How hot is New Orleans in August
 

Will I regret going to New Orleans in August?

Have you ever visited Hell in August? Their climates are similar, except New Orleans has a lot more humidity.

The smell is about the same though.

A hot and humid day in New Orleans is infinitely better than a day at home. (Unless you live in NOLA.) Seriously though, it will be hot and humid and there will be a good chance of a thunderstorm or two. If you are from someplace with low humidity that's what will probably bother you the most.

Make sure you stay hydrated with water and if you get overheated take it easy for a while. But you'll be fine.

It's pretty bad, not something I plan on ever doing again.

The temps have been lower in N.O. than a lot of the US this summer, but the humidity is what gets you. Be prepared to sweat, stay hydrated, and duck into shops, hotels, etc, when you need a little a/c. Be prepared for summer rain showers that can come and go quickly or linger for an hour or so. Have fun! :)

To answer your question: yes. The August air will hang on you like a heavy, steamy, wet blanket.

Worst vacation decision we ever made was choosing late July/early August for a New Orleans trip. We had a good time, but it was miserable to be outside.

If you like walking around in moist clothing that clings and sticks to your slowly roasting skin then you will love it. Otherwise you might want to chose a different time of year. Definitely visit NO but not in August

No, you won't regret it at all.

Temps will be hot and humid, but usually stay below 97. Humidity is usually high, and thunderstorms can pop up. If you get a thunderstorm, it can lower the temperature to 75 or so and it can be really comfortable right after the thunderstorm, before it starts heating up again.

You'll be able to stay at the Ritz Carlton for less than $100 a night and go to restaurants like Commander's Palace for $20-$30 for a full tasting menu versus several hundreds at other times of year.

If you can stand the heat, the summer in New Orleans is, in my opinion, the best time to go.

At restaurants, they will give you great service (only locals will be there, very few tourists). If you go on tours, you may be the only one and you'll get a specialized tour to suit your needs.

The swamp tours are good (albeit hot) because you'll get to see plenty of alligators.

Don't hesitate to come to New Orleans in August.

If this isn't enough reason to visit New Orleans in August, I wouldn't know what would be:

You'll be able to dine at 5 star restaurants for cheap if you take advantage of this deal:


http://www.neworleansonline.com/news...arysummer.html

With the beginning of the summer season in New Orleans, once again more than two dozen of the city’s famous restaurants are running their money-saving specials for lunch and dinner. It is known as A COOLinary Summer, and participating restaurants will offer three-course lunches at $20 or less and three-course dinners at $30 or less between July 1 and September 30.

This special event highlights the city's unparalleled lineup of restaurants and introduces foodies from all over to New Orleans unique Creole and Cajun cuisines, as well as to world-famous steakhouses and seafood bistros.

The participating restaurants, 28 in all, are as follows:

7 on Fulton
Bacco
Bayona
Bombay Club
Bourbon House Seafood
Brennan's Restaurant
Broussard's
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Cafe' Adelaide
Commander's Palace
Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse
Dominique's at the Maison Dupuy Hotel
Grand Isle
La Cote Brasserie
Le Cafe
Martinique Bistro
Maximo's Italian Grill
Melánge
Michaul's Live Music Restaurant
Mr. B's Bistro
Palace Cafe
Pascal's Manale
Red Fish Grill
Restaurant Cuvee
The Pelican Club
Tomatillos
Tujague's Restaurant
Wolfe's in the Warehouse

Hell is a good parallel.

I've been to NO many times on business - luckily not in the summer - and even in April and early Nov the heat/humidity can be incredible. I find it bearable only in Jan/Feb.

Those restaurant specials are tempting, but of course the reason they do them is that they have to do something to get people there when it is so miserable. So if you can endure the heat and humidity (I normally like walking too much to go there in the summer), then the restaurants give you a good reason for going. One hint if you go. You will want to take a taxi everywhere. Open the door of the taxi before you get in and make sure the AC is working fully. Walking or riding in an un airconditioned taxi will get you to a nice restaurant dripping wet! I think the worst part is that the heat and humidity hardly let up at all in the evening.

By the way, I live in Southwest Florida and even I was miserable in New Orleans in the late summer!

Cheap hotel and restaurant prices are only bait. I lived in Baton Rouge for four years. There's a lot of walking in the French Quarter and general outdoor sightseeing that is not fun to do when you're dripping wet. Sorry to be such a naysayer, but I expect you will be miserable since it sounds like you're not from the area to begin with.

