Blue Bayou Water Park 18142 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70810, 225-753-3333, Blue Bayou Water Park has over 20 water attractions like the High Water Slide, a triple seven story serpentine slide. There is also the Ragin' Cajun twin eight story speed slide, six story Mad Moccasin water slide, CONJA', the world's largest in-line water slide and the tallest & fastest water racer in the world.  more... 

Bouncing Tigers 7353 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, 225-767-1555, Enjoy 11,000 square feet of bouncing fun. Bouncing Tigers is filled with inflatables - more variety than you ever thought possible. There are two separate areas, each with their own party room. The Tiger's clubhouse is for guests age 1 to 5 and the Tiger's Den is for guests age 4 to 10.  more... 

Celebration Station 10111 Gwenadele Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70816, 225-924-7888, Celebration Station's game room features over 100 video and redemption games. The game selection offers something for everyone including air hockey, pool tables, driving games, alley rollers, interactive games, prize cranes and more. There are also batting cages, go-karts, miniature golf, and playland rides. A restaurant and birthday packages are available.  more... 

Dixie Landin' Amusement Theme Park 18142 Perkins Road East, Baton Rouge, LA 70810, 225-756-4900, This exciting park offers more than 30 rides, food, live music and shows. 

Laser Tag of Baton Rouge 5871 South Sherwood Forest Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70816, 225-303-0386, Encompassing more than 21,000 square feet, this is the largest stand-alone Laser Tag facility in the Gulf South. The facility boasts a high-tech video arcade featuring the latest games and an observation deck to check out all of the action. The concessions stand has everything from nachos to candy, even freshly baked pizza. They can host your birthday party or field trip. more... 

Skate Galaxy 12828 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70816, 225-756-2424, Skate to state-of-the-art sound and lighting, scale the rock wall, experience extreme laser tag, or have your next fun kids birthday party or group party at Skate Galaxy. Skate Galaxy features an awesome arcade with prizes, ten party rooms, incredibly tall soft play ball and climb area with kiddy rink, food court, adults' balcony to watch kids skate or recline with TV, family Christian Skate Night, theme skate nights, and pro-shop with skates and accessories.  more... 

Belle of Baton Rouge 103 France Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, Located in the Downtown Historic District, 225-378-6000, 800-676-4847, The three-deck riverboat casino features over 29,000 square feet of gaming area. This includes over 960 slots, video poker, keno machines and table games including live poker, blackjack, Caribbean Stud Poker, roulette, and craps. The Sheraton Baton Rouge Convention Center hosts the casinos accommodations. The Atrium Buffet features a variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets in the garden area of the Atrium, as well as an à la carte breakfast menu. Enjoy live concerts, professional boxing, and other special events at the casino.  more... 

Hollywood Casino 1717 River Road North, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, 225-709-7777, With over 1,100 slots, Hollywood Casino has your favorite games and one of the best selections of Progressive slot machines around. The High Limit Slot Area offers over forty machines ranging from $1 to $25. The Steakhouse at Hollywood Casino offers a savory menu. Their beef is 100% Angus and they feature fine veal, lamb, pork and chicken dishes, which combines with a great wine list. Live entertainment is available every weekend.  more... 

Evergreen Plantation & Swamp Tour 4677 Highway 18, Edgard, LA 70049, 504-201-3180, Evergreen Plantation is the most intact plantation complex in the South with 37 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including 22 slave cabins. Today, Evergreen Plantation remains a privately owned, working sugar cane plantation. Tours are currently by appointment only.  more... 

L'Hermitage Plantation Home (circa 1812) River Road, Highway 942, Darrow, LA 70725, Located 24 Miles South-Southeast, Built by Marius Pons Bringier as a wedding gift for his son and named for Andrew Jackson's home in Nashville, this classic Greek-Revival-style mansion features original brick-between-posts walls. The Hermitage is open by appointment and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  

Louisiana State Archives 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809, 225-922-1000, Official repository for Louisiana historical records. Extensive genealogy research library, two exhibit halls. More than 30,000 cubic feet of archival materials. No admission fee. 

