If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that spring break is one of the best times of the year. It signals the true end of cold and snow as well as the onset of sunshine and warmer temperatures, and it provides us a much-needed break from our daily routines. For many of us, this is the first real vacation we get in the year, meaning we’ve been slogging along since New Year’s with no breaks. After several long months, it feels like a well-deserved rest.
Whether you’re a college student needing a break after a grueling round of midterms, a working professional eager for some time away from the office, or a family with a house full of kids who are anxious to get away from school, everyone looks forward to this time of rest and relaxation. The only question left to ask, then, is how will you spend your spring break?
While spending your break chilling out around your house can be wonderful, we think there’s nothing more exciting and refreshing than taking a trip to celebrate the warm weather and time-off. If you’re thinking of hitting the road this spring break, why not head down to Baton Rouge for some spring-time festivities? To help you plan your trip, we’ve rounded up a list of fun things to do in Baton Rouge in the spring. Pick a few favorites then get busy enjoying this spring weather.
Spring Break Things to Do in Baton Rouge
Do you have a few kids along for your trip? Traveling alone? Or maybe your vacation includes an entire gaggle of college students? No matter who’s included in your travel party, we think you’ll find there’s something for everyone on this list.
1. Soak up Some History
If you’ve got kids along for the ride, take them to tour the USS Kidd, a World War II battleship that’s been preserved and today operates as a museum. This makes a great destination if you have kids who are old enough to have learned about World War II in school, but it can also be fun with younger kids who will just be thrilled about the experience of touring a battleship. This Fletcher-class destroyer is one of only four that still exist today and operate as museums, making it a must-see experience. Tour the ship during the day or plan a truly spectacular visit by camping onboard the ship overnight with the whole family.
Once you’re finished touring the ship, don’t forget to stop by the attached Veterans Museum. Here, you can browse a varied collection of artifacts that showcase the story of our military naval history and experience what it would have been like to serve aboard a ship like the USS Kidd.
You can also take a trip to the Old State Capitol building, now called the Museum of Political History. Louisiana’s Old State Capitol is a historic building that housed the state’s legislature from the mid 19th century until the 1930s. To continue learning about Louisiana’s past, you can visit the LSU Rural Life Museum. Here, you can see the well-preserved materials rural Louisianans used in the 18th and 19th centuries.
You can discover even more about Louisiana’s history by visiting the Louisiana State Museum. The museum has exhibits focusing on Louisiana’s history, culture and industries. The subjects range from slavery and the Civil War to the fight for civil liberties and different booming industries like sugar cane and shrimp.
2. Experience the Beauty of Nature in the Spring
What better way is there to celebrate the arrival of spring than by spending time enjoying the beauty of nature? At the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens, you can experience all the nature you want by touring 440 acres of stunning greenery, all without ever leaving the heart of Baton Rouge. This isn’t just one large garden, either. Instead, the Botanic Gardens are divided into many smaller gardens such as the Children’s Garden, the Barton Arboretum and the Tropical Garden. You can take their time browsing the different sections and enjoy all the different plants and flowers that are in season at the time of your visit.
In addition to the gardens themselves, this site also houses the LSU Rural Life Museum, where visitors can get a taste of Louisiana plantation life in the 19th and 20th centuries. One of the best parts about both the gardens and this museum? It’s kid-friendly, making it a great way to spend spring break with kids in Baton Rouge.
3. Go for a Shopping Spree
What’s a vacation if you don’t do at least a little shopping while you’re away? Spring break is the perfect time to treat yourself to something new, as all the beautiful new spring clothes are on display and it’s the time of year when many of us clear older pieces out of our closet anyway. Why not replace them with something new and spring-like? If you’re planning on doing some shopping while you’re in Baton Rouge, there’s only one place to go, and that’s the Mall of Louisiana.
The Mall of Louisiana is the largest in the state, making it well worth your visit for the sheer variety of stores you’ll find inside. It’s also home to the second largest indoor carousel in the world, meaning that this is the perfect destination if you’re looking for things to do with kids on spring break in Baton Rouge.
