Looking for family-friendly things to do in Baton Rouge? We’ve got you covered. From exhilarating animal encounters and swamp exploration to thrill rides and water parks, the city has plenty of fun things to do with the kids.
Baton Rouge has many activities to offer that your family will have fun participating in as they enjoy the city. We’ve compiled a list of exciting activities for kids in Baton Rouge that will make your family trip an incredible experience.
Here are some of our favorite family-friendly things to do in Baton Rouge:
- Baton Rouge Zoo
- Liberty Lagoon
- Blue Bayou Water Park and Dixie Landin’
- USS Kidd
- LSU sports
- Kayaking
- Louisiana Art & Science Museum
- Plantations
- Swamp Tours
- Hiking
- Capitol Buildings
- Irene W. Pennington Planetarium
- Botanic Gardens
- LSU Campus Mounds
- LSU Museum of Art
- Milford’s on Third
- The Gregory
Go on a Safari at the Zoo
A day at the zoo is one of the most popular things to do in Baton Rouge for kids. The zoo serves as home to animals from around the world, so your kids get a chance to view exotic animals beyond the native Louisiana options. Some of the animal residents include the eastern black rhino, pygmy hippo, giraffes, tigers, jaguars and river otters. Baton Rouge Zoo also focuses a lot of attention on education, with interactive exhibits, animal encounters, outreach programs, camps and classes for kids and adults.
While at the zoo, take a ride on the Cypress Bayou Railroad. Kids enjoy riding the train around the perimeter of the zoo. Narrated tram rides are available by reservation and last 25 minutes. Stop by the fish-feeding stations and the petting zoo for a fun, interactive experience. Between the animal exhibits and the experiences, this zoo is a top choice for kids of all ages.
Splash at Liberty Lagoon
When you want to beat the heat, include a water park on your list of things to do in Baton Rouge with kids. Liberty Lagoon is a popular option. The park has several slides and kiddie play areas. Other features include a vortex pool, lazy river, splash pad and lap pool. Take a turn on the FlowRider attraction to try your hand at surfing. This city water park is a popular summer option for kids and a great family activity to do in Baton Rouge.
Experience Thrills at Blue Bayou Water Park and Dixie Landin’
Head to Dixie Landin’ and Blue Bayou Water Park for a day of family fun. Your ticket gets you into both the amusement park and the water park, so you can choose how you spend your time. Rides at Dixie Landin’ include a carousel, Ferris wheel, log flume, tilt-a-whirl and roller coasters. The park also features several kiddie rides for your youngest family members.
The Blue Bayou Water Park offers water play options for the whole family. Choose from an assortment of water slides, from family-friendly to thrilling drop slides. Feel like you’re in the ocean at the Hurricane Bay wave pool, or relax on the lazy river. Spend the entire day at the water park, or split your time between the amusement rides and the water slides. The whole family will have a great day participating in the activities Dixie Landin’ and Blue Bayou Water Park have to offer.
Learn About World War II at the USS Kidd
The USS KIDD is a restored World War II naval destroyer that gives kids a glimpse at what the ship looked like in 1945. This kid-friendly attraction is right in the heart of downtown Baton Rouge on the Mississippi River, serving as a memorial to those who served. The location is unique due to the huge differences in water levels throughout the year. A special docking system means the ship is dry-docked in a specially designed cradle docking system for part of the year. The rest of the year, the ship sits in the waters of the Mississippi.
Inside, the ship serves as a museum with carefully restored areas featuring actual artifacts set up the way you would have seen them in 1945. Step about the ship to visit the museum to give your kids a unique look at history in a realistic setting. Your family will have an unforgettable experience walking around this World War II relic.
After checking out the USS KIDD, stop at the nearby Veterans Memorial Museum. This is a great way for older kids to learn more about the contributions veterans have made to our country. You’ll see a variety of displays, including aircraft, model ships, replicas and an eternal flame in the Louisiana Memorial Plaza in honor of veterans. Visiting this museum is an excellent opportunity for kids to learn about why our veterans are so important to us.