Louisiana State Capitol (circa 1932) 900 North Third Street on State Capital Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, 225-342-7317, America's tallest state capitol, the Art Deco style Louisiana State Capitol building is 34 stories and has housed the offices of the governor and Congress since its completion. It is also the site of the assassination of Huey Long in 1935. An observation deck on the 27th floor provides fantastic views of the Mississippi River. The Louisiana State Capitol, a National Historic Landmark, is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, except on major holidays. more... 

Louisiana's Old State Capitol (circa 1847) 100 North Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, 225-342-0500, The Center for Political and Governmental History at the Old State Capitol features several interactive state-of-the-art exhibits and a multi-media presentation entitled "Louisiana: The Story is Here." The Old State Capitol is a designated National Historic Landmark. 

Magnolia Mound Plantation (circa 1791) 2161 Nicholson Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, Located 1 Mile South of Downtown Baton Rouge, 225-343-4955, Constructed from moss and mud by John Joyce of Fort Mobile on an Indian mound, the French Creole-style Magnolia Mound, owned by the Foundation for Historical Louisiana, features hand carved woodwork and heavy planked floors and is one of the oldest surviving frame structures in Baton Rouge. It features a collection of furnishings and decorative arts. Structures on the property include the main house, a carriage house, an overseer's house, open-hearth kitchen, a quarter house, and a crop garden.  more... 

Old Louisiana Governor's Mansion (circa 1930) 502 North Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, Located in Historic Downtown Baton Rouge, 225-387-2464, Dubbed Louisiana's White House by its builder, then Governor Huey Long, the Georgian-style Old Governor's Mansion is open for tours and special events. more... 

Poplar Grove Plantation 3142 North River Road, Port Allen, LA 70767, Located 5 Miles West, 225-344-3913, A grand private home originally built as the Bankers' Pavilion for the 1884 World's Industrial and Cotton Exposition in New Orleans, this Victorian mansion with Oriental-looking details was moved by barge on the Mississippi River to Poplar Grove Plantation in 1886, by sugar planter Horace Wilkinson and his wife, Julia. Five generations of the Wilkinson family have called Poplar Grove home. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is available by appointment for group tours, dining, and special occasions. more... 

St. James Episcopal Church (circa 1895) 208 North 4th Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, 225-387-5141, The church was completed in 1895 in the Gothic Revival architectural style. President Zachary Taylor's wife was one of the congregational founders. 

St. Joseph Cathedral (circa 1853) 412 North Street, Baton Rouge, LA, 225-387-5928, The Cathedral stands today as a tribute to the early settlers of Baton Rouge, to missionaries from Europe who suffered from the epidemics, the Civil War, the shortages and inconveniences of settling a new land.  more... 

USS KIDD Veterans Memorial Museum 305 South River Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70820, 225-342-1942, A WWII Fletcher-class destroyer, known as the "Pirate of the Pacific," USS KIDD honors the men and women of our American armed forces. Visitors can roam the deck and interior compartments of the ship. Be sure to check for scheduled Living History events.  more... 

Centenary State Historic Site 3522 College Street, Jackson, LA 70748, 225-634-7925, Originally opened as the College of Louisiana in 1826, the school occupied an old courthouse and other buildings in the town of Jackson. The college steadily grew and two dormitories were built on new property in 1832 and 1837. The West Wing, the latter of these two buildings, remains today. In 1979 Centenary State Historic Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places, an honorary designation for significant historic sites.  

Indian Mounds Corner of Field House & Dalrymple Drives, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, This mounds, dating from 3,300 to 2,500 B.C., are believed to have served socio-religious purposes. 

Memorial Tower 225-388-4003, Built in 1923 as a monument to Louisianians who died in World War I. Houses LSU Museum of Art that features original 17th-through mid-19th-century rooms from England and America. 

Plaquemine Locks 225-383-1825, The locks were built between 1895 - 1909 to control the water level between the Bayou Plaquemine and the Mississippi. Historic locks which were designed by George Goethals. Area features original lockhouse and locks, interpretive center with displays and an observation tower with view of Mississippi. 

Louisiana State Library 760 North Third Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, 225-342-4923, The State Library provides Louisianians access to more than eleven million items through a computerized statewide lending network of public libraries. And, in a new age of information, the State Library continues to create even more opportunities for citizens to experience the value of libraries and reading. Working with over 325 urban and rural libraries statewide, the State Library helps Louisianians to connect to the growing number of electronic information sources, including the Internet. more... 

