The following post provides a list of things to do in New Orleans in December, updated for 2022.
We include family-friendly, nighttime, as well as free activities.
TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN DECEMBER
In this section, we cover the ten most interesting and fun activities available in New Orleans this December.
Don’t forget the things that make New Orleans a year-round destination! Check out
Many of these items are already included for free with the purchase of a tourist discount pass.
1. Take a Walking Tour
We offer several different pay-what-you-wish walking tours in New Orleans, including a few special opportunities in honor of the holiday season.
During this wonderful time of year, we provide a Creole Christmas tour that covers a variety of notable sites such as Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, Santa’s Quarters and more.
For additional details on this tour, make sure to read our post about fun Christmas activities in New Orleans.
2. Attend a Concert
New Orleans attracts a lot of musical acts throughout the year, and the month of December is no exception.
Check here to find all the concerts in NOLA.
Whether you want to hear some Christmas music or you’d rather see one of your favorite artists on stage, chances are you’ll find a great concert to attend.
- Postmodern Jukebox | December 1st
- Hot 8 Brass Band | December 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th
- Ryan Montbleau | December 6th
- Dragon Smoke | December 9th
- Turnover | December 10th
- Billy Strings | December 30th
NOTE: If you’re looking for more concerts or musical performances to see, check our tips for live music in New Orleans.
Again, you can easily find all the concerts in NOLA here.
3. Go to a Sporting Event
The Big Easy has two popular teams to root for in December: The New Orleans Pelicans and the New Orleans Saints.
Find all the games you can attend this month here.
The New Orleans Pelicans have home games planned from December 4th through December 30th at the Smoothie King Center.
You can expect to see them play teams such as the Phoenix Suns, the San Antonio Spurs, the Indiana Pacers and more.
The New Orleans Saints have just one home game planned for December, against the Atlanta Falcons. This will take place at the Caesars Superdome, on a date to be announced.
In addition to these events, it’s worth noting that the New Orleans Bowl will also be held at the Caesars Superdome, on December 21st.
Again, you can find all the games you can attend this month here.
4. Go See a Musical
The Saenger Theater, a great venue, is where you can see a variety of musicals, operas, ballets, and other performances.
Check for all theatrical performances in NOLA here.
Six the Musical, a modern retelling of the lives of the wices of Henry the VIII, also comes to New Orleans, running from December 1st through 4th.
The Christmas themed musical Dr. Seuss How The Grinch Stole Christmas runs from December 13th - 18th.
The Saenger will also be hosting a production of the beloved Christmas classic, The Nutcracker. It takes place during two showings on December 27th, one at 4:00 pm and the other at 8:00 pm.
To find all the theatrical performances in NOLA, check here.
5. Go on a Riverboat Cruise
Both of the major riverboats offer special events during the holiday season. These cruises include a variety of fun activities for all passengers.
While some excursions will offer a holiday buffet of some type, others stick to food items such as tea and hors d'oeuvres.
There are also open bars during some outings.
Steamboat Natchez
Creole Queen Paddlewheeler
If you want to know more about these holiday cruise opportunities, make sure to read our post on Christmas events in New Orleans for more information.
You can also find more details about both the Steamboat Natchez and the Creole Queen Paddlewheeler on our post which covers riverboat cruises in New Orleans.
6. Enjoy a Holiday Cocktail
With Christmas just around the corner, most of the pubs, bars and other drinking establishments in New Orleans will have special holiday-themed cocktails available for a limited time.
If you’re curious about the kind of cocktails you can expect during December, we go into much greater detail about this subject in our post about things to do for Christmas in New Orleans.
NOTE: Anyone who is interested in grabbing a few drinks may want to consider taking our Cocktail tour as well.
Many of the locations you will visit on this outing have special drinks during the holidays, giving you the chance to enjoy both activities at once!
7. Enjoy a Réveillon Dinner
Dating back to the 1800s, this Creole holiday tradition is now celebrated by many locals in New Orleans.
The customary Réveillon Dinner is a large family feast that takes place after midnight mass on Christmas Eve.
The modern equivalent of this meal can be found in many restaurants throughout the city during the holiday season. Prices range from $30-$60 per person.
You can learn more about these and other meals on our pay-what-you-wish Creole Christmas Tour and our French Quarter Food Tour.
