THE ITINERARY AT A GLANCE
BATON ROUGE IS THE HUB OF ALL THINGS LOUISIANA. ITS CENTRAL LOCATION – AN HOUR FROM NEW ORLEANS AND LAFAYETTE – MAKES BATON ROUGE THE PERFECT CITY TO VISIT.
Outdoor Concert at Old Louisiana Capitol
Enjoy These Great Baton Rouge Attractions and More:
- Capitol Park Museum
- Main Street Market
- Louisiana Art & Science Museum
- Magnolia Mound Plantation
- Belle of Baton Rouge, Hollywood
- Towne Center at Cedar Lodge
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Shopping Credit Jordan Hefler
BATON ROUGE DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY
DAY 1: OF THINGS TO DO IN BATON ROUGE
Spend your day in downtown Baton Rouge. Start with a tour of Louisiana’s Old State Capitol, where you’ll travel through the state’s storied political history. Don’t forget to look up at the beautiful gothic staircase and stained-glass ceiling.Next, head over to Louisiana’s current State Capitol, a magnificent 34-story art deco-style structure standing proud as the nation’s tallest capitol building. Get a birds-eye view of the entire city and mighty Mississippi River from the 27th floor observation deck.
Next, you’ll stroll across the intricate Capitol gardens for a chance to experience true Louisiana at the Capitol Park Museum – a Louisiana state museum. Here, you can step onto a real Mardi Gras float, discover the difference between Cajun and Creole, feast your eyes upon a massive shrimp boat and lose yourself in Louisiana music and historical multimedia presentations.
Before your next stop, grab lunch at the Main Street Market, where choices include down-home Southern cooking, Chinese and sushi, crepes, Greek and Lebanese, healthy sandwiches, salads and jambalaya – a Louisiana favorite. Pick up authentic Louisiana spices, pecan items and souvenirs while there.
For your last stop downtown, choose between the USS Kidd, Louisiana Art & Science Museum or the LSU Museum of Art. For the military enthusiast, the USS Kidd provides a unique experience. Take a tour of this restored WWII Fletcher-class destroyer and then stroll through the historic exhibits in Veterans Memorial Museum. The Louisiana Art & Science Museum offers fine art exhibitions, a hands-on science gallery, a state-of-the art planetarium and more – something for everyone. For art lovers, choose the LSU Museum of Art, located inside The Shaw Center for the Arts and featuring a diverse art collection.
DAY 2: IN BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
For your next stop, visit Magnolia Mound Plantation. During your tour of this 1790s French Creole house, get a true taste of South Louisiana flavor with an open-hearth cooking demonstration.
Next, head to Mid-City and get a taste of our artsy area of town. Grab a coffee at Brew Ha-Ha then head over to Red Stick Spice, where they blend spices, teas, olive oils, vinegars and more so you can bring home your own taste of Baton Rouge.
After that, stroll around Bluebonnet Swamp and meet the reptiles, animals and insects that are indigenous to our area.
Feeling lucky? Wrap up your second evening in Baton Rouge at one of three-riverboat casinos, the Belle of Baton Rouge, Hollywood, or L’Auberge Casino.
DAY 3: OF ACTIVITIES IN LOUISIANA
Begin the day at Louisiana State University’s Rural Life Museum. Get a feel for working plantation life through an abundance of artifacts and tools from the plantation era. The facility also features more than 20 19th century buildings, including slave cabins, an overseer’s house, a blacksmith’s shop and more. Travel back in time and experience the lifestyles and life-ways of Louisiana’s people.Next, head to Houmas House Plantation, once known as the “Sugar Palace.” Before your tour, break for a delicious lunch at Café Burnside. When you’re done eating, a guide in antebellum dress will escort you through the beautifully landscaped gardens and in to the big house full of period antiques and artwork.
While food is undoubtedly our favorite pastime, shopping is a close second. Major shopping centers, pedestrian shops, quaint antique stores and a factory outlet mall make the decision on where to shop a challenge. First, visit the Mall of Louisiana where you’ll find more than 175 stores, delicious food stops and a magical carousel. Enjoy Perkins Rowe or Towne Center at Cedar Lodge for open-air boutique shopping and strolling.
End your trip with a little shopping at one of our large shopping centers, pedestrian shops or quaint antique stores. Visit the Mall of Louisiana where you’ll find more than 175 stores, delicious food stops and a magical carousel or enjoy Perkins Rowe or Towne Center at Cedar Lodge for open-air boutique shopping and strolling.
Louisiana and Baton Rouge have plenty more attractions for travel groups, so be sure to Get More Itinerary Ideas for FREE
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