10 Things to Do in New Orleans in Winter

From mid-December to the end of March, the winter months in New Orleans offer you several options to have fun without having to suffer the heat.

Learn about the 10 plans you can't miss in this southern city during the winter season and discover one of the cultural hearts of the American South.

When it comes to fun in New Orleans, the first thing that will always come up in conversation is Mardi Gras. Its name comes from the fact that it is the last time you can eat without moderation before Lent. It is a holiday known for the number of tourists who flock to the streets of the French Quarter and Downtown in search of partying, booze and debauchery.

Approximately 850,000 people usually attend this event, which lasts from Friday, the beginning of Carnival, until Tuesday, when it officially ends to mark the beginning of Ash Wednesday.

Costumes, allegorical floats, decorative masks, lots of ambiance and jazz is what you will find from the beginning to the end of these peculiar and entertaining days. Without discussion, these days offer you the best plans to do in New Orleans during February. If your stay coincides with this holiday, take the opportunity to book a gastronomic tour of New Orleans and catch up with this celebration.

Interesting information

• Price: The float parade is free to watch, but access to some bars with a view can cost $100 (approximately $92.5).
• Duration: activities usually run from noon to night, but the specific time of the float parade may change from year to year.
• Location: French Quarter is the epicenter, but the floats circulate along Canal Street and the festivities take place especially on Bourbon Street.

You may be surprised to know that your visit coincides with some NBA games being held in New Orleans. The home team is called the New Orleans Pelicans and according to many specialists in the sports world, enjoying a mid-season NBA game is among the best experiences you can have. It doesn't matter if you are inexperienced or if you are a true basketball fan.

So, I recommend you to book your ticket for New Orleans Pelicans. It is an excellent plan to include in the list of things to do and see in New Orleans at night, as it is a festive and entertaining atmosphere that allows you to drink alcohol if you wish. Something very useful to prepare your mind and body to continue the party in a bar or nightclub in the city.

Information of interest

• Price: from 60 or 70 $ (55 - 65 €) to 1,000 (1,080 €) or even more, depending on the position of the seat inside the enclosure and the importance of the party.
• Duration: approximately 48 minutes, but may be extended depending on the number of player changes.
• Location: the Smoothie King Center is the home of the New Orleans Pelicans.

A holiday tradition that has persisted since the French colony prior to the American purchase of Louisiana is the Christmas Eve Bonfires. Basically, it consists of logs of wood lit on fire that are placed one on top of the other to resemble a Christmas tree.

The purpose is to illuminate the arrival of Santa Claus, although some say that the tradition was born to indicate the nearest Catholic church for midnight mass.

Having the chance to book a flying lesson and see it from the sky will dazzle you. Also, keep in mind that this is an event that takes place in suburban communities as free, family-friendly entertainment.

Information of interest

• Price: Bonfires are a free activity.
• Duration: they are usually lit with flammable liquids at 7 p.m. and burn until the entire log structure is consumed.
• Location: just outside the downtown area, such as the banks of the Mississippi River, in St James Parrish County.

New Year's Eve is another major player in the cultural scene at the beginning of winter and New Orleans is undoubtedly one of the best places in all of North America to be during the days leading up to this date. Fireworks will abound in different parts of the city for when the official chimes sound, but your best alternative will always be to see the show that takes place on the waters of the Mississippi River.

You can go for a more moderate plan by reserving a table at a restaurant in the French Quarter, or go to a nightclub to enjoy the first night of the year that is beginning among lots of tourists. Either way, booking a tour of New Orleans' French Quarter is a good plan if you want to take advantage of your visit to learn a bit about the reasons that have shaped the beautiful and authentic architectural identity of this corner of the United States.

The best steamboats in New Orleans also often offer special tours that include a buffet, champagne and jazz for those looking for a more elegant way to celebrate. Consider it if it's something that might fit into your budget. Here are a few options:

• New Orleans cruise by night, starting at $57
• New Orleans cruise with private tour of the ship and dinner, from $190

Details of interest

• Prices: From 48 €.
• Duration: Approximately 3 hours.
• Location: Mississippi River.

If you love the sport, or are just curious to see up close the excitement Americans feel for their teams, then winter is the season for you. The Sugar Allstate Bowl is a semifinal of the College Playoffs. That is, the postseason of college soccer in the United States.

Traditionally, it is held in Louisiana, just as the Rose Bowl occurs in California. In addition, there is the incredible fact that for the last couple of years it has been held exclusively in the city's Superdome, one of the most impressive sports stadiums in the world.

You also have the opportunity to book your New Orleans Saints ticket and fully enjoy American soccer - an experience you won't forget!

Details of interest

• Prices: Usually around $ 130 (120 €), but can be obtained for less or more depending on the portal from where they are purchased.
• Duration: An American soccer game lasts 60 minutes in 4 blocks of 15 minutes. However, scoreboard stops for timeouts and player changes can extend it up to 3 hours.

