Things to Do in Havana in November
November weather, activities, events & insider tips
Shoulder Season · Good Value
November Weather in Havana
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
81°F (27°C)
High Temp
70°F (21°C)
Low Temp
3.5 inches (89 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
Is November Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + November lands just after hurricane season, so the sea settles into bathtub warmth and the beaches empty out, you'll share Playa Santa María del Mar with more pelicans than people.
- + Hotel rates fall 25-30% from October's peak, and casas particulares in Vedado pick up on the first ring instead of the fifteenth.
- + Humidity dips just enough that strolling Havana Vieja's cobblestones no longer feels like swimming through air, mornings are pleasant for once.
- + Neighborhood restaurants wheel out their finest comfort plates: ropa vieja simmered longer, arroz con pollo fragrant with saffron that smells like somebody's grandmother's kitchen.
Considerations
- − Those 10 rainy days aren't polite sprinkles, they're Caribbean cloudbursts that turn Calle Obispo into a river and make you rethink your life choices.
- − Beach water may still be recovering from October storms, so that crystal-clear Varadero postcard is more turquoise-murky reality on certain days.
- − November ushers in 'la temporada baja', some paladares shutter for renovations and you'll spot more 'closed for family reasons' signs than usual.
Best Activities in November
Top things to do during your visit
Classic Car City Tours
November's lower humidity makes three-hour drives in 1950s convertibles enjoyable, no more arriving everywhere looking like you showered in your clothes. The Malecón at sunset hits different when you're in a cherry-red '57 Chevy with the top down, salt air slicing through what remains of the day's heat.
Booking Tip: Reserve 5-7 days ahead through licensed operators, November's slow season means drivers bend on routes and timing. But the best vintage cars still disappear first.
Havana Vieja Walking Food Tours
Cooler mornings let you taste the difference between a good and great cafecito without your taste buds going numb from heat. By November, produce markets have stabilized post-hurricane, so the plantains in your tostones aren't the emergency green ones from September.
Booking Tip: Morning tours kicking off at 8am work best, sidesteps both the brief afternoon rains and the post-lunch food coma that wallops around 2pm.
Cigar Factory and Farm Visits
November is the sweet spot for tobacco, harvest winds down in Pinar del Río, so you watch real production instead of empty drying barns. The fermentation rooms smell of earth and cedar rather than the overpowering ammonia punch of summer.
Booking Tip: Full-day tours require 10-14 days advance booking, these aren't touristy demos, they're working factories that cap group sizes.
Sunset Sailing in Havana Bay
November's shifting weather brews the most dramatic sunsets, when storms clear, the sky erupts in technicolor over Morro Castle. The water stays warm enough for a swim. Yet cool enough that the boat's diesel engine no longer feels like sitting on a griddle.
Booking Tip: Evening departures around 4:30pm catch the best light, check the booking widget for operators running sunset cruises with mojitos mixed from November's fresh mint harvest.
Live Music and Rum Tasting
November fires up the jazz season, Casa de la Música in Miramar books bigger acts since musicians are back from summer tours in Europe. The rum tastes different when you're not sweating through your shirt, you can finally tell a 7-year from a 15-year Havana Club.
Booking Tip: Thursday through Saturday nights fill fastest, these aren't tourist spectacles, they're where locals toast the arrival of cooler weather.
Where to Stay in Havana in November
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for November travellers.
November Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Mid to late November
Festival Internacional Jazz Plaza
Havana's main jazz festival runs mid-November through early December, think real legends onstage at Teatro Amadeo Roldán, not cruise-ship cover bands. The entire city vibrates with late-night sessions that roll into sunrise.
Early November
Día de los Muertos Celebrations
While not as flamboyant as Mexico's, Havana's cemeteries like Colón brim with families scrubbing graves and leaving flowers, respectful tourism means observing from a distance, and the cemetery's marble angels look striking in November's gentler light.
Packing Checklist
Bookmark this page — your progress is saved between visits
Need the full list with shopping links?
Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Havana Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
November is the month locals finally reclaim their regular lunch spots, ask your casa owner where they eat, not where they send tourists.
The best coffee isn't on Hotel Inglaterra's terrace, it's at the window counter of Café Escorial where old men slap down dominoes and an espresso costs less than a bottle of water.
Skip the hop-on hop-off bus, November weather is good for the local 'almendrones' (shared taxis) that ply fixed routes for pocket change.
If a restaurant runs both AC and fans, odds are it's overpriced, locals know November is comfortable without arctic blasting.
Avoid These Mistakes
Trying to squeeze Old Havana, Vedado, and Miramar into one walking day, November heat still demands siesta time between neighborhoods.
Booking beach days for the morning after your flight, Havana's November skies can ambush you with a 7am thunderstorm that torpedoes sunrise beach plans.
Assuming 'low season' means everything's open, double-check museum and restaurant hours. Some places use November for deep cleaning.
Explore More Activities in Havana
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Havana.
See All Havana Tours on Viator