Optimal period for Texas and the South is October to April. Perfect climate (Austin 15-25°C, Houston 18-26°C, San Antonio 16-26°C, New Orleans 12-23°C), bearable humidity, often clear sky. It's also major event season: New Orleans Mardi Gras (February-March, variable dates by Easter, between February 3 and March 9), SXSW Austin (mid-March, major music-tech-cinema festival, one of the world's largest creative events), Jazz Fest New Orleans (late April-early May), ACL Austin (October, music festival 2 weekends).
Key dates: NOLA Mardi Gras (6-month-ahead booking, +200-300% hotel rates, minimum 3-night stay required), Austin SXSW (6-12-month-ahead booking, +200% rates, tech-music-cinema-marketing focus). Outside these events, October-November-March-April offer optimal weather and reasonable rates.
Shoulder season (May-June and September) is hikeable but crushing humidity (Houston, NOLA 80-90% humidity), frequent tropical storms, May-June marking the start of hurricane season for Gulf Coast (Houston, NOLA, until November 30). Reduced crowds outside NOLA Jazz Fest late April-early May, reasonable rates.
Summer (July-August) marked by crushing heat — Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio 35-40°C, New Orleans 32-36°C with 90% humidity, 45°C feels-like. Serious hurricane season: Katrina (August 2005, 1,800 deaths, 70% of NOLA flooded, levee breaches), Harvey (August 2017, Houston, 100,000 houses flooded), Ida (August 2021, NOLA), Laura (August 2020, Lake Charles). If travelling this period, essential cancellation-cover travel insurance. Floor-level hotel rates but degraded experience. Sept-Oct progressively more pleasant, October marking return of optimal window.
Read also
- New Orleans — French Quarter, jazz, Bourbon Street, Mardi Gras, beignets: the most unique US city.
- United States — Complete country-continent guide: ESTA, currency, regions.
- Florida — The Southern Latin beach neighbour: Miami, Orlando, Keys.
- East Coast — The urban and cultural alternative: New York, Boston, Washington.