Visiting New Orleans is always a good idea, no matter what the month. But plan a trip in June and you’ll be able to experience the best of the city.
Sure, it’s starting to get hot and humid out, but that just means the city’s streets and public squares and parks are busy hosting outdoor festivals, music concerts, parades, and more. And if things get a little too steamy for you, you can always spend the day sipping cocktails at a rooftop pool or cooling off with a snowball.
Of course, visit New Orleans in June and you’ll have the chance to attend annual events like New Orleans Pride, the Creole Tomato Festival, Restaurant Week New Orleans, or another one of the many events in New Orleans in June!
Planning a trip to New Orleans in June? To help you get the most out of your early summer trip, we’ve compiled a list of fun things to do in New Orleans in June for you. Pick your favorite activities from this list, and you’re bound to have an amazing June vacation in the Big Easy.
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The 11 Best Things to Do in New Orleans in June
1. Sample Summer Flavors at Creole Creamery
Arguably one of the best ice cream shops in New Orleans, The Creole Creamery has locations in Uptown, Lakeview, and Old Metairie. This is the place to go year-round for fountain classics – like a banana split or sundae – and creative flavors of artisan small-batch ice cream, sorbet, and other frozen treats.
But visit in the summer months, and you’ll love cooling off with their refreshing seasonal flavors. Think Blueberry Pie, Banana Pudding, Golden Summer Fig, Mangeaux Bangeaux, Peaches & Crème Fraîche, and Sweet Corn ice cream, as well as the ultra-cooling Watermelon Sherbet and Cucumber Sorbet!
2. Attend the Creole Tomato Festival
June in New Orleans means a celebration of all things Creole tomato. At this time of year, you’ll start finding them everywhere, from farmers’ markets to seasonal menus at local restaurants.
When it comes to fun and quirky New Orleans June events, the annual French Market Creole Tomato Festival is held in the French Quarter in early June. This event is absolutely free and features a Bloody Mary Market with a bunch of variations, tomato eating contests, auctions where local chefs try to snag the first tomatoes of the season, and giant “tomatoes” handing out tomato-shaped fans.
This is New Orleans, so expect plenty of Creole tomato-based foods. With everything from fried green tomatoes and tomato crawfish pies to tomato basil crepes and Creole tomato gelato, you’ll want to arrive hungry!
3. Join the Revelry at New Orleans Pride
Another one of the very best New Orleans June events is pride, which sweeps over the city every year in early- to mid-June. As always, New Orleans Pride is all about celebrating the city’s LGBTQ+ community.
Throughout the 3-day festival, expect over 30 events to take place, including drag brunches, burlesque shows, dining events, the Habitat for Humanity Pride Build, pool parties, and so much more. Plus, local businesses get into the spirit by offering their own pride parties and food and drink specials.
To top it all off, there’s always a massive parade with over 4,000 participants and 25+ Mardi Gras-style floats – and yes, you should feel free to dress up!
4. Try the Beignet of the Month at NOLA Brunch & Beignets
Eating all the beignets while visiting New Orleans is always a good idea. But visit New Orleans in June and you’ll definitely want to sample the seasonal beignet of the month at NOLA Brunch & Beignets.
Past June flavors have included the Piña Colada beignet stuffed with pineapple filling and topped with coconut cream, toasted coconut, and a cherry, as well as the Tigers Blood beignet, a combination of watermelon, strawberry, and coconut, all topped with watermelon-infused coconut flakes.
Be sure to see what’s on the menu this June!
5. Chill Out at a Rooftop Pool
Come June in New Orleans, things start heating up fast. Chances are you’re going to want to plan a few ways to beat the heat and humidity during your trip. Luckily, New Orleans has tons of hotel pools where you can spend the day, even if you’re not a guest.
If you’re looking for rooftop pools in New Orleans, Alto is set on the rooftop of the Ace Hotel, which is also one of the best hotels in New Orleans. Book a day pass, and you’ll get access to the 9th-floor rooftop pool area, which just so happens to offer sweeping city views.
From cocktails and beer to wine and zero-proof drinks, you can easily make a day of it. And if you’re feeling peckish, the food menu features small plates, burgers, and salads.
6. Enjoy a Curated Wine Dinner During NOWFE
If you’re looking for foodie-centric things to do in New Orleans in June, check out the annual New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (NOWFE). NOWFE is touted as one of the best food festivals in the US, so it’s really something special!
Each year, hundreds of local wineries and restaurants participate in the event, which features an array of special wine dinners, workshops, tastings, excursions, and more. Be sure to check out the website to see what’s on this year.
One of the best parts about this festival is that NOWFE is all about giving back to the community, and over the past 30+ years, the event has raised over $1.5 million for local nonprofit organizations. There’s nothing better than wining and dining for a cause.
7. Commemorate Juneteenth
New Orleans is a very interesting place to be on Juneteenth. If you’d like to commemorate the day slavery was abolished in the US, there are plenty of ways to do so in NOLA.
Every year on June 19th, the free NOLA Juneteenth Fest is held at Congo Square, the sole place enslaved people were able to gather on Sundays to play music and sell goods in the 19th century.
Other ways to learn about the importance of this day include visiting the New Orleans African American Museum, learning about what life was like for enslaved Africans on a tour of the Whitney Plantation, and downloading the app and taking the New Orleans Slave Trade Marker audio tour, to name a few.
8. Celebrate National Pralines Day
If you’re looking for quirky things to do in New Orleans in June and you’re in town on June 24th, why not celebrate National Pralines Day? New Orleans is the best place to be on this occasion because pralines are a staple of the city’s cuisine.
To sample some of the best pralines in the city, we suggest stopping off at Loretta’s Authentic Pralines (try the Praline Beignet, too!), Southern Candymakers, or Leah’s Pralines.
9. Cool Off with a Snowball
Summer is snowball season in New Orleans, so if you’re in New Orleans in June, you’re going to want to hunt down some of the city’s best. We recommend looking beyond the French Quarter and heading uptown to Williams Plum Street Snoballs.
This family-run establishment is open seasonally and serves their frozen treats in their signature Chinese food takeout containers. Try the Orchid Cream Vanilla snowball! Alternately, Hansen’s Sno-Bliz on Tchoupitoulas Street is another solid option.
10. Attend the Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival
When it comes to musical events in New Orleans in June, you’ll want to add the Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival to your list of things to do. This annual festival takes place every year in none other than Louis Armstrong Park in the Tremé neighborhood.
This festival is all about celebrating the “rich cultural traditions of southwest Louisiana.” There will be plenty of live music, of course, but you’ll also get to peruse works from dozens of local artists and eat your way through the Food Market.
11. Dine Out During Restaurant Week New Orleans
Another one of the most spectacular foodie-centric things to do in New Orleans in June, Restaurant Week New Orleans takes over the city for one week at the end of the month.
Participating restaurants around the city offer curated multi-course menus for the occasion, offering meals you can’t try anywhere else. In years past, 70+ New Orleans restaurants took part in Restaurant Week, so be sure to check the website ahead of your visit to snag reservations at the restaurants of your choice.
Whether you want to socialize over a boozy brunch, have a romantic dinner, or sample the hottest restaurant in town, Restaurant Week has got you covered!
There you have it! The 11 best things to do in New Orleans in June. What are your favorite New Orleans June events? Let us know in the comments!
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