the New Orleans Bourbon Festival| ©FalvioD

Whether you're a Bourbon fan, or you've never tried it before, the New Orleans Bourbon Festival is the perfect opportunity for you to have a unique time. World-renowned and with a large number of craft distilleries, the festival takes place the first weeks of March.

Bourbon is a type of whiskey that was born in the United States, and while it began to be produced in northern states, it quickly spread to almost all southern states.

It is believed that the name comes from the Bourbon family, a historic French royal dynasty. Bourbon Street gave the name to the drink that was exported and was cheaper than French Cognac.

This event is usually hosted at the Contemporary Arts Center and Hotel Le Meridian, located near the French Quarter. Over the course of this 3-day event, you can sample food and taste the best Bourbon in a place set up like a 1920's speakeasy.

The festivity ends on the third day with a brunch where the awards ceremony takes place. The best types and styles of Bourbon that were tasted during the festival are awarded.

If you think that 3 days of drinking bourbon is too much for your liver, you can go directly to the awards ceremony where you can taste and buy the most voted Bourbons.

6. Go to the St. Joseph's Day parade

St. Joseph's Day parade| ©seabrzdriver
St. Joseph's Day parade| ©seabrzdriver

Another holiday that I recommend you to experience is St. Josephs day. On this date, the Saint is commemorated with music, dancing and Italian food.

Italian-American families often set up small altars in their homes dedicated to St. Joseph or St. Giuseppino, a tradition brought by Sicilian immigrants who arrived in New Orleans in the 18th century.

Although the event takes place in the French Quarter of New Orleans, on this date the protagonists are the Italian-Americans living in the area. The celebration begins at noon at the main Italian venues in New Orleans, with a variety of Italian dishes, traditional music and plenty of wine.

The main event begins with the parade organized by the American Italian marching club of New Orleans, a group of men dressed in tuxedos who will infect you with their energy to dance tarantellas all night long.

7. Don't miss the Literary Festivals

Interpretations of the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival| ©Jim Hobbs
Interpretations of the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival| ©Jim Hobbs

If you love to read or consider yourself a literary enthusiast, March is the month to visit New Orleans. During this month you can enjoy the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival, one of the most iconic playwrights of the 20th century. You may know him from the adaptation of his most famous play: "A Streetcar Named Desire".

The festival lasts 5 days and you can enjoy original plays by the author interpreted by actors, classic southern cocktail parties, outdoor readings, gastronomic events, live bands, literary walking tours, book signings and much more.

In addition, the creators of this event founded in parallel "Saints and Sinners", a literary festival for the LGTBQ+ community. This has the participation of people from all over the world, where the most exponent writers of the community show their best works. "Saints and Sinners" began as literary gatherings to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and prevent discrimination.

8. Learn about the culture of the native peoples at Super Sunday

Enjoying Super Sunday| ©Najja
Enjoying Super Sunday| ©Najja

If you missed the Mardi Gras festivities, then Super Sunday is your best bet. Organized by the Native American communities of New Orleans, "Super Sunday" has all the elements that attract us most to the carnival season: parades, second lining, masks and colorful costumes.

The origin of Super Sundays is due to the great brotherhood between Indians and African-Americans. This historical alliance has existed from colonial times to the present day, and is due to the protection given by the native peoples of the area to slaves escaping from the plantations.

More than 50 tribes of the original peoples still exist in the New Orleans areas and are often the main protagonists of these events. In addition, these communities are considered to be the founders of second lining. This practice dates back to the 18th century and consists of following the caravan and musicians while singing and dancing.

Super Sundays is the manifestation of how 2 different cultures could find support in hostile times. Today this brotherhood is celebrated in the form of a parade and music in colorful traditional dress through downtown New Orleans.

The traditional route for this event is as follows:

  • Starts at noon at A.L. Davis Park, Washington Avenue and LaSalle Street.
  • Continue on LaSalle
  • Turn left onto Martin Luther King Blvd.
  • Turn left on South Claiborne Avenue
  • Then left onto Washington Avenue
  • End at A.L. Davis Park

9. Celebrate French culture at Fête Française

At the Fête Française| ©TiJope
At the Fête Française| ©TiJope

New Orleans is a mecca of French culture due to its status as a former colony of the European country. Perhaps the "Fete Francaise" is a perfect occasion to enjoy the Gallic cultural heritage. Organized annually by the Ecole Bilingue de la Nouvelle-Orléans, La Fete is the largest French-themed festival in New Orleans.

The event is free and takes place on the campus of the educational institution. You can enjoy a variety of food, music, art, entertainment and activities for the little ones, all related to France.

In addition, all proceeds from the event are used to fund the Bilingual School and has the support and organization of the entire educational community.

10. Immersive Music and Art Festival: BUKU

At BUKU| ©Thebukuproject
At BUKU| ©Thebukuproject

If you like music and art, I recommend you not to miss this opportunity. Buku is one of the largest festivals in New Orleans and is designed to showcase emerging artists from the local scene. The festival usually conveys an atmosphere similar to a party among friends, but on a grand scale.

Enjoy internationally renowned artists while discovering new artists from the indie, hip hop and EDM scene. The festival also offers local artist interventions such as graffiti, sculpture races and interactive projects.

The name of the festival comes from the French word "Beaucoup" which translates as "A lot". This festival has a lot to offer you, from signature cuisine to classic snowballs, traditional New Orleans ice cream cones that will keep you cool during the festival.

If you are interested in investing in an exclusive experience, the festival offers VIP tickets. These will serve as a pass for both days of the festival, as well as exclusive access to the party on the Creaole Queen cruise ship.

If you don't have the budget for the VIP party, New Orleans has multiple boat rides to offer

.

Prices in March in New Orleans

Money in Dollars| ©Karolina Grabowska
Money in Dollars| ©Karolina Grabowska

February through May tend to be the busiest months for tourists. This is due to the many festivals, celebrations and holidays that take place during this time.

I recommend that if you want to travel during this time of the year you make reservations early. While NOLA has a wide variety of hotel and dining options, the large number of arts festivals can be reflected in the prices.

Weather in New Orleans

Touring New Orleans| ©sprusak
Touring New Orleans| ©sprusak

March is a spring month and is one of the ideal times to visit New Orleans. The days are warm and pleasant, while the nights are a little cooler.

The average daytime temperature is between 20 and 24 degrees Celsius, while the cooler temperatures arrive at night and vary between 8 - 11 C°. This climate is ideal for outdoor activities during the day, as you will not be overwhelmed by the heat.

Also, the nights are ideal for activities, because it is not cold. That is why I recommend you to check which are the best activities to do at night.

It is not usually rainy season, when it does it usually rains for a few days a month. If it does rain, it never rains more than 35 mm during 2 or 3 days. I recommend that you bring a raincoat, as it may be necessary one day when you want to do some outdoor activity.

Reviews from other travelers

4.3
· 997 Reviews
  • E
    E.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    Great restaurants and food selections to try
  • B
    B.
    4
    (0 Reviews)
    Great way to spend a morning in New Orleans. Highly recommended
  • A
    A.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    Our guide had a good knowledge of New Orleans and its gastronomic history made each stop on the tour so interesting and enjoyable.
  • G
    G.
    4
    (0 Reviews)
    What a fantastic excursion, the food was amazing!
  • F
    F.
    4
    (0 Reviews)
    An excellent tour with an excellent guide!