Updated 4 Aug 2026 · recomputed nightly

Visiting New Orleans in December 2026?

December sits between the seasons in New Orleans: mild and wet, around 18°C / 65°F with rain on about 11 days, Lively every day.

In short, a solid middle-ground pick.

Among the 12 months we forecast for New Orleans, December ranks 9th for crowd pressure. Its heaviest day is Fri 25 Dec, busier than 55% of the year; its lightest is Tue 1 Dec at 53%.

Crowds

Lively · all 31

0 calm · 31 lively

Weather

18°C / 65°F

rain ~11 days

Value

Weather is the catch

a solid middle-ground pick

Preparing pays off in a month like this: timed-entry tickets and pre-booked tours turn the queue time into sightseeing time. see the options →

How busy is New Orleans in December?

It's quiet right through December — no crowded stretch to plan around.

The month barely moves — every day lands between 53% and 55% of the year. Daylight runs about 10 hours.

Either side of it, November picks up.

The calmest days include the 1st, 2nd and 3rd — 30 days share that level, so there is room to choose.

BEST153%BEST253%BEST353%453%553%653%753%853%953%1053%1153%1253%1353%1453%1553%1653%1753%1853%1953%2053%2153%2253%2353%2453%2555%2653%2753%2853%2953%3053%3153%

CalmLivelyBusyPacked⚓ ships in port · % = busier than this share of the year · tap any day for its full forecast

Best daysTue 1 · Wed 2 · Thu 3 — The calmest days include the 1st, 2nd and 3rd — 30 days share that level, so there is room to choose.

How does January compare? →

December weather in New Orleans

Mild — around 18°C / 65°F, with a light jacket for the evenings, with rain on about 11 days, so keep a layer handy.

New Orleans gets rain on about 11 days in December, so the odds of being caught out are real. What earns its bag space is a shell that packs to nothing, dries fast and has a hood that survives wind; a heavy waterproof is overkill and an umbrella is one more thing to carry through crowds. Browse on Amazon ↗

As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases — we link categories, never specific products we haven't tested.

Is December worth it in New Orleans?

The weather's the catch, but you dodge the worst of the crowds.

Worth booking the marquee sights ahead for the busy days, but you can keep the rest of the trip flexible.

Compare January →

Keep planning

← New Orleans in NovemberThe month before — compare the crowds.New Orleans in January →The month after — compare the crowds. New Orleans, the whole yearAll twelve months on one page. Fort LauderdaleBusy most days in December — see its full year.KralendijkPacked most days in December — see its full year.MelbournePacked most days in December — see its full year.

Built on: United States' public holidays · the official airport-arrivals pattern (BTS T-100, measured 2023–2025; airport-arrivals proxy for visitor volume) · five years of weather records (2019–2023) · operator-confirmed events · the published cruise schedule
Every figure is recomputed nightly from real cruise schedules, public and school holidays, and long-run climate normals. Gaps are shown, not filled.