East Baton Rouge Parish

Being home to the state capital of Baton Rouge comes with certain perks; visitors here can expect to find an amazing concentration of museums, cultural sites and other public attractions. Louisiana State University and Southern University add campus resources—not the least being hugely-popular college sporting events. The urban traveler will enjoy state historical sites dating back to colonial days, riverfront casinos, a menu for every palate and upscale retail or funky boutique shopping. Plantation homes, golf courses and attractions like the Rural Life Museum, the Baton Rouge Zoo and cruises on the aptly-named Alligator Bayou promise adventurous excursions and recreation to the outdoor set. In neighboring Baker, the Heritage Museum is a restored turn-of-the-century home that today gives visitors a peek into an earlier chapter of local history. The Z Fest in March showcases the town of Zachary with exhibitions by local schools and church groups and family-oriented competitions.