4. Surround Yourself With Art
Who said vacation couldn’t be educational as well as relaxing? In fact, we think one of the best ways to spend spring break is to experience a little culture and art at the same time as you’re relaxing and recharging. Baton Rouge offers the perfect place to do just this at the LSU Museum of Art.
As the only dedicated art museum in the city, the LSU Museum of Art serves more than 20,000 visitors annually and features an incredible range of exhibits that display everything from 17th-century European portraits to sculpture, photography and a world-class permanent collection of Chinese Jade. All these pieces together combine to form one of the largest collections of art in the South. Worried the kids won’t enjoy the museum quite as much as you do? There are plenty of kids and family programs you can take advantage of as well to get the little ones involved.
If you want to see more art, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum has a permanent collection of fine art you can see in their galleries. In addition to the permanent collection, there are also temporary revolving art exhibits you can experience.
5. Visit the Stadium
If you’re a major sports fan, then you likely already know the LSU Tigers Stadium is the sixth-largest of its kind in the world. Even if sports aren’t typically something you’re interested in, there’s still something awe-inspiring about the sheer size of this stadium. While spring break won’t be the right season to catch a game at this impressive spot, it’s still worth dropping by to see even during the off-season.
This stadium makes a particularly great place to tour if you’re a sports fan but is just as much fun if you aren’t. Even the kids will be awed by the enormous stands and the size of the field itself. No matter who you have in your party, this will be one visit everyone will remember for years to come.
6. Explore the Local Cuisine
The best way to experience a new city and fully immerse yourself in the local culture is to sample the cuisine. And while it’s one thing to simply eat out at a new restaurant every night, you can take things a step further by embarking on one of Baton Rouge’s famous food tours. It’s worth noting that unless your kids are fairly adventurous with their palettes, it might be best to make this an adults-only adventure.
The C’est Si Bon Food Tour is a guided walking tour of downtown Baton Rouge where you’ll get to sample food from many local restaurants while also learning a bit about the history, culture and architecture of the city streets around you. Experience the tour for yourself, and we think you’ll agree — there’s no better way to experience Southern cooking and delicious local flavors.
If you prefer the more traditional experience of trying restaurants and exploring the nightlife, downtown Baton Rouge has many restaurants, bars and shops you can try to get a taste of Louisiana flavors. Whether you want seafood, gelato or a drink, you are sure to find a delicious stop downtown.
7. Grab Some Fresh Local Produce
There’s something about the spring and sunshine that inspires many of us to experiment with new foods and even start eating a little healthier, as opposed to cooking the same meals we always cook. And what better place to try something new than when you’re on vacation in a new city? If you’re looking to cook up something tasty for yourself or perhaps grab some unusual treats to snack on as you wander the city, then we think a stop at the Red Stick Farmer’s Market is in order.
The Red Stick Markets are refreshing open-air markets located throughout the city, varying in size and number depending on the season. These markets house local farmers and vendors selling a tantalizing mix of exciting new foods for you to try. Enjoy the classic farmer’s market fare of fresh fruit and veggies as well as other products like meat, seafood, breads, cheeses, pickles, herbs and baked goods. Whether you’re looking for ingredients to cook a meal, or a snack to grab and go, there’s something for everyone to enjoy here.
8. Hang out With Some Furry Friends
Anyone looking for kid-friendly spring break destinations in Baton Rouge will not be surprised to hear that the Baton Rouge Zoo comes in on the list. Whether you’re a kid or an adult, there’s always a thrill to seeing your favorite animals up-close and in-person that never quite goes away. And at the Baton Rouge Zoo, there’s so much to see and do that you can be sure you won’t be bored for a minute.
This zoo is located just north of the downtown area, making it easily accessible no matter where in the city you’re staying. It’s also home to more than 1,800 animals from habitats across the globe. Here, you and your whole crew can spend the day marveling at amazing creatures such as alligators, flamingoes, cheetahs, rhinos, tigers, zebras, giraffes, snakes and eagles. Plan to browse the zoo at your leisure, or check out upcoming events and attend one that interests you.
If you and your family are fans of LSU, you can visit the residence of the university’s official mascot at the Mike the Tiger Habitat. Mike the Tiger is a live tiger living on the LSU campus. His habitat is 15,000 square feet and has a waterfall, stream and other amenities to keep him comfortable.
