Things to Do in Houma in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
Low Season · Budget Friendly
December Weather in Houma
Long-run averages for December
66°F (19°C)
High Temp
51°F (11°C)
Low Temp
5.0 inches (127 mm)
Rainfall
80%
Humidity
4
Sunny-Day UV
⚠ Frequent rain and fog cause significant delays or cancellations for outdoor tours and fishing charters.
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + Summer's oppressive bayou heat has finally broken. The air turns cool and crisp on morning boat rides, a sensation locals call 'gumbo weather.' Perfect for being outdoors.
- + December in Houma draws fewer tourists than most Louisiana cities. You won't fight crowds for a swamp tour pontoon or a seat at a local oyster bar. The place feels like yours alone.
- + Fishing for speckled trout hits some of its best marks of the year in the Terrebonne Parish marshes. Water clarity improves after the summer rains.
- + Christmas turns Main Street into a tableau of subdued, Southern charm, all done up in white lights and wreaths. The scent of pine and simmering gumbo pots hangs in the evening air.
Considerations
- − It rains a lot. The 5.0 inches (127 mm) often arrives in cold, steady, all-day drizzles that can shut down swamp tours and leave the air damp enough to chill your bones.
- − Many smaller, family-run boat tours and airboat operators simply close for the season from mid-December through February. Your options for getting out on the water shrink drastically.
- − The days are short. Sunset often comes before 5:30 PM. Your window for outdoor photography or finishing a long marsh kayak trip grows narrow and unforgiving.
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
Terrebonne Parish Swamp & Marsh Boat Tours
December is a quiet, starkly beautiful time on the bayou. Summer's green riot has given way to browns and grays, making it easier to spot herons and egrets against the bare cypress. The lack of buzzing insects is a revelation. The cool air keeps the boat from getting stuffy. But the real magic is the silence. Fewer tours running means you might be the only boat for miles, listening to the distant splash of a nutria or the wind through the Spanish moss. Just know that morning fog is common and can delay departures.
Booking Tip: Your options will be fewer. Book at least a week ahead for the handful of operators still running in December. Call on the morning of your tour to confirm the fog has lifted. Look for smaller, locally owned boats with captains who grew up in these marshes. They're the ones who know where the eagles are nesting. Check current availability in the booking widget below.
Speckled Trout Fishing Charters
For anglers, December is a serious month. The speckled trout are moving into the deeper bayous and channels of lower Terrebonne Parish, and the bite can be fast and furious on a sunny afternoon. The air is cool. But the water holds enough warmth to keep the fish active. You'll have the vast, labyrinthine marshes largely to yourself, sharing the horizon only with the occasional workboat. The catch comes with a bonus: you get to experience the bayou's winter palette, a watercolor of muted grays and blues under a big Louisiana sky.
Booking Tip: This is when the best local guides book up. Secure a charter at least two to three weeks in advance. Prioritize captains who specifically mention winter speckled trout patterns. A full day on the water is worth it. The morning bite and the late-afternoon bite are often the best. See what's on offer in the booking section.
Historic Downtown Houma Walking & Food Tour
The cool, crisp weather is good for wandering Main Street on foot without breaking a sweat. You can trace Houma's history from the bayou-front courthouse to the old brick storefronts, popping into places that have been here for generations. The smell of roasting coffee from a decades-old shop mixes with the savory aroma from a lunch-only po'boy spot. December means you can enjoy a bowl of seafood gumbo or a fried oyster po'boy without the humidity steaming up the windows. It's the best time to appreciate the town's architecture and its culinary heartbeat at a leisurely pace.
Booking Tip: Formal guided walking tours are rare. You can craft your own. Start mid-morning after the fog burns off. Focus on places that have been in operation for 20+ years. Their longevity here is the real guide. For curated local food experiences, check the tours listed in the booking widget.
Bayou Country Christmas Light Displays
Houma celebrates Christmas with a particular bayou flair. It's not about over-the-top spectacle. But about community. The drive-through displays at local parks are family-friendly affairs where the sound of carols mixes with the hum of idling cars. The best experience, though, is simply driving the older residential streets near Bayou Black or along the Intracoastal Waterway after dark. Here, you'll see homes decked out with homemade wooden shrimp boats outlined in lights, alligators wearing Santa hats, and live oak trees dripping with icicle lights, their reflections shimmering in the dark water of the bayou.
Booking Tip: No booking needed. Just a tank of gas and a sense of curiosity. The displays typically light up from early December through New Year's. Evenings between 6 PM and 9 PM are prime time. For a structured route, local community Facebook pages often share maps in early December.
Where to Stay in Houma in December
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for December travellers.
Public Holidays in December
Dates that affect opening hours, transport and crowds
Christmas Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Christmas Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
New Year's Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Christmas Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Packing Checklist
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View Houma Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Locals know oyster season runs September through April, when cooler waters fatten the shellfish. In December, order them raw or chargrilled at bars that shuck to order. They'll be plumpest and saltiest then.
When cold fronts blow through, duck into older family restaurants. Order the gumbo or turtle soup. These dishes taste best when the air carries a real chill.
Late December brings the most photographer-friendly light. The low winter sun throws long shadows across the marsh. Moss-draped oaks glow golden and hazy in the hour before sunset.
Skip the hunt for traditional nightlife. Houma's version is a well-worn bar with live zydeco or swamp pop on Friday nights. The crowd runs local. Conversations flow in thick Cajun French-laced English.
Avoid These Mistakes
Don't pack only light sweaters. That damp cold penetrates, near water. You'll regret lacking a proper shell and warm layers.
Never assume all swamp tours run. Many close for winter. Always call to confirm your booking the day before. Weather or low bookings trigger last-minute cancellations.
Avoid cramming too much into one day. Short daylight hours constrain you. Plan one major outdoor activity, like a fishing charter. Keep evening plans simple and indoors.
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