Louisiana’s capital city centers on the Louisiana State Capitol, the tallest state capitol building in the country, with the ornate Old State Capitol nearby beneath its stained-glass dome.
The Capitol Park Museum tells the state’s story through exhibits ranging from a Civil War submarine to the 1953 Baton Rouge bus boycott, and the Louisiana Art and Science Museum pairs an Egyptian mummy with the state’s largest planetarium. LSU’s sprawling campus is home to a powerhouse SEC football program and the open-air LSU Rural Life Museum, recreating rural Louisiana across more than 30 buildings.
The Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center offers a close look at local wildlife, including alligators. Spring and fall bring the most comfortable temperatures, while Mardi Gras season adds more than a dozen parades and LSU football fills fall weekends.