8. St. Louis Cathedral Concert Series
Every December, the St. Louis Cathedral holds a series of concerts to celebrate Christmas with local musicians performing free concerts for the public.
In addition to more traditional fare, you can also expect a mixture of Jazz, Cajun, and Latin holiday music.
These performances typically start at 6:00 pm (18:00) and last for approximately one hour.
Check the Holiday Concert Schedule for the list of performances.
If you’re looking for free activities during the month of December, this will definitely be one of your best options.
9. Celebration in the Oaks
Every holiday season, New Orleans’ City Park wraps its famous oak trees up in lights.
In addition to the wonderfully lit oaks, you’ll also see displays in areas such as their Botanical Garden and Carousel Gardens.
This event attracts more than 165,000 visitors every year, making it one of the most popular holiday activities in New Orleans.
With that in mind, they actually recommend purchasing tickets well ahead of time.
This year the event runs from November 24th - January 1st. Click here for additional information.
New Orleans’ City Park has much more to offer as well, so is well worth a visit.
This is one of the most family-friendly attractions in New Orleans during December, but you can find even more great ideas in our things to do with kids section.
10. Save Money With a Tourist Pass
If you’re planning to enjoy a lot of different activities in New Orleans, a tourist pass can save you plenty of money.
Depending on which service you choose and how you use it, you could save up to 50% off general admission prices at several notable attractions in the city.
An all-inclusive pass will give you access to dozens of popular tours and activities for a specific amount of time (1, 2, 3 or 5 days).
Alternatively, you can also get a tourist pass which will allow you to pay one flat price for a set number of attractions (2, 3, 4, 5, or 6).
Regardless of which service you choose, you can expect admission for the following activities to be included with at least one New Orleans tourist pass:
- Hop-on-Hop-off Bus Tour
- Jean Lafitte Swamp Tour
- Riverboat Jazz Cruise
- National WWII Museum
- Audubon Aquarium
- Audubon Insectarium
- Mardi Gras World
- Houmas House
- Audubon Zoo
- And more!
If you choose an all-inclusive pass, it will be important to use it for at least 3-4 activities to save a decent amount of money.
For more details, please read our post covering New Orleans tourist passes.
FREE THINGS TO DO IN DECEMBER
This section will provide a few additional ideas for free things to do in New Orleans during the month of December.
If you want even more to do for free, don’t forget that we offer a lot of pay-what-you-want walking tours such as the Creole Christmas Tour.
To save even more money, check our post about the best free and cheap things to do in New Orleans.
Go to a Comedy Show
There are a lot of great venues for stand-up comedy in New Orleans, and some of them offer free shows on a weekly basis.
Throughout December, there will be a few locations where you can see some of the up and coming comedians in the Big Easy with no cover charge.
Check this list of free stand-up comedy shows in NOLA to find a location and time that fits your itinerary.
For more free comedy shows in New Orleans, check our post about free things to do in New Orleans.
For paid tickets, you can see the notable comedian, Bill Burr on December 15th at the Smoothie King Center.
Or you can attend Comedy Gumbeaux, a mix of seasonsed and up-and-coming comedians. It takes place at The Howlin' Wolf December 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th.
Enjoy Christmas Activities
There are a lot of great things to do for Christmas in New Orleans, and several activities are actually free.
Here are a few examples of holiday events you can attend without paying a dime.
- Krewe of Jingle
- Sugar Bowl Parade
- Winter Wonderland
- NOLA Fest
- Merriment on Magazine Street
- Miracle on Fulton Street
- Jackson Square Caroling
If you want to learn more about these opportunities and others, make sure to read our post about the best Christmas activities in New Orleans.
NOTE: Some of these events have yet to be confirmed for 2022, but they are likely to still take place in some way, shape or form.
Go to a Free Wine Tasting
Faubourg Wines will be offering a free wine tasting event every Wednesday in December from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
This event is open to the public and no reservations are required.
During each wine testing, Faubourg Wines selects 4 different drinks (which change every week) for visitors to taste.
This location also offers classes where you can learn more about wine and how to appreciate the drink. These courses are not free, but they do include even more wine tastings.
TIP: If you’re interested in trying some wine, you might also want to consider taking our Cocktail tour to learn more about the popular beverages in New Orleans.
To save even more money, check our post about the best free and cheap things to do in New Orleans.
