Visit Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana

Dernière mise à jour de cet article le 2 November 2025

On our trip to Louisiana, we spent an evening and a morning in Baton Rouge, the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. This American city of 200,000 inhabitants is a major political, educational and industrial center. It is located 1h15 from New Orleans, on the east bank of the Mississippi River.

It’s quite strange, because I had such a hard time writing this article, as this city left me with such a strange feeling. Some things I really liked and others not so much. And even with hindsight, I still don’t know what to think of this city!

So what’s there to do in Baton Rouge? In this article, you’ll find several must-do activities. At the end, you’ll find Kiki’s opinion and her little history lesson.

Introducing Baton Rouge, Louisiana

First of all, I’m sure you’re wondering: why the name Baton Rouge? In fact, it was given by French explorers in 1699 when they noticed a red post marking the boundaries between the territories of two Native American tribes. Baton Rouge was founded as a city in 1721, and became the capital of Louisiana in 1849. It played an important role in the American Civil War, changing hands several times between Confederate and Union forces.

After this introduction, here are the things to do in Baton Rouge.

Visit downtown Baton Rouge

We start by visiting downtown Baton Rouge. We have to admit it was very strange, as the city was totally deserted when we visited. The reasons? Perhaps the sweltering heat and the fact that Baton Rouge is a government city, so not very touristy.

Visit the Louisiana State Capitol

We continue our tour of Baton Rouge with the Louisiana State Capitol, the new and current Louisiana State Capitol. The Louisiana State Capitol is the tallest state capitol in the United States, standing at an imposing 137 meters tall and 34 stories high. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designed in the Art Deco style. As a result, it is unique compared to other U.S. capitols, which often have a classical, domed style.

The Capitol steps are engraved with the names of the 48 U.S. states in the order in which they were admitted to the Union. The states of Hawaii and Alaska have been added to the landing.

The idea of building a new Capitol is attributed to controversial former governor Huey P. Long, who made the project a priority during his tenure. The building was completed in just 14 months. It was designed by architect Leon Weiss and inaugurated in 1932. It took 2,500 railcars to bring the limestone from France and the marble from Italy.

This building has a sad history. But I’ll say no more about it, because I can feel Kiki eager to give you her little history lesson.

Inside the Louisiana State Capitol

After passing through security, you’ll arrive in a huge hall. Here you can see the various flags of the nations that have ruled Louisiana.

• Castile and Leon in Spain,
• France and the Bourbons,
• Bourbon Spain,
• England’s Union Jack,
• the tricolor flag of France,
• the 15-star flag of the United States,
• the flag of West Florida
• the flag of the confederation the national flag of Louisiana
• the modern flag of the United States.

You can also see statues of successive governors such as Bienville, Clairbone and Nicholls.

The Capitol also houses the Senate Chamber and the House of Deputies, where legislative sessions are held. The interior decor reflects the Art Deco style, with luxurious materials including marble and carved woodwork.

Louisiana State CapitolObservatory

To get to the Louisiana Capitol Observatory, take the elevator to the 24th floor, then a second elevator to the 27th floor. At a height of over 110 meters, you’ll have a fine view of the city of Baton Rouge and its port. But you’ve got to admit, it’s a bit strange to see a city on one side, and all the industry on the other, right next to the Mississippi River as it flows into the Gulf of Mexico.

On the 27th floor, you’ll find a small information store.

Capitoline Gardens

In front of the building, the Capitoline Gardens are beautifully landscaped.

You’ll see the statue and tomb of Senator Huey Long. It stands in front of the main staircase, overlooking the gardens. It symbolizes his central role in the construction of the Capitol. But Kiki will tell you more at the end of this article.

You can walk from the Capitol to the Louisiana Museum, but with the heat it’s quite difficult. You’ll still get the best view of the new capitol.

Practical information

• Reservations are not required to visit the Capitol.
• Admission is free, even to the observatory.
• Free parking is available next to the Capitole.
• There are free trolleys linking the old capitol to the new, but we’ve never seen one.
• The capitol is open every day from 8 a.m. to 4 a.m.
• Address: 900 North Third Street Baton Rouge, LA 70802

More information on the Capitole de Louisiane website.

Visit Louisiana’s Old State Capitol

Baton Rouge’s Old Capitol is an iconic historic building. Built in 1847, it served as Louisiana’s seat of government before the new Capitol was built. This Gothic Revival building was designed by James Dakin and features architecture inspired by European medieval castles.

Louisiana’s Old State Capitol was used during several periods of Louisiana’s political history. It was damaged during the Civil War. It was restored in the years following the war and continued to serve as the seat of state government until the new Capitol was completed in 1932.

Today, the former Capitol is a museum that tells the story of Louisiana and of the building itself. It houses permanent exhibits on the state’s political history and significant events.

This building is truly unique, with its Gothic architecture. The interior is impressive, with vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows and a majestic rotunda illuminated by a glass roof.

On the second floor, you’ll find an exhibition of magnificent paintings.

This visit was really a nice surprise. Don’t miss it when you visit Baton Rouge!

Practical information:

• Admission to visit the former Louisiana Capitol is free.
• Open Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, and Saturday, 9am to 3pm.
• There’s a very pretty souvenir store. You can buy lots of souvenirs there.
• You have to park on the street, and you have to pay. You can pay with your phone by downloading an application.

After your visit to the old Louisiana Capitol, you can cross the street to the Riverfront Plaza.

