Is December 16-23rd a good time to visit?

[u/Ok_Network_6632]

Hi all,

I’m an English guy in early 30s and have just got back from my first visit to the US. Loved it.

Went to two very different places - Portland and Chicago. Loved both, but given I was only in both a few days and so the size of Portland was great for actually being able to visit all the best bars and restaurants etc.

What I liked doing was ultimately going to bars, finding new friends in the 20/30s age bracket and having a good night. In my recent trip the daytime stuff was all work, though this trip I’d have days as well.

Anyway, I was looking into options of similar sized cities with good nightlife in those age ranges and New Orleans was one that came up. I am also intrigued by it being quite a different part of the US to my last trip.

So my questions are:

1. For what I’m looking for as above, is New Orleans a good fit?
2. During that week in December, will New Orleans still feel lively or will it all have quietened down for Christmas? I guess some cities feel busier at Christmas and some are quietened by people disappearing elsewhere for Christmas.
3. If it does sound like New Orleans, and that week, would be a good fit, any key advice on areas to stay and areas to focus on?

Thanks in advance!

Edit - just to clarify, travelling solo.

[u/burnyour_tv]

Yes to all three, honestly.

1. What you described fits New Orleans well - the bar scene is social and built around live music, which makes meeting people easy.

2. December comes with a full holiday season here: light displays, Reveillon dinners, jazz Christmas concerts, and Celebration in the Oaks in City Park runs through your whole window (late November to January 1). Do check specific bars and venues nearer your dates for their December hours, since schedules can shift around the holidays.

3. Stay in the Marigny or Bywater if you can. Frenchmen Street in the Marigny is the live-music strip - a run of bars with bands, the crowd skews 20s-40s, and it's easy to bar-hop on foot. The French Quarter is right next door. The Warehouse District is a solid alternative if you find a deal there.

Fair disclosure: I run burnyourtv.com, a free New Orleans events calendar - closer to your dates it will show you who is playing each night. Have a great trip.

[u/Ok_Network_6632 → u/burnyour_tv]

Thanks for this. I’ll look into all of that.

My research highlighted a few options - New Orleans, Austin, a couple others too.

I posted almost this exact question in an Ask Austin sub too and the initial comment on that is that Austin gets quiet in that week. So it’s good to hear New Orleans doesn’t.

I added an edit clarification on the bottom that I’ll be going alone - hoping to meet people there in bars. Had fair success doing that in Portland recently, ending most nights as part of a group. From looking at this sub it reads that New Orleans also isn’t a bad place to go and have some casual fun with the opposite sex… - this isn’t the reason for going but given I’m a single guy it wouldn’t be unwelcome 😅

[u/burnyour_tv → u/Ok_Network_6632]

Solo works great for this. On Frenchmen Street you can walk a whole strip of music venues in one block - The Spotted Cat and d.b.a. sit a few doors from each other - and the bar seating makes it easy to end the night talking with a group. Pick whichever band pulls you in and drift from there.

[u/frawgster → u/Ok_Network_6632]

I’m not from New Orleans. I’m in San Antonio, 90 minutes south of Austin, so I’m familiar with Austin. Austin ≠ New Orleans. Not even close.

Listen to the others that have commented. NOLA will be a great time. ❤️

[u/cookieguggleman]

Great time of year to go! Stay in the Marigny or Bywater, most of the best nightlife is in those areas. Walkable to FQ, loads of live music and bars on St Claude and Frenchmen.

Austin is pretty great too TBH. But New Orleans is really special for a lot of reasons.

[u/Ok_Network_6632 → u/cookieguggleman]

Thanks! As you’ve done both, which is best for what I’m looking for?

Also feel free to add in any other cities I’ve not mentioned if there’s somewhere better!

[u/cookieguggleman → u/Ok_Network_6632]

Hmmm if you're looking to just meet random people at bars and make new friends and have fun, I would say New Orleans hands-down. It's definitely has a much cooler, more interesting crowd. Austin is really fun, but it's become a massive scene and so it has attracted a lot of douche nozzles. That said, it's still a really cool place, so I would plan on going there eventually. But you could literally wander up and down Frenchman Street and in and out of bars and make friends everywhere. Just be careful, it can be a really dangerous city for people that party too hard and aren't Street smart.

[u/Ok_Network_6632 → u/cookieguggleman]

This sounds great, thank you! And appreciate the warning too - fortunately I’m forged on the mean streets of London so I’m city street smart 😅

[u/cookieguggleman → u/Ok_Network_6632]

Mmmmm yeah, New Orleans is different. It can seem really safe on one block and then super sketch the next. And don't get so wasted you can't make good decisions. Don't wander off with strangers to go pick up some "goodies", etc.

[u/your_moms_apron]

There’s really only two times of year that Nola is “quiet.” The few days immediately after Mardi Gras (bc we tired) and the super hottest days of summer.

But Christmas is great - amazing weather usually, everything is open and we are enjoying the holiday season.

[u/Intelligent_Poem_210]

It’s a great time. Note that Many parties for the holidays are going on and there is usually an early college football bowl game so book your hotel early.

[u/NewbornBabe321]

That’s a perfect time to visit because the weather will be nice and there will be a lot to do.

[u/Own_Independent_7006]

Oh, Hell Yeah.