Plan Your Visit
Every stay starts with a plan, even if New Orleans has other ideas
Your Arrival
To help you in planning your trip to La Belle Esplanade, here are some of our best travel tips including what to expect before you arrive, when to come, and what it's like once you're settled into the neighborhood.
We'll email you a few days before your arrival, so keep an eye on your inbox. We are not always at the inn, but we like to have one of us meet you personally, to get you settled and oriented to the neighborhood and the house. If you're lucky, you'll get Melanie — the better half of this operation. Most likely, you'll get Matthew, for whom checking you in will be the highlight of his day.
Nothing here ever works out quite the way it should. Instead, it works out better.
- Year Round
- Mardi Gras
- Jazz Fest
- Our Neighborhood
Choosing Your Season
Are you thinking of planning a trip to New Orleans soon? There's always something fun happening here. So, when exactly is the best time to visit New Orleans? Will it be winter, spring, summer, or fall? The choice is ultimately yours — here's what each season has to offer.
Winter
Winter is one of the ultimate perks of visiting — no need to worry about walking down the street when it's 90 degrees and as humid as a jungle. You can roam around as much as you like and explore our beautiful city without insane crowds. It's also the ideal season for longer stays. In December, you can marvel at the numerous Christmas displays — City Park is all lit up for its annual Celebrations in the Oaks, which runs from the day after Thanksgiving until the Epiphany (January 6th). Once the new year starts, it's King Cake season, and the beginning of January is all about eating this delicious, local delicacy until the effervescence of Mardi Gras takes over.
Spring
Spring is like being transported into a lush wonderland of indigenous plants and exotic flowers — marvel at the spectacle at the Botanical Garden, everything in full bloom. Spring is also the time for festivals: the end of winter kicks off with St. Paddy's Day and its iconic Irish parades, then St. Joseph's Day, a Catholic celebration honoring the heritage of Sicilian immigrants in the city. New Orleans is also home to a variety of music festivals during the spring — French Quarter Fest at the beginning of April, and Jazz Fest, which every music lover should add to their bucket list.
Summer
Summer is the slowest season in New Orleans — it's too hot to do anything, so the city tends to empty out, and precisely for that reason, it's a time for good deals, especially in restaurants. You can go in without reservations, enjoy lower prices, and even exclusive specials. If you can take the heat, you should visit New Orleans like a New Orleanian. Fortune favors the bold: very few people visit New Orleans in the summertime, so it's when people who live here get the run of the city for a few months every year, and the pace of life slows down to the tempo of a pleasant stroll through the park. Keep hydrated, and know that it will rain for about 20 minutes most afternoons, even when the sun is shining.
Fall
Fall is a great time to hit New Orleans's top historical places and museums — the weather cools off, which makes for lovely walks in the neighborhood. From the end of September to the middle of December, the weather is predictably pleasant, and autumn tends to be less crowded. If you come on a Sunday, there will likely be a parade.