St. Martin Parish Library 201 Porter Street, St. Martinville, LA 70582, 337-394-2207, Available Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday & Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  more... 

African American Museum 538 South Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, 225-343-4431, Dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting art, artifacts and buildings related to the history and culture of African Americans in the rural communities along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.  more... 

Baton Rouge Gallery 1442 City Park Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, Located in the City Park Pavilion, 225-383-1470, Open noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, the Baton Rouge Gallery is a contemporary arts gallery and cultural center. The Gallery also offers special performances and a weekly spoken word program. Art exhibitions at the Gallery feature current works of its artist members. The Gallery also hosts special traveling exhibits and welcomes special guest artists. Free to the public.  more... 

Brunner Gallery 100 Lafayette Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, Located at The Shaw Center for the Arts, 225-389-7224, A contemporary fine art gallery, Brunner Gallery features works by such artists as Susan Johnston, John Darling Haynes, Joseph Watts, Anastasia, Ruud van den Eykel, and Kat Fullilove. more... 

Enchanted Mansion-A Doll Museum, The 190 Lee Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, 225-769-0005, Enjoy seeing beautiful and rare antique dolls and exceptional one-of-a-kind dolls including Animatronics. For that perfect souvenir, check out the gift shop. Walk through a life-size Victorian Doll House, then take a trip to the magical land of the Gazoba fairies.  more... 

Heritage Museum and Village 1606 Main Street, Baker, LA 70820, 225-774-1776, Built in 1906, restored as a Bicentenial Project in 1976. A Victorian Cottage surrounded by Heritage Village reproducing turn of the century life in the small farming community of Baker, Louisiana. more... 

Louisiana Art and Artists' Guild Gallery 7800 Independence Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, 225-216-0660, The Louisiana Art and Artists Guild Gallery hosts a number of art exhibits throughout the year. Special shows are scheduled periodically, such as the Christmas Show, the All-Member, All-Media Show and the nationally recognized River Road Art Show. The River Road exhibition is a national juried show open to all.  

Louisiana Art and Science Museum 100 South River Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, Located in Downtown Baton Rouge, 225-344-5272, Come see where art and science connect. The Louisiana Art & Science Museum features exhibitions of internationally renowned artist, innovative programming in the state-of-the-art Pennington Planetarium, a rotating permanent art collection, and interactive children’s galleries. Housed in a historic railroad depot on the banks of the Mississippi River, the museum offers educational entertainment for visitors of all ages. Inspire creativity in an art gallery, pursue knowledge by viewing an ancient mummy, and encourage discovery by travelling the universe.  more... 

Louisiana Mud Painting Gallery 16950 Strain Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70816, 225-275-5126, Louisiana mud paintings by Henry Neubig depict nostalgic Louisiana using only med and clay colors. 

Louisiana Museum of Natural History 119 Foster Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, 225-578-2855, In 1999, the sixteen natural history collections at Louisiana State University were designated by the state legislature as the "Louisiana Museum of Natural History." Together, these collections hold a total of more than 2.8 million specimens, objects, and artifacts that document the rich natural history of the state. The museum is divided into two main parts: the public exhibits containing both habitat and biological exhibits, along with identification panels and the research collections used by scientists from all over the world.  more... 

Louisiana State Museum 660 North Fourth Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, 225-342-5428, 800-568-6968, Part of the Louisiana State Museum system under the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, this state history museum is almost 70,000 square feet and features such artifacts as a New Orleans Lucky Dog cart, 48 foot wooden shrimp trawler, Civil War submarine, and an record breaking marlin. more... 

LSU Museum of Art 100 Lafayette Street - 5th Floor, Baton Rouge, LA, Located in the Shaw Center for the Arts, 225-389-7200, The LSU Museum of Art (LSU MOA), located in the Shaw Center for the Arts in downtown Baton Rouge, opened in March 2005. The museum, part of Louisiana State University (LSU), manifests a decade-long vision to offer LSU and the Baton Rouge community greater access to its diverse art collection, changing exhibitions, education programs, and special events - all within an exceptional cultural complex.  more... 

