Baton Rouge itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Baton Rouge, day by day: the Louisiana State Capitol, the Shaw Center for the Arts, the Old State Capitol, the USS Kidd, Magnolia Mound Plantation and Mike the Tiger's Habitat first, then the Governor's Mansion and Mount Hope Plantation as you add a second day. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Baton Rouge in 1 day
Day 1
Louisiana State Capitol
A 450-foot Art Deco skyscraper of 1932, the tallest US state capitol, with a free observation deck and memorial hall.
Shaw Center for the Arts
Downtown arts building with the LSU Museum of Art, a theatre, restaurants and a rooftop terrace over the river.
Old Louisiana State Capitol
Gothic Revival castle of 1850 on the river bluff, now a museum of Louisiana political history with a stained glass dome.
USS Kidd (DD-661)
Second World War destroyer restored to its 1945 appearance, moored on the Mississippi with a veterans museum alongside.
Magnolia Mound Plantation House
French Creole plantation house from the 1790s, with period furnishings, kitchen and gardens, shown on guided tours.
Mike the Tiger's Habitat
Large outdoor habitat on the Louisiana State University campus, near Tiger Stadium, home to the live tiger who serves as the university's mascot.
Baton Rouge in 2 days
Day 1
Louisiana Governor's Mansion
Official residence of Louisiana's governor, a 1960s Georgian-style house near the Capitol, seen from outside or on rare tours.
Louisiana State Capitol
A 450-foot Art Deco skyscraper of 1932, the tallest US state capitol, with a free observation deck and memorial hall.
Shaw Center for the Arts
Downtown arts building with the LSU Museum of Art, a theatre, restaurants and a rooftop terrace over the river.
Old Louisiana State Capitol
Gothic Revival castle of 1850 on the river bluff, now a museum of Louisiana political history with a stained glass dome.
USS Kidd (DD-661)
Second World War destroyer restored to its 1945 appearance, moored on the Mississippi with a veterans museum alongside.
Mike the Tiger's Habitat
Large outdoor habitat on the Louisiana State University campus, near Tiger Stadium, home to the live tiger who serves as the university's mascot.
Day 2
Magnolia Mound Plantation House
French Creole plantation house from the 1790s, with period furnishings, kitchen and gardens, shown on guided tours.
Mount Hope Plantation House
Historic plantation house of 1817 near Baton Rouge, now open for tours and events, with gardens.
Watch: Baton Rouge
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Baton Rouge
Spring and autumn are the best times, when days are warm and dry enough for the Capitol, the Rural Life Museum and outdoor stops. Summers are hot and very humid with frequent thunderstorms, and hurricane season runs from June to November. Winters are mild with occasional cool, wet days. LSU home football games in autumn fill hotels and roads; Mardi Gras parades run in the weeks before Lent.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Baton Rouge on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Baton Rouge on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Baton Rouge on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
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Tips for Baton Rouge
- The Louisiana State Capitol of 1932 has a free observation deck on the 27th floor; bring photo ID, as the building has security screening.
- The Old State Capitol, a Gothic Revival castle on the river bluff, is a museum of political history and keeps limited opening days; check before going.
- The USS Kidd, a Second World War destroyer, can be toured on deck and below, and sits next to the Mississippi River levee downtown.
- Magnolia Mound Plantation House is a restored French Creole house of the late 1700s, shown on guided tours; check the tour times.
- Downtown is walkable, but Mike the Tiger's Habitat at LSU and the plantation houses are several kilometres apart, so a car or taxi is needed between areas.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Louisiana Governor's Mansion: Sf46 at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- Louisiana State Capitol: Chrismiceli, CC0
- Magnolia Mound Plantation House: David J. Kaminsky, Public domain
- Mike the Tiger's Habitat: Boyd Crochet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mount Hope Plantation House: Tjean314, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Old Louisiana State Capitol: unknown author, Public domain
- Shaw Center for the Arts: UrbanPlanet BR ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- USS Kidd (DD-661): unknown author, Public domain
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
