Tourism in Louisiana

Tourism in Louisiana is the primary industry for this historically important state. To get the most out of your next Louisiana vacation, its best to visit when the weather is mild. When you plan your Louisiana vacation, the best time to visit is early spring or late fall. A spring Louisiana vacation is recommended for the mild temperatures and a Louisiana vacation in late fall is recommended to avoid hurricane season.

Despite the devastation of the 2005 Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Hurricane Rita in Lake Charles, tourism in Louisiana is at an all time high. Tourism in Louisiana also gears up during the spring when some of the best Louisiana festivals occur at this time, including the famous Mardi Gras in New Orleans. A New Orleans vacation can be arranged in conjunction with Mardi Gras or another of the Louisiana festivals. Visiting New Orleans during Mardi Gras or the Jazz Fest New Orleans can make for the ultimate Louisiana vacation.

Another good time to plan your New Orleans vacation is around the Louisiana festivals at Halloween in late fall, or between Christmas and New Year’s when some of the other Louisiana festivals take place like the Christmas river celebration and a New Orleans New Year’s Eve party.

Planning a Louisiana vacation or New Orleans vacation between June and September can be risky as that is the height of Hurricane season, but you can save big on hotels during this low season (if you can stand the heat!). If you plan to take your Louisiana vacation during the summer, the beaches in the Southwest Louisiana around Lake Charles can be bearable but you still risk the hurricanes. The best time to go for a golfing and/or fishing Louisiana vacation can be the summer months. There is plenty of outdoor activity in the northern part of Louisiana, generally referred to as the Sportsman’s Paradise for the great golfing, fishing and hunting.

For summertime Louisiana vacation stay in the north and northwest areas by Shreveport and Monroe. But be warned, summertime in Louisiana can be very hot, so make sure you are prepared for the heat and humidity by having lots to drink on hand and wearing comfortable light clothing. Probably the best year round spots for a Louisiana vacation are the casinos in Shreveport and other cities away from Hurricane risk areas like Marksville, LA.

It is also advised that if you plan a summer vacation to carry around a sweater or sweatshirt as most places are air-conditioned, so passing from extreme exterior heat to freezing interior air-conditioning can be uncomfortable without a sweater handy to regulate your body temperature. A camping vacation in Louisiana can be fun year round, but beware of hurricane risk and mosquitoes in summer.

In the winter, it is generally mild, but the northern cities like Shreveport can drop to the 30’s so bring a sweater! Whenever you choose to go on a Louisiana vacation, make sure you bring a raincoat as it tends to be on the moist side.

Louisiana hotels can be booked solid during special Louisiana events and festivals, especially for Mardi Gras or French Quarter festivals. So book early to get the best deals!