9. Fun for the Whole Family
When you want family-friendly things to do over spring break in Baton Rouge, visiting Knock Knock Children’s Museum and the Blue Bayou Water Park and Dixie Landin’ is a must. There are many fun activities for the whole family, whether you want to spend some time indoors or soak up the sun while staying cool in the water.
Knock Knock Children’s Museum dedicates its services to helping children have fun while developing their basic skills. The museum offers hands-on learning opportunities that help kids learn, play and interact with each other. Additionally, some exhibits inspire children to develop an interest in science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEM) topics.
After spending a day indoors, take the family outside to enjoy two popular amusement parks located across from each other. The Blue Bayou Water Park is full of fun attractions, including five of the world’s largest waterslides. If you prefer roller coasters, bumper cars and other rides, Dixie Landin’ is the perfect place for the family. With 27 attractions, you can have fun all day trying different rides.
10. Enjoy the Great Outdoors
After a long winter of being cooped up inside, it seems only natural that the best way to celebrate spring is to enjoy as much time outdoors as possible. If you’re looking for outdoor adventure, why not head to one of our country’s great state parks? While Louisiana is home to many state parks, one that’s especially nice to visit with kids is Tickfaw Park
Tickfaw Park includes sections of four distinct ecosystems that you can spend the day exploring — a cypress swamp, a mixed pine and hardwood forest, a hardwood forest and the Tickfaw River itself. As a visitor to the park, you can walk or bike down the park’s many trails, explore the boardwalk and even canoe down the river with your whole party. While this park is a bit outside the city limits, it’s still well within easy driving distance if you’re staying in or near Baton Rouge.
11. Enjoy Dinner and Drinks
It wouldn’t be a vacation without sampling the food at one of the premier restaurants in town. Whether you choose to make dinner your primary destination of the evening or you’re stopping in for a meal on your way to an exciting night out, the place to dine in town is at The Gregory.
Here at The Gregory, we pride ourselves on using the freshest local ingredients to prepare dishes that showcase the very best of Southern Cajun-style cooking, all while putting our own special twists on the dishes, of course. Whether you’re a Cajun food aficionado or this is your first experience, we don’t think you’ll come away disappointed.
We also combine these great tastes and flavors with a dining experience to remember by serving you in our one-of-a-kind dining room and bar. With walls covered in gorgeous murals by Angela Gregory, from whom we proudly take our name, our dining room has a style that’s all its own. If you’re looking for an elegant night out in Baton Rouge, let the Gregory be your very first stop.
The Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center is a great way to spend your spring break days outside. Walk the boardwalks and paths around the nature center’s 103 acres of land to see various habitats of forests and swamps with many creatures. The center has an exhibit building with displays of live animals and natural objects when you want to take a break out of the sun.
12. Spend the Night at the Watermark Hotel
After a long day of walking state parks, visiting museums and eating all the good food you can manage, it’s time for a good night’s sleep. When it comes to finding a place to stay in Baton Rouge, we think the best place is the Watermark hotel.
The Watermark hotel is one of the finest luxury hotels in downtown Baton Rouge. It also has a fascinating past and offers an eclectic experience, unlike anything you’ll experience anywhere else. The hotel building was originally built almost a century ago and housed the Louisiana Trust & Savings Bank. While these financial offices have long since been transformed into hotel rooms, the traces of this past still remain in the form of hand-painted murals decorating the ceiling, marble staircases and dining spaces formed in historic bank vaults.
Best of all? The Gregory is located just adjacent to the Watermark hotel’s lobby, making these two sites a convenient pair for dining out and spending a luxurious night in.
How Will You Spend Your Spring Break in Baton Rouge?
From swamp tours, zoos and botanical gardens to high art, sports and luxury hotels, there’s always something fun to do in Baton Rouge, making it the perfect place to spend your spring break. Are you planning a vacation to Baton Rouge? Be sure to tell us what can’t-miss spots are on your agenda for the trip. And while you’re here, don’t forget to book a hotel room at the unforgettable Watermark hotel and experience the tastes and flavors of the Deep South at The Gregory.
