A couple months ago I brought up with my mom that I wanted to go back and visit New Orleans again. She got excited and asked if she could come, because she has been wanting to visit Baton Rouge for a long time. Of course the thought of going on a trip with my mom was super exciting, but when she mentioned Baton Rouge, my first thought was what else is there to do there except a zoo.
After diving into what there is to do in Baton Rouge, our trip to New Orleans changed to an entire trip in Baton Rouge! Before we even left Baton Rouge I was already making a list of things I wanted to do when we came back! It is such a fun place, with such a variety of activities for all ages! We had all ages with us too, a grandma, a mom, and 4 kids all 5 years old and younger! Each one of us left having a camera full of pictures, good stories to tell, and memories we will never forget!
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Things To Do In Baton Rouge With Kids:
Walk through the gardens of Oak Alley Plantation
One of the activities that we all loved while visiting Baton Rouge was walking around the gardens of Oak Alley Plantation. It honestly would be a crime to not visit a plantation while you are in Baton Rouge! Oak Alley is a gorgeous restored plantation that you will not want to miss. I mean it was literally on my bucket list because it is so amazing.
You have the option of touring the big house or just walking the grounds, I suggest if you have little kids to just stick to the grounds. The tour is pretty long and it is really hard to keep little ones entertained and not touching things in old houses.
You are not missing out though just walking the grounds. The gardens and trees surrounding the house are breath taking. Also you can walk through the slave houses, which is a very memorable experience and great teaching opportunity.
Location: 3645 LA-18, Vacherie, LA 70090
Hours: everyday 8:30am-5pm
Admission:
With Big House tour- $27.79 adult, $9.27 ages 6-17, $25.01 seniors/military
Without Big House tour- $25.01 adult, $7.41 ages 6-17, $22.46 seniors/military
Check out the Pygmy Hippos at BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo
A super fun thing to do in Baton Rouge with kids is visiting the zoo! Anything with animals is always a fun activity with kids! The zoo in Baton Rouge is a very small zoo, but it is still a really nice one. They had peacocks walking free all over the zoo and wild egrets flying in and out.
When we went there was quite a bit of construction going on, but it should be complete in the year 2024. Can’t wait to visit again and see all the new exhibits, we only got to see one of the new exhibits and that was the adorable little Pygmy Hippos.
Location: 3601 Thomas Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70811
Hours: everyday 9:30am-4pm
Admission: $8.75 adult, $7.75 seniors, $5.75 ages 2-12, FREE ages under 2
Visit “Mike” The Tiger
Baton Rouge is a college town, home of the giant gorgeous campus LSU. Just driving around the campus is a really amazing experience, the gardens and buildings are so beautiful. One of the most unique features of LSU is its mascot.
Every school has a mascot, but LSU’s mascot is literally living on campus. Mike the tiger! You can walk around Mike’s exhibit and come meet him yourself!
Location: 16 N Stadium Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Hours: open 24 hrs
Admission: FREE
Learn more about animals at the LSU Museum of Natural Science
Another fun thing to do at LSU in Baton Rouge with kids, is visit their FREE Museum of Natural Science. There are several exhibits of different habitats and the animals that inhabit them. There are taxidermy animals all over the place!
My kids favorite section was the Mike the Tiger exhibit. This exhibit is in honor of all the “Mike” the tigers that LSU has had. You could listen to the different sounds tigers make and touch his pawprint!
Another fun section was walking through the hallway of birds. There are hundreds of different birds on display in this hall. It was a fun, FREE educational experience for kids.
Location: Murphy J. Foster Hall, 119 Dalrymple Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4pm, CLOSED SAT-SUN
Admission: FREE
Have a Cajun meal and Beignets at the Fiery Crab
There are 2 things that I crave as soon as I think of Louisiana, beignets and Cajun seafood. Fiery Crab in Baton Rouge has both! This unique restaurant isn’t just seafood, it is a seafood boil restaurant. How the process works, is first you choose your seafood, next your seasoning, and then your spice level.
Once its all cooked, a platter of delicious Cajun seasoned Seafood, corn, potatoes, and sausage will be place on your table. Feel free to dump it on your table and dig in!
My kids loved all of the giant crab decorations throughout the restaurant, and the food was so delicious! Don’t forget them beignets for desert. This fry bread coated in powdered sugar is the best desert you can have in Louisiana! SO GOOD!
Location: 2619 Sportsman Ln, Gonzales, LA 70737
Hours: everyday 11am-10pm
Walk through the FREE museum at Cabela’s
Bass Pro/Cabela’s is always a fun thing to walk through. Each shop fells like walking into a giant rustic lodge and they always have taxidermy animals scattered throughout the stores. This particular Cabela’s though isn’t just taxidermy animals here and there; they actually have mini museums throughout the store.
Throughout the store you will find 3 mini museums along with a giant animal display:
The Main Exhibit
Prized Deer Exhibit
African Exhibit
The Aquarium
Location: 2200 W Cabela’s Pkwy, Gonzales, LA 70737
Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-9pm, Sun 10am-7pm
Admission: FREE
Final Thoughts on Baton Rouge, Louisiana:
I had a family stop by my house before I left for my Baton Rouge trip. When they found out I was going to drive 11 hours just to visit Baton Rouge, they laughed and told me I was wasting my time. They told me Baton Rouge was not a good place and there was nothing to do there.
I left Baton Rouge with a list of activities I can’t wait to go back and do. This busy Louisiana town has so much to offer and such a variety of activities to do. I can’t wait to go back and visit the Knock Knock Children’s Museum, walk the gardens at giant state capitol, admire the stain glass at the old state capitol, and see the zoo when it has completed its renovations!
Baton Rouge is such a fun place with so much to do. It is not a place you will be bored visiting! It is just what you are looking for to give you the Louisiana experience without having to go all the way to New Orleans.
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