THINGS TO DO AT NIGHT IN DECEMBER
In this section, we will give you a few additional ideas for fun and interesting things you can do at night in New Orleans in December.
You can find more nighttime activities such as free wine tasting, free comedy shows, attending a concert, going on a riverboat cruise or seeing a sporting event in our other sections.
Make sure to read our post about things to do in New Orleans at night.
Take Part in Christmas Events
There are a lot of great holiday activities happening in New Orleans throughout the month of December, and many of them are taking place after dark.
Here are some examples of nighttime Christmas events in NOLA:
- Christmas Musicals/Ballets
- Christmas Concerts
- Audubon Zoo Lights
- Celebration in the Oaks
- Christmas Bonfires
- Jackson Square Caroling
These are just a few of the holiday happenings you can enjoy after the sun goes down.
For more information about each of these events, check our post about the best Christmas activities in New Orleans.
Take a Ghost Tour
The beloved tale A Christmas Carol proves that ghost stories are just as fun and intriguing during the holiday season as they are at other times of the year.
If you’re interested in learning about some of the haunted history of New Orleans, we offer a pay-what-you-like ghost tour that covers a variety of different subjects and locations in the French Quarter.
While you’re in the area, you can enjoy some of the wonderful Christmas lighting displays at notable landmarks that you will pass along the way.
This is also a great option if you’re looking for something other than holiday cheer during this special time of year.
In addition to our main ghost tour, we also provide these creepy outings:
See the Holiday Lights
No matter where you choose to go in New Orleans during the month of December, chances are that you’ll see some lighting displays.
Here are a few places you might want to visit for holiday lights:
- Canal Street
- The Roosevelt
- Miracle on Fulton Street
- Jackson Square
- Audubon Zoo Lights
- Celebration in the Oaks
- Hotel Monteleone
- St. Charles Avenue
- French Market
- Garden District
These aren’t the only locations where you will find Christmas lighting displays, but they are some of the more popular sites that tend to decorate for the holiday season.
If you’re looking for more information about some of the attractions on this list, make sure to read our post about the best Christmas activities in New Orleans.
If you’re looking for more attractions after dark, make sure to read our post about things to do in New Orleans at night.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES IN DECEMBER
The following section covers a variety of family-friendly things you can do in New Orleans in December.
For additional ideas, make sure to check the other sections in this post for activities such as seeing a show at Saenger Theater, going to a live sporting event, attending a concert or enjoying the holiday lights.
We also have a guide to New Orleans with kids for more family-friendly ideas for any time of year.
Celebrate the Holidays
With Christmas right around the corner, it probably won’t surprise you that there will be several family activities available in New Orleans this month. Here are a few of the attractions you might want to check out:
- Teddy Bear Tea
- Christmas Bonfires
- Audubon Zoo Lights
- Celebration in the Oaks
- Jackson Square Caroling
- Christmas Musicals/Ballets
- Jingle Bugs at Audubon Insectarium
This is just a handful of the holiday events being held in the Crescent City throughout December.
If you want to find even more fun things to do, make sure to check our post about the best Christmas activities in New Orleans.
Sugar Bowl Parade
In celebration of the Sugar Bowl which takes place on December 31st, the Sugar Bowl Parade will be held on December 30th.
This parade begins at about 2 pm at the intersection of Elysian Fields Avenue and Decatur Street.
With a wide variety of floats, bands and other participants, there will be plenty to see and do during this event.
In 2022, for the first time in the history of the parade, fans can purchase tickets to ride on a float and be part of the parade.
Even if you’re not interested in football, this should be a fun family activity!
TIP: The parade will be traveling down Decatur Street in the French Quarter. We recommend finding a good spot somewhere between Conti Street and St. Philip Street.
We also have a guide to New Orleans with kids for more family-friendly ideas for any time of year.
Attend NOLA ChristmasFest
New Orleans' annual ChristmasFest celebration returns in 2022.
For ten days folks can go on ice slides and carnival rides, and go ice skating. Santa and his friends will be there as well, and on December 23rd you can even go ice skating with him!
There are plenty of special events each day as well, all of this taking place between December 21st and 30th.
The tickets are timed and cost $25 during weekdays, and $30 on Saturday and Sunday.
To purchase tickets, which can only be done online this year, visit the ChristmasFest website.
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