Can anyone tell me what New Orleans is like in January? How cold is it and is this an okay time to travel there? Thanks!

Shannon, the weather there is variable. It could be cool and raw and damp, or it could be sunny and warm. I've been there in Jan. when it hit 70 degrees farenheit. It's best to check the weather forecast right before you leave.

Ess is right about the weather. January is a very quiet time to visit - between the New Year crowd and the Mardi Gras crowds. I'm not sure what hotel rates do at that time of year - maybe John knows. John?

We went last year Christmas week. It was alot cooler than we thought it would be. Alot of houses had all of their tender plants covered because there were a couple of nights that it got below freezing. We had one warm day, the only day it rained, it was in the upper 70's and muggy. Fortunately, it was a spur of the moment trip and we had to fly home on New Year's Eve. They had 4 inches of snow New Year's Day. I can't imagine they can handle that much snow.

That said, we had a great time and there were no crowds.

Four inches of snow!?!?! Sorry, not in New Orleans! We haven't had a decent snowfall since the late 1980s. It usually gets below freezing only 2-3 days a year and then it's only 25-30 degrees for a few hours at night.

Hotel rates tend to be variable in January. The month is generally soft but New Years, a convention here or there, and (in 2002) the Super Bowl will all make rates spike quite a bit.

No, New Orleans did not get four inches of snow on New Year's Day! Someone is pulling your leg, Steve.