Cheer for LSU Sports Squads
The LSU campus offers several things to do with kids in Baton Rouge, including plenty of sporting events where you can cheer on the Tigers. In the fall, head to Tigers Stadium to root for the football team. Alex Box Stadium comes alive during baseball season as the Tigers take the field. The school has a slew of other sports teams, including basketball, softball, soccer, gymnastics, swimming, volleyball, track and field, and tennis, so you have plenty of other sporting events to choose from as well.
Whether you’re there for a game or just to see the facilities, stop by to see Mike the Tiger. This live tiger mascot for the sports teams lives in a posh 15,000-square-foot enclosure with plenty of green space and water features to keep him happy.
The Andonie Museum is a way to explore LSU sports even if the teams aren’t playing. This museum is dedicated to sports at LSU. You can check out all sorts of artifacts and memorabilia that capture the history of the school’s sports teams.
Go Kayaking at LSU
Spending time outdoors on the LSU campus is another great family activity to do in Baton Rouge. The LSU campus is a beautiful place to spend a day with plenty of green space and the popular LSU lakes. Pack a picnic before heading to the campus. Don’t forget to also pack some snacks for the ducks that make the lake their home.
While you’re there, enjoy the lake from the shore, or rent a kayak, canoe or paddleboard to get out on the water. The rental comes with everything you need, including life jackets, for a fun and safe time on the water.
Explore Arts and Science
Stop at the Louisiana Art & Science Museum for an interactive learning experience for all ages. Located in a historic railroad depot, this museum pulls in a number of subjects through the interactive displays and galleries. The Ancient Egypt gallery features a number of ancient artifacts, including a mummy. Tower Planet is an area over two stories high with scale models of the planets. Visiting exhibits keep the museum fresh.
If you have kids 7 and under, visit Discovery Depot. This area features toys, puppets, train sets, kitchens and other interactive play options. Kids 7 to 12 have their own area called Science Station. Here, kids test out different scientific ideas with hands-on activities.
The whole family can learn more about art and science with these exciting centers in Baton Rouge.
Discover Stars Any Time of Day
A part of the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium offers a fun way to learn about the stars and take in other fun shows on the planetarium dome. Your ticket to the museum also grants you access to the planetarium shows. Shows about stars anchor the planetarium’s schedule, but the facility also shows other movies related to things like engineering and nature.
A planetarium show is a great way to pique the curiosity of your kids and inspire them to learn more about the stars and space that surround us at night.
Take a Step Back in Time
Plantations in the Baton Rouge area give kids the chance to see what life was like centuries ago. Many of the plantations offer tours and feature historical artifacts to create a realistic experience for visitors. Here are three spots you should hit:
- Magnolia Mound Plantation: Structures on the grounds include the main house, open-hearth kitchen, slave quarters, pigeonnier, overseer’s house and privy.
- Myrtles Plantation in nearby St. Francisville: Take a historical tour of the antebellum plantation to see beautiful details, including ornamental ironwork and hand-painted stained glass. The estate is thought to be one of the most haunted homes in the country, so the plantation also offers mystery tours with an emphasis on the haunted aspect of the home.
- LSU Rural Life Museum: The Plantation Quarters is a complex filled with 19th-century buildings, including a kitchen, overseer’s house, slave quarters, sick house, commissary, schoolhouse, blacksmith’s shop, sugar house and grist mill. Explore the buildings to see what life was like in the 19th century. The museum also features the Exhibit Barn with artifacts related to rural life.
Head to the Swamp
Swampy marshland is a big part of Louisiana, and there are a few places to see that natural element in the Baton Rouge area. Bluebonnet Swamp is one place to learn more about wildlife in the area. Education exhibits inside the exhibit building make this stop a fun learning experience. Head out on the trails in Bluebonnet Swamp for a chance to see foxes, deer, otters, rabbits and lots of other wildlife.
Another great place to see the wilds of Louisiana is at the Atchafalaya Basin, a short drive from the city. You can take swamp tours in the area or explore on your own. The area also has an 18-mile bridge where you can see the swamp from the comforts of your car. This fun family activity will show you another side of Baton Rouge you may not have known existed outside of the city.