LSU Rural Life Museum & Windbrush Gardens 4560 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809, I-10 South at Essen Lane Exit 160, 225-765-2437, Located on the 450-acre Burden Research Plantation, this museum is an outdoor teaching and research facility which is put together in three sections. "The Barn" includes pre-industrial artifacts such as farming implements, household utensils, woodcrafts, and textiles. Buildings of the Working Plantation furnished with "period" pieces, including a commissary, overseer's house, kitchen, slave cabins, sick house, school house, blacksmiths shop, sugar house, and a grist mill, offer a look into how the plantation looked and worked during the 19th century. The Folk Architecture is a group of seven buildings, which include a church, pioneer's cabin, shotgun house, an Acadian house, and a small cemetery, which portray the varied cultures which influenced the construction of the times.  

Old Arsenal Powder Magazine Museum (circa 1838) Located on the State Capital Grounds, 225-342-0401, Located on the sight of the only Revolutionary War battle fought outside the 13 original colonies, the Old Arsenal Powder Magazine is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It includes exhibits on military history. 

Pentagon Barracks Museum, The (circa 1819) 959 Third Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, State Capitol Drive at River Road, 225-342-1866, National Register property, historic military post and former site of LSU. Exhibits of State Capital & Huey Long. Gift shop for Louisiana crafts & souvenirs. Open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

Shaw Center for the Arts 100 Lafayette Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, Located Across from the Old State Capitol, 225-346-5001, The 125,000 square-foot Shaw Center for the Arts features the LSU Museum of Art, Manship Theatre, the LSU School of Art Gallery, Brunner Gallery, and the LSU Museum Store, as well as rental venues for private events. Eateries on the premises include Tsunami, Capital City Grill, PJ's Coffee House and Stroube’s Chophouse.  more... 

West Baton Rouge Museum 845 N Jefferson Avenue, Port Allen, LA 70767, 225-336-2422, 888-881-6811, The West Baton Rouge Museum is an educational resource committed to researching, collecting, preserving and presenting artifacts, documents, art objects, and the like that reflect the history and cultural heritage of West Baton Rouge Parish and the surrounding areas for the benefit of the general public and future generations. more... 

Audubon State Commemorative Area Located East of Town on LA 10 & US 61, 225-635-3739, The Audubon State Commemorative Area is a 100-acre tract set aside as a wildlife sanctuary. 

Baton Rouge Zoo 3601 Thomas Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70704, 225-775-3877, The #1 year-round family attraction in Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge Zoo features over 1,800 animals, including white tigers, elephants, giraffes, and alligators. Be sure to check out The Otter Pond, L'aquarium de Louisiane, Cypress Bayou Railroad, Parrot Paradise, White Tiger Tram, and the KidsZoo. more... 

Bluebonnet Swamp 10503 North Oak Hill Parkway, Baton Rouge, LA 70810, 225-757-8905, Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center is a 101-acre facility dedicated to conservation, education, recreation and tourism. Begin your tour at the 9,500-square foot Nature Center Building, which is home to several exhibits. Venture into the 65-acre cypress-tupelo swamp and a magnolia-beech upland hardwood forest with dramatic ravines. The two ecosystems are linked by a series of trails and boardwalks to allow visitors the opportunity for exploration and magnificent views of the site.  

Global Wildlife Center 26389 Highway 40, Folsom, LA 70437, 985-796-3585, Get ready for a wild adventure at the largest totally free-roaming wildlife preserve in the country. The Global Wildlife Center in Folsom, Louisiana is home to over 3,000 exotic, endangered, and threatened animals from all over the world. Safari tours daily. Tour times are updated every Monday, so please call for safari check-in times and availability.  more... 

Highland Road Park 14024 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70810, Located Near LSU, East of Siegen on Highland Road, 225-766-0247, This is a community parkthat includes a recreation center, a playground area, tennis courts, a picnic area and ball diamonds, and archery targets. The Highland Road Observatory is located within this park, a partnership between BREC, LSU and the Baton Rouge Astronomical Society.  