Riverfront Plaza & City Dock

Baton Rouge’s riverwalk, also known as the Riverfront Plaza & City Dock, offers a breathtaking view of the Mississippi. Now, we’re not going to lie: it’s not the most beautiful view. In fact, Baton Rouge’s economy is largely based on the petrochemical industry, thanks to its proximity to the Mississippi River, which facilitates the transportation of petroleum and petrochemical by-products.

Afterwards, the walk remains pleasant, even if there are a lot of industries. But the heat (and humidity) were so great that it was very difficult to walk for long.

Finally, if you’re in Riverfront Plaza, you can visit the USS Kidd, a historic World War II destroyer moored nearby. You can also visit the Louisiana Art & Science Museum. Finally, the Shaw Center for the Arts is a cultural center offering art galleries, theater and cultural events.

Spanish Town Street in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

We ended our visit to Baton Rouge with a visit to Spanish Town, a very famous street. In fact, this street is the site of a huge Mardi Gras parade. It was obviously very quiet when we passed through, but we loved strolling along the houses amidst the majestic trees.

Visit St. Francisville

We leave Baton Rouge for St. Francisville, a small historic town about 35 minutes’ drive north of Baton Rouge. Founded in 1809, the town is renowned for its old-world charm, pre-war homes and peaceful atmosphere. There’s not much to see, but it’s very cute. After discovering the avenues of Spanish moss-covered oaks the day before on our plantation tours, we developed a passion for these trees.

Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site

Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site is a historic plantation near St. Francisville. It was built in 1835 by Daniel and Martha Turnbull, who named it after the roses Martha loved. The estate originally covered some 3,455 hectares and included a large plantation house and lush gardens.

A visit to the gardens of Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site

We visited only the magnificent Martha Turnbull Gardens, which were inspired by the gardens she had seen on her trip to France. She thus developed the gardens in the formal style of French gardens. We didn’t have time to visit the main house. However, we did get to see it at the end of this magnificent avenue of oak trees.

We loved strolling through the paths of these gardens, which contain a wide variety of plants, including roses, camellias and azaleas. The gardens also feature cedars, palms and magnolias, as well as medicinal and aromatic plants.

To round off the visit, there’s a small souvenir store.

Practical information for visiting Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site

• When you buy your ticket, you can ask for a map with explanations in French.
• There’s a small souvenir store. It is possible to visit the main house with a guide.
• The price to visit the gardens is $7 per person. With the guided tour it’s $12.
• The plantation is open from 9 am to 5 pm. You’ll need to leave plenty of time to enjoy the gardens. We almost got locked in the gardens because the employee had forgotten that we were still in the gardens (and it wasn’t quite 5 p.m.).
• Bring mosquito repellent. We got devoured in the gardens! And we finished the tour running to get away from them!
• Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site official website

How long will you be in Baton Rouge?

One morning is enough to visit Baton Rouge, including a tour of the old capitol, the new capitol and a quick stroll along the Mississippi River. The downtown area is of little interest. However, you can stay the whole day if you’re interested in museums.

Should Baton Rouge be included in a Louisiana road trip?

We started our Louisiana road trip after 2 days in New Orleans. We then took the plantation route from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. As a result, an overnight stay in Baton Rouge is a must. I think the city is worth a quick visit, especially with its new and old capitol buildings.

Find out where to go in Louisiana in this article.

Where to stay in Baton Rouge?

We stayed at the Courtyard Baton Rouge Siegen Lane. The room is really classic and does the trick for one night. For breakfast, you can choose your dish. It’s copious and very good!

Where to eat in Baton Rouge?

Next door to the hotel, there’s an excellent Mexican restaurant, Pedro’s Tacos & Tequila Bar Baton Rouge. You can get there on foot, but beware: it’s dangerous to cross these huge streets.

Where to stay in Saint Francisville?

We stayed at the Best Western St. Francisville Hotel. The room was comfortable and we loved the pool!

There’s also the Audubon Market store right next to the hotel. We loved shopping there.

Kiki’s review of her visit to Baton Rouge, Louisiana

As a Frenchman, your heart should beat faster when you read such an evocative city name in the USA. A promise of a city full of French charm and culture. That’s exactly what Kiki expected from Baton Rouge. But he should have known better: many American cities were built on a drawing board, without a soul. And if the highlight of the city is the Capitol, built in the Art Deco style, that says it all.

The history of the old Louisiana capitol

But Kiki wasn’t deterred, and visited the imposing Capitol building, which looks truly unique compared to the usual domed Capitols in Denver or Washington. And it was precisely in this building that a story was unfolding that once again touched Kiki: the story of Huey Long, the charismatic but controversial governor of Louisiana. Ever heard of him? No ? Don’t worry, Kiki’s been there, done that.

Huey Long had a dazzling political career: not only was he governor of Louisiana and later a U.S. senator, he even planned his own presidential bid! In Baton Rouge, he was committed to the construction of the new Capitol building, which was completed in 1932.

But only three years later, this building was to become his destiny. One September evening, Long’s bitter opponent, Dr. Carl Weiss, entered the Capitol and shot the populist politician dead in the middle of his life’s work. A tragic ending that seems straight out of a play – a man dying in the building he had fought so hard to defend.

Tribute to Huey Long

Visitors to Baton Rouge’s Capitol Hill can see the monument and tomb that bear witness to his controversial career and violent end. Huey Long’s story remains an example of how influential figures can be both admired and rejected. Kiki is both fascinated and moved. No one deserves to be killed just for their commitment.

But it’s precisely because of his tragic fate that Huey Long has become unforgettable in Baton Rouge, and his legacy is firmly embedded in the city’s history. And it’s precisely this kind of history that Kiki likes best. So be sure to visit Baton Rouge and let yourself be captivated by this story.