Louisiana State Capitol & Observation Deck
A 34-story Art Deco skyscraper built in 1932, the tallest state capitol in America, with a free 27th-floor observation deck over the Mississippi and the grave of Huey Long in the gardens out front.
Louisiana
Baton Rouge
Louisiana's capital city sits on a bend of the Mississippi where the state's two cultures, Creole river-parish and Cajun prairie, meet SEC football.
A 34-story Art Deco Capitol with a free observation deck, a World War II destroyer docked on the riverfront, Huey Long's political ghosts, the LSU campus with a live tiger in residence, and a plantation corridor running north to St. Francisville make it one of the South's most underrated history trips. Swamp tours, the Atchafalaya Basin and Avery Island's Tabasco gardens fill the day-trip menu, and New Orleans is only about 80 miles down the river. Twickly lays out what is worth your time, the tickets and tours that save you hassle, and hotels from downtown towers near the Capitol to a plantation inn among the oaks.
Don't miss
Louisiana State Capitol & Observation Deck
A 34-story Art Deco skyscraper built in 1932, the tallest state capitol in America, with a free 27th-floor observation deck over the Mississippi and the grave of Huey Long in the gardens out front.
USS KIDD Veterans Museum
A World War II destroyer restored to her 1945 look, berthed on the Mississippi at downtown Baton Rouge beside a veterans museum. Walk the decks, climb into a gun mount and see where a kamikaze struck.
Capitol Park Museum
The Louisiana State Museum's Baton Rouge home, a walk through the state's cultures, from Native peoples and Acadian settlers to jazz, Mardi Gras and the oil patch, with a real shrimp boat inside.
The Kingfish's Realm: Huey Long Podcast Tour
A cheap, self-paced audio walk through Huey Long's Baton Rouge, from the Capitol where he was shot to the places that made the Kingfish a national legend.
Things to do in Baton Rouge
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
Old State Capitol & Museum of Political History
A white Gothic Revival castle on the bluff above the river, with a spiral staircase, a stained-glass dome and a museum about Louisiana's wildest political stories.
Capitol Park Museum
The Louisiana State Museum's Baton Rouge home, a walk through the state's cultures, from Native peoples and Acadian settlers to jazz, Mardi Gras and the oil patch, with a real shrimp boat inside.
The Kingfish's Realm: Huey Long Podcast Tour
A cheap, self-paced audio walk through Huey Long's Baton Rouge, from the Capitol where he was shot to the places that made the Kingfish a national legend.
Historic Downtown Baton Rouge Audio Walking Tour
A low-cost self-guided audio tour through the oldest part of Baton Rouge, from the river bluff and the Old State Capitol to Spanish Town and the places that shaped the city.
USS KIDD Veterans Museum
A World War II destroyer restored to her 1945 look, berthed on the Mississippi at downtown Baton Rouge beside a veterans museum. Walk the decks, climb into a gun mount and see where a kamikaze struck.
Louisiana Art & Science Museum and Planetarium
Art galleries, an ancient Egyptian mummy, hands-on science and a planetarium in a restored railroad depot on the riverfront.
LSU Rural Life Museum
An open-air village of historic buildings, from slave cabins and a sugar house to a shotgun house and a country church, set among the gardens of the Burden estate.
LSU Tiger Stadium Game Day
Saturday night in Death Valley: a 100,000-plus crowd, the Golden Band from Tigerland and tailgates that fill the whole campus. The biggest event in the state.
Mike the Tiger Habitat
The live tiger who is LSU's mascot, in a purpose-built habitat beside Tiger Stadium that is free to visit.
Magnolia Mound Plantation
A French Creole plantation house from around 1790, the oldest in the Baton Rouge area, with living-history cooking and a riverside setting a few minutes from downtown.
Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site
A Greek Revival mansion from 1834 and one of the great historic gardens of the South, in the St. Francisville hills about 30 miles north of Baton Rouge.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Watermark Baton Rouge
Downtown
A boutique-style downtown address in the Autograph Collection family, close to the Capitol, the riverfront and the restaurants that make the center of Baton Rouge worth a night on foot.
Check rates →
$$$Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center
Downtown
A full-service downtown tower in the middle of the government district, steps from the Shaw Center, the riverfront and the Capitol, with the dependable comforts of a Hilton.
Check rates →Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel
South Baton Rouge
A polished full-service Marriott hotel in the south Baton Rouge hotel and shopping corridor, handy for LSU, the interstate and dining, with a pool and resort-style spaces.
Check rates →Hotel Indigo Baton Rouge Downtown
Downtown
A neighborhood-style boutique brand in downtown Baton Rouge, close to the River Center, the Capitol and the downtown restaurants, with local design touches.
Check rates →Courtyard by Marriott Baton Rouge Downtown
Downtown
A dependable Marriott in the downtown area, good for travelers who want a straightforward base within reach of the Capitol, the USS KIDD and the riverfront.
Check rates →DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Baton Rouge
South Baton Rouge
A familiar Hilton-family hotel along the interstate corridor, known for its welcome cookie and easy access to LSU, shopping and dining by car.
Check rates →Embassy Suites by Hilton Baton Rouge
Southeast Baton Rouge
An all-suite hotel with separate living space and a cooked-to-order breakfast tradition, popular with families and groups who want room to spread out.
Check rates →The Stockade Bed and Breakfast
Central Baton Rouge
A small bed and breakfast for travelers who prefer a house, a host and a homemade breakfast to a big-brand tower.
Check rates →
$$$The Myrtles Plantation
St. Francisville
Sleep on the grounds of one of America's most famous haunted houses, in a plantation inn among old oaks in St. Francisville, about forty-five minutes north of Baton Rouge.
Check rates →Tour + stay
Ready-made pairings: a top sight and a hotel that suits it. Add both to your trip and book each when you are ready.
Baton Rouge guides
Baton Rouge for First-Timers: What to See and How to Plan
A practical introduction to Louisiana's capital: the sights worth your time, how the city is laid out, when to go and how to mix downtown, LSU and day trips.
Baton Rouge in Three Days: Capitol, Plantations and Cajun Country
A three-day itinerary that fits downtown, the USS KIDD, LSU, plantation country and a Cajun Country day into one trip, with timing tips for each stop.
Where to Stay in Baton Rouge: Downtown, South Baton Rouge or Plantation Country
How to choose between downtown, the LSU and interstate corridor, a bed and breakfast and a plantation inn, with notes on parking, football weekends and sessions.
LSU Game Day Guide: Tickets, Tailgates and a Weekend in Baton Rouge
How to do an LSU home game weekend: getting tickets, booking hotels early, tailgating etiquette, getting to the stadium and what else to see around kickoff.
Plantations Near Baton Rouge: Rosedown, Oakley, Magnolia Mound and More
A guide to choosing plantation tours around Baton Rouge: what each site offers, how to combine them, and how to approach the history honestly.
Cajun Country Day Trips from Baton Rouge: Swamps, Tabasco and Boudin
Plan a day in Cajun Country from Baton Rouge: the Atchafalaya Basin, Breaux Bridge, Lake Martin and Avery Island, with drive times and timing advice.