Howell Park 5511 Winbourne Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70805, Located in North Baton Rouge, 225-357-9292, This is one of BREC's oldest parks, located between North Foster Drive and Airline Highway on Winbourne Avenue in north Baton Rouge. It is one of BREC's busiest parks, due in large part to the number of facilities available: a recreation center, an 18-hole golf course, swimming pool, ball diamonds, tennis courts, picnic facilities and shelter and a playground area. 

Independence Park 7505 Independence Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, 225-928-7860, The park has a recreation center, a tennis center, a shuffleboard area for senior citizens, soccer fields, ball diamonds, a model airplane field, a handicapped playground area, the Botanic Gardens and Garden Center, picnic facilities and a children's forest. It is also the site of BREC's annual Christmas in the Park.  more... 

Laurens Henry Cohn, Sr. Memorial Plant Arboretum 12056 Foster Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70820, 225-775-1006, A 16-acre tract of land with over 120 species of native trees and shrubs. 

LSU's Hilltop Arboretum 11855 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70810, 225-767-6916, These fourteen beautiful acres showcase an extensive collection of Louisiana native trees and shrubs. You are invited to cross the old footbridge overlooking a twenty-foot deep ravine and wander into the tranquil "cathedral," where tree canopies form a green protective room. Discover the bamboo grove and the meadow.  more... 

Port Hudson State Commemorative Area 236 Highway 61, Jackson, LA 70808, 225-654-3775, This 650-acre area encompasses part of a Civil War battlefield, site of the longest siege in Amarican military history. It features viewing towers, Civil War guns, trenches and hiking trails. 

Highland Observatory 13800 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70810, 225-768-9948, This unique cooperative facility is dedicated to the study and appreciation of space. The 2,300 square-foot building houses a state-of-the-art 20" Ritchey-Chretien telescope, which is available to the public during open viewing hours. Every Friday evening (weather permitting), the public is invited to explore the skies above the Observatory. There is no admission fee.  

Acadian Swamp Tours 58235 New Camp Road, White Castle, LA 70788, 225-545-8888, One and a half hour tour through the Atchafalaya Spillway on a covered boat, comfortable seats, handicap accessible & Coast Guard approved. 

Airboat Tours by Arthur Matherne, Inc. 4262 Highway 90 East, Des Allemands, LA 70030, 985-758-5531, 800-975-9345, See gators, herons, and other Louisiana wildlife up close and personal. Rides can be custom-tailored to cater to your specific needs, from smooth and easy to wild and crazy.  more... 

Alligator Bayou Swamp Tours 35019 Alligator Bayou Road, Prairieville, LA 70769, Located Only 15 Minutes from Downtown Baton Rouge, 225-677-8297, Alligator Bayou invites you to laugh, learn and let the good times roll during their fun, entertaining eco-swamp tour. Get up-close to gators in the swamp and in their 15-acre ecohabitat. They offer a daring, death-defying gator show and meet the giant alligator snapping turtles in the sculptured freshwater pond. Reservations are required. more... 

Lagniappe Tours 502 North Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, 225-387-2464, Offering professional step-on guides and 25 years of experience in Heritage Tourism for groups. 

McGee's Landing 1337 Henderson Levee Road, Henderson, LA 70517, Located 41 Miles West of Baton Rouge, 337-228-2384, McGee's Atchafalaya Basin Swamp Tours have been a "must-see" for visitors to Cajun Country for more than a decade. Aboard one of their sightseeing boats you will visit the interior of one of America's greatest river swamps. McGee's also offers guest cabins that float on the shores of the Atchafalaya. Don't miss McGee's Cafe & Bar with live music on Sundays in July and a souvenir shop. The Cafe' features traditional, homestyle cajun and seafood entrees.  more... 

Old Hickory Railroad 3312 College Street, Jackson, LA 70748, 225-634-7397, The Old Hickory Railroad features a live steam locomotive pulling two open coaches on a 6.2 mile journey back in time through the historic town of Jackson, LA. The ride commemorates the Clinton and Port Hudson Railroad, established in 1833, including a spur into Jackson.  more... 

Casa de Sue Winery and Vineyards 14316 Hatcher Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70722, 225-683-4031, These wines offer a great abundance of flavor. The Louisiana flare obviously present in these wines complements most any food, especially Louisiana cuisine.