St. Patricks Day is a date that is celebrated all over the United States and the festive identity of New Orleans has given this day a great mysticism, despite the fact that the Irish community is not so large in this part of the American South.

Drinking beer and wearing green are activities that characterize this day. If you are interested, you can plan to make the March 17 festivities in the historic downtown area one of your things to see and do in March in New Orleans. My recommendation is to take the opportunity to book a pub crawl around New Orleans so you can check out the best venues.

There is also a festival full of music, decorations and tourists. So, if your sightseeing coincides with this date, it's not a bad idea to set aside a couple of green clothes that are good for dancing. Keep in mind that in the parade you will see floats throwing carrots, lettuce and all kinds of foods associated with Irish culture.

Information of interest

• Price: the parade is totally free to attend and, in fact, it is a holiday that is characterized by being full of discounts when it comes to consuming alcohol in bars and restaurants.
• Duration: the celebrations last until midnight, but the parade usually takes place at mid-afternoon.
• Location: Canal Street just like Mardi Gras, but the most festive activity will be concentrated on Bourbon Street.

Speaking of food, you should know that Cajun gastronomy will be especially delicious during your winter stay, especially because it is the time of the year when the cold is at its strongest in New Orleans and its food is spicy, hot and spicy.

To cope with these temperatures, which are moderate compared to other parts of the country, you can eat jambalaya or a typical and tasty Gumbo. Both recipes have a humble origin, from colonial times, when thousands of slaves throughout the territory needed to make the most of every ingredient:

• The first, the Jambalaya, consists of rice with vegetables and meat or fish, quite spaced.
• Gumbo is an even more watery stew, full of seafood, although it can be prepared with pieces of chicken and fish. It usually includes andouille, a type of sausage of French origin that has a great influence on the food of this region.
• Muffuletta, southern fried chicken and cornbread are other items to include in your list of local foods to try in winter.
• And you can't forget some begniers fresh out of the fryer, as this is the pastry dessert par excellence of the local gastronomy.

The Roscón de Reyes is another imported tradition that has a lot of relevance within the cultural identity of New Orleans. The big difference is that there it is called Kings Cake and it is still eaten from Kings Day until the beginning of Lent with Ash Wednesday.

It is decorated with the typical colors of Mardi Gras which are purple, green and gold. The flavor also changes a little, since it does not have orange blossom, it includes lemon zest, orange juice is usually added and nutmeg is added. It is not supposed to be filled, but restaurants and cafés have decided to push its interpretation to new limits over the years. The bakeries that have garnered undisputed renown when it comes to getting the best Kings Cake each season are the following:

• Haydel Bakery.
• Breads on Oak.
• Bywater Bakery.

However, it is highly recommended that you also follow some of the New Orleans food tours that take place during this time of the year. It is practically certain that they will take you to less touristy corners that have won the palate of all connoisseurs of good local gastronomy.

For almost everyone, winter is synonymous with the end-of-the-year festivities. More specifically, Christmas and everything associated with it. Therefore, it may not surprise you to know that some dinner, going out to party or a night stroll on the eve of the 25th of this month are activities that are among the top 10 things to see and do in New Orleans in December.

Something very unique and special you can enjoy this time of year is going to Jackson Square to sing Christmas carols, or at least to hear them being sung by the St. Louis Cathedral Choir.

The typical holiday dinner is known as the Reveillon Dinner and most restaurants, whether gourmet or touristy, will offer a menu that includes the most iconic dishes of this gastronomy. The banks of the Mississippi River will be filled with free concerts, street performers and a festive atmosphere. In addition, Canal Street will be lined with lights accompanying a 50-foot Santa Claus.

It is very logical that your first thought is not to include a Three Kings Day celebration among your list of 10 things to see and do in New Orleans in winter, since it is a holiday that is not usually celebrated in the United States. However, in this particular city, it represents the beginning of the countdown to the most relevant time of the entire year, Mardi Gras Carnival.

So you can be sure that more than one establishment will be hosting some celebration related to what is known there as Three Kings Day.

Plus, it's somewhat reassuring as a parent to know that you can continue your traditions when planning things to see and do in New Orleans with kids.

The highs of temperatures in New Orleans for the winter season are usually between 19 and 18 degrees Celsius. At the same time, minimum temperatures can drop to 7 or 6 degrees on a cold night.

You have to seriously consider that the weather is very changeable, but at the same time the American South is characterized by being a little warmer than the rest of the country.

So it wouldn't hurt to take some coats with you, but never expect snowfall and never expect the temperature to drop into the minus degrees.

February is definitely a busy time for tourism in the state of Louisiana and especially in New Orleans because of Mardi Gras.

However, it is also true that it is not a measure comparable to the flow of tourists that can develop in some summers. So you can comfortably enjoy all the activities to see and do on your visit to New Orleans. Mardi Gras represents a single week of peak season, and the summer attracts throngs of people for three full months.

So the best thing to do if you don't enjoy the crowded events is to wait for the Mardi Gras weekend to end. The week of December 25 to New Year's should also be avoided to ensure the conditions you like.