Go Hiking
If you’re looking for free kid-friendly things to do in Baton Rouge, put on your walking shoes and go for a walk or hike. The city offers plenty of green areas and trails just waiting for you to explore. Many of the multi-use trails are wide, paved paths that connect different parks and areas of town.
If you want something a little more primitive, you can also find dirt paths that go through conservation areas and forested areas. Some of those areas include the Frenchtown Road Conservation Area, Comite River Park, Sandy Creek Community Park and Highland Road Park Observatory.
Explore Capitol Buildings
Baton Rouge boasts two different capitol buildings, both of which offer kids a fun and educational experience. The current Louisiana State Capitol is the tallest U.S. capitol building at a towering 450 feet. The building has 34 floors. Head up to the 27th floor to visit the Observation Deck, and see Baton Rouge from a new vantage point. The Capitol has beautiful grounds you can explore with your kids.
Another stop on the grounds of the State Capitol is the Old Arsenal Museum. Built in 1838 as a federal military post, this historic building now serves as a museum with displays centering around the structure itself and the history of the grounds that contain the State Capitol.
The Old State Capitol is the former statehouse of Louisiana. Situated on a bluff above the Mississippi River, this building looks more like a castle than a capitol building. After a restoration in the ‘90s, the Old State Capitol became the Museum of Political History.
The Gothic architecture and gorgeous stained glass make the building a beautiful place to explore with your kids. Stop by the Ghost of the Castle show, where you experience a 4-D immersive program featuring the ghost of Sarah Morgan, a woman from the Civil War era. This experience brings history alive in an engaging way that gets kids excited about learning.
Grow a Love for Plants
The whole family can enjoy their time learning about plants, nature and butterflies at the gardens Baton Rough has to offer.
The LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens offer a natural retreat in the city. Follow the trails around a swamp area, arboretum, a rose garden and other areas. The Children’s Garden is an ideal area for your kids to explore nature. The Gardens encourage kids to touch items in the area and explore nature. The butterfly garden section of the Children’s Garden gives your kids a chance to observe butterflies at all stages, from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis and, finally, butterfly. Kids are also invited to try the many edible plants growing in the garden.
Another option is the Botanic Garden at Independence Park. The outdoor gardens are a work in progress, with more areas being added as funding becomes available. The area features many different types of flowers, including ginger, fern, daylily, iris and rose gardens. The Sensory Garden is full of edibles, including herbs. The park also has a butterfly garden.
Learn About Native American History
The LSU campus is full of historic sites, activities and museums perfect for families, including the LSU Campus Mounds. Two conical mounds on the campus are thought to be mounds constructed by Native Americans as ceremonial sites anywhere from 4,000 to 2,000 BC. Even though they are ancient landmarks, you don’t have to look at them from afar. You are allowed to walk on the mounds, and kids often enjoy rolling down the hills or simply running up and down them.
Check Out Artwork at the Shaw Center for the Arts
Inspire your child’s inner artist with a trip to the LSU Museum of Art. The museum is located at the Shaw Center for the Arts. It’s the city’s only museum dedicated solely to art and features more than 6,500 items from around the world in its permanent collection. You can also check out temporary exhibits frequently added to the museum.
Outside the Shaw Center for the Arts, you’ll spot another Baton Rouge favorite among kids. The center features fountains perfect for splashing and playing in on a hot day. Geysers of water spray up out of the ground, giving kids plenty of chances to get wet.
Refuel at a Kid-Friendly Spot
With so many kid-friendly things to do in Baton Rouge, you’ll have many options to stay busy. You’ll also need a place to grab nourishment between adventures.
For a quick lunch, head to Milford’s on Third, where you can order fresh NYC-style deli favorites made with locally sourced ingredients. You can feel good knowing your kids are getting a delicious meal to fuel their Baton Rouge adventures. If you prefer a more upscale dining experience, add The Gregory to your family activity plans. A convenient location and a delicious take on Southern food make The Gregory a favorite downtown Baton Rouge dining option. Make a reservation today to close out a fun day with your children.
