United States, North America

New Orleans in July

Essence Festival fills the city around July 4 weekend. Otherwise a heat-and-deals month.

TradeoffsHot and sticky, highs near 91F (33C)

French Quarter New Orleans, United States — New OrleansPhoto: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0

The straight answer

July is a month of real tradeoffs in New Orleans. Essence Festival fills the city around July 4 weekend. Otherwise a heat-and-deals month.

Weather: Hot and sticky, highs near 91F (33C)
Crowds: 3 of 5
Prices: 2 of 5

What July is like in New Orleans

July is hot and sticky, with highs near 91F (33C), heavy humidity and frequent afternoon storms. Around the July 4 weekend, the Essence Festival of Culture fills downtown and the Superdome, and hotels near the action book up. The rest of the month is quiet, with good deals across the city.

Go for Essence Festival, or for a cheap food and music trip if you handle heat well. Plan outdoor time for early morning and evening. If you are not coming for the festival, November or March will give you a far more comfortable visit.

Make the most of July

What is especially good about New Orleans this month.

Essence Festival of Culture

Big concerts at the Superdome and a packed downtown around the July 4 weekend. Book early if you are going for it.

Frenchmen Street after dark

Evenings are the best time to be out in summer, and the clubs on Frenchmen Street have live bands from early evening on.

Summer deals outside festival week

Once Essence ends, hotel rates drop back down for the rest of the month.

What to pack for July

Light, moisture-wicking clothes
A compact umbrella
A refillable water bottle
Sunscreen and a hat

Our timing tip

If you are not going to Essence, avoid the July 4 weekend, since that is when hotel prices spike.

Book New Orleans for July.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in New Orleans
Opens a hotel search for New Orleans in July, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for July
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in New Orleans
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in New Orleans
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in New Orleans for July. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in July

Essence Festival of Culture

Around the July 4 weekend

Huge concerts at the Superdome and a packed downtown. Book early if you are going for it.

Things to do in New Orleans

Full guide

The National WWII Museum

Plan a full day; it is one of the best museums in the country. Weekday mornings are calmest.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

The French Quarter and Jackson Square

Walk it early before the day-trippers arrive. Royal Street by day, Frenchmen Street by night, and Bourbon Street only if you want to.

Tickets and tours →

St. Charles streetcar and the Garden District

Ride the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world past the mansions to Audubon Park. Cheap, slow, perfect.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Frenchmen Street music

The locals' answer to Bourbon Street: three blocks of clubs with live bands from early evening on.

Tickets and tours →

City Park and the New Orleans Museum of Art

Giant live oaks, the free sculpture garden, and beignets under the trees. Bigger than Central Park.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park

The French Quarter visitor center runs ranger talks, and the Barataria Preserve boardwalk puts you in a real swamp a short drive away.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

For Mardi Gras, the two weekends before the final weekend offer full parades at lower rates and thinner crowds.
Stay in the Marigny, Bywater, or Garden District instead of the Quarter. You get quieter nights and are still a streetcar or short ride from the action.
Do the Quarter, Cafe du Monde, and Jackson Square before 9am. By late morning, cruise-ship and day-trip crowds arrive.
November and early December deliver spring-quality weather at off-season prices. It is the smart-money window.

Know before you go

Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with the highest risk from late August through September. A named storm can trigger closures or evacuations; buy refundable rates and insurance for late summer trips.
During the final days of Mardi Gras, parade routes close streets for hours and traffic across Uptown and downtown can gridlock. Many businesses close on Fat Tuesday itself.
Many old-line restaurants and some small museums close one or two days a week, often Monday or Tuesday. Check before you plan a special dinner.
Crawfish season runs roughly January through June, peaking in spring. Come in fall and the boils are mostly off the menu.