Having had children and grandchildren down south for over 25 years, and having been to NO several times, August is the worst time of year to go. Very very hot and humid. Went one time in August and never again.

NeoPatrick,

I think some of your posts have touted other locations in the off season (Europe perhaps?) so I'm surprised you wouldn't recommend New Orleans in the summer who want to take advantage of off season deals and don't mind the heat. There was an article a while back from a travel writer that said he likes New Orleans best in the off season - I'll try to find that.

Some people visit Europe during the off season (winter) to take advantage of great deals. For those people that don't mind the cold, it can be great to visit with similar deals. For me, it wouldn't be enjoyable to visit, say Germany in the winter, as I would be very cold and would have to stay indoors to keep warm.

However, I know many people where the cold doesn't bother them and that makes it a great deal.

For me, the heat doesn't bother me much and I've been to New Orleans at all times of year, summer, winter, spring, and fall, and I find the summer to be a great time to get great deals. Summer is the "off season" in New Orleans, and thus bargains are to be had.

It's no different than going to other places in the off-season, like going to Boston in winter (many can't bear that subzero cold including myself but some can) or Phoenix in the summer (hotels that are $350 a night in February become $79 a night in July, but it can be uncomfortably hot).

The other plus of visiting New Orleans in the summer, besides getting great deals, is that you avoid a lot of the madness of, say, Mardi Gras, etc... I no longer visit during February because of Mardi Gras - it's just too crowded, expensive, and you get poor and rushed service. In the summer, you also get to meet a lot more locals.

nytraveler,

"Hell is a good parallel.

I've been to NO many times on business - luckily not in the summer - and even in April and early Nov the heat/humidity can be incredible. I find it bearable only in Jan/Feb."

So I guess temps in the 60's and 70's in December doesn't appeal to you? I'd much prefer that to the temps in NYC at that time of year...

I was looking to see if any regulars from the Asia forum posted. NO in August is like many parts of Asia in their good months!

You deal with it by getting around in AC taxis and trains, staying in good hotels at cheap prices, and eating for cheap in great restaurants with AC. You do your touring early in the morning or in the evenings, and eat, nap, or hang out- in the shade- by a pool in the heat of the day. You go shopping or see a show instead of going on a hike.

It just takes a bit more planning and prep to have a good time in bad weather, but you can still have a great experience. While I try to time my visits with the best seasons, I've never let weather prevent me from a good travel opportunity!

bkluvsnola, maybe you're confusing me with someone else. I've only been to Europe between May and September (other than London at Christmas). Sure off seasons can be good if it's all about money and bargains. And I am not discouraging anyone who CAN stand the heat to go to New Orleans during August. More power to them. But Versailles clearly asked, and some of us are clearly telling. From the tone of the original discussion don't you get the idea that Versailles does not LOVE high heat and humidity. If she/he did, why would we have this question in its own post?

Lucie makes some good points how to make the most of a trip there in August. So if the poster is going, yes they can still have a good time and try to ignore the miserable heat. But if the question is really -- is there a better time to go weatherwise, well . . .

And no I'm not big on going to cold places in winter either. Nor would I ever even consider going to New Orleans during Mardi Gras -- just not my thing.

Sorry, that our brutal honesty is perhaps upsetting you. Sure if someone doesn't mind temps in the 90's and humidity to match -- by all means go. But if people do not like heat and humidity, they have to decide if some restaurant savings and other bargains are worth the "suffering" if that's what that kind of weather does to them.
As I mentioned -- when I go places I love to walk -- miles. That would simply not be even remotely possible for me in NO in August. And I really don't enjoy going out to dinner when I'm dripping wet from getting there.

lcuy,

Good points :)

Even Northern Australia in its "good months" is hotter than New Orleans in its hottest months!

With air conditioning and a hotel swimming pool, you can get by quite nicely.

Now, is New Orleans better, in say March or November? Yes the weather is better, but you pay for it. It's similar to someone asking if Paris is better in May/June than November. Yes it is, but you pay a lot more and you get more crowds/etc... The only thing with Europe is that some places shut down in the winter, but I know of no places in New Orleans that shuts down during the summer, although a few hotels will renovate sections of their hotel during the summer...