I visited Blue Bayou Water Park in Baton Rouge, and overall, the experience was just okay. The…read morewater park itself was nice, the water was clean, and the slides that were open were fun. However, there were still a few slides closed, which was disappointing. One of the issues was the free drinks. It's a great perk, but most of the time the drinks were warm because they kept running out of ice. When they actually had ice, the drinks were good, but it was difficult to enjoy them when the machines were constantly out. Another major concern was the smell. Throughout most of my visit (around 12 p.m to 5:20 p.m.), there were frequent strong sewage odors throughout the park. While we were eating, the smell became so noticeable that we couldn't even finish our food. Anytime the breeze came through, you could smell it again, and it really affected the overall experience. The park has potential, and I enjoyed the slides that were available, but the closed attractions, lack of ice, and ongoing sewage smell were major drawbacks. I'm not sure if I would return unless those issues were addressed.

The pricing was egregious. 150$ for 3 people, booked over 7 days in advance. Could've gone to 6…read moreflags and gotten a better experience for the same price. The people were nice, but the rides were underwhelming, there wasn't anywhere aside from the wavepool and lazy river to really have some chill fun while the kids played. Crazy kids running around, pushing people and saying slurs with 0 parents in sight and no stepping in from the part staff. HAD TO PAY FOR PARKING, after the OUTRAGEOUS ticket prices. I was so excited to come here, and was so disappointed when I got home. Never coming back again, I'd rather to go six flags for the same price and a way better experience.

Def recommend... priced for seniors... clean gym, pool, classes for seniors..evening classes for…read moreworking people... great place indoor and outdoor...summer outdoor pool for the kiddos

This is a great place to walk and play tennis. They even have a full gym and a water park now! I…read morelike walking around the pond circuit walk ways. The only downside is that some people have no respect and throw litter on the ground. But then again, there is always a maintenance guy driving around cleaning up stuff! Thanks for a great place to bring my kids!!!

During our cross country road trip in the summer of 2022, we traveled with the truck and trailer…read morefrom Los Angeles to Key West and back. My wife booked a few nights in Tickfaw state park, sight unseen, to be more or less in the vicinity of New Orleans, a plantation tour, and a swamp boat tour that we had booked months in advance. As it turned out, we actually enjoyed this state park stay more than our visit to New Orleans! The state park entrance is actually at the back of a neighborhood of sorts, on a narrow two-lane road that cuts away from the highway at a weird angle. Once inside the park proper, visitors are treated to beautiful swamps, complete with cypress trees, Spanish moss, and all the critters you would expect to find here. The campground we enjoyed had full hook ups, a small wooden deck, and a long back-in pad for our trailer. There was also a resident raccoon who kept us honest about locking things up at night, and securing coolers and food. Tickfaw state park features long boardwalks with railings, that afford visitors beautiful hikes in different parts of the park through different kinds of trees and plants. Unfortunately, many of these were still damaged in the summer of 2022 from the previous year's Hurricane Ida that blew through southern Louisiana and surrounding areas. The only trail that was not affected by this was the one without a boardwalk, so we enjoyed a hike through beautiful pines that went down to the river. Despite most of the trails being closed and damaged, we still enjoyed ourselves here, and had a good time. In the evening, I enjoyed casting topwater lures in on the cypress knees and trees, and caught & released several big bowfin... A fish that is sort of a cross between a catfish a bass, and a pit bull I suppose. I'm not sure when we will be back through this part of the world, but Tickfaw State Park is definitely a place that I would stay again: off the beaten path but close enough to where you want to be, peaceful and quiet, and the kind of southern serene that helps a SoCal guy like me to slow down and enjoy life a little bit.

$3 per person at the gate gets you in. The park has a lot of trails, camp sites, kayaking and…read moreplenty of things to do. The nature center has a lot to read about the area and the things you will see in the area. The guy working was friendly, very informative. Everything seemed well organized.

What a great addition to the Audubon Zoo! This was my first time to see the venue after hearing…read moreabout it for a while. The lazy river is artfully done, giving a nod to Louisiana wildlife and nature areas. There are a lot of skillful and friendly lifeguards around the area. There are several different food pavilions, restrooms, locker areas, and areas to sit. There is also a fun water slide, giving homage to the infamous alligators with albinism who have taken residence at the Zoo and Aquarium over the years. This would be a fun place to relax with your kids during one of the summer sessions. My friends and I attending the adults-only Sip and Dip event held on Fridays during the summer. It was very affordable for a private cabana for six with early access. Be sure to reserve your tickets for the event early online as it does sell out. It got a bit crowded toward the end, and they did run out of regular floats, though some preferred the thick floating noodles offered. Every Friday night has a different theme, so there is something for everyone. They bring in Dickie Brennans for the bar, and they were wonderful with decently priced drinks and quality alcohol. They were also creating with the mocktails. I certainly will return for another Sip and Dip either later this summer, if able, or next year. Absolutely worth it!

Four stars for Cool Zoo's beautiful grounds and water features that are artfully rendered. Two and…read morea half stars for Sip & Dip. Five stars for the incredibly friendly staff. My first time at Cool Zoo was for the adults-only Friday night party, Sip & Dip. This event is 2X a month during the heart of the summer and features theme nights with DJs and of course since this is NOLA, people get creative and might dress in theme. I went on 80s night and the music was so fun and I loved people wearing neon, 80s tshirts and even hair and make-up. Refreshments stands are spread out among the park and they do a themed cocktail and sell beer, hard seltzer and soft drinks, along with typical concession food and popcorn. I had the cocktail of the evening, the Purple Rain and while it was eye-catching, it was so sweet and possibly strong, too, that I couldn't drink more than 1/4 of it (and it's a huge cup, fairly priced at only $13). The grounds are beautiful with fountains and an area with slides and water features that you'd normally see children dominating (with perfectly good reason) but it was actually fun to see adults having at it on the slides and at the water sprayers. Then there's the lazy river, which is a decent size, warm and full of jets to move you along. We ended up not using flotation devices and swam/walked through it. My main issue and why this event isn't personally my cup of tea: it's too crowded. It sells out but I think they sell far too many tickets. We arrived 15 min after it started and there wasn't a lounge chair nor seat at a table to be found. Cabanas are so cheap here but they sell out immediately ahead of the event, likely the day that tickets go on sale. The only way I'd return was if I could get a cabana. The lazy river is completely packed 45 minutes into the event. We were lucky enough to get a locker (which also sell out so imagine being there without a space to put your things??? how is that fun?). People are in general nice enough to hand over the inner tubes but good luck ever getting a place to sit if you didn't line up in advance of start time. I keep going back between 3 and 4 stars for the main reason that everyone who works here is SO nice. The staff really made everything bearable for me, as they were so welcoming and helpful to point out where the lockers were (there's another set behind the set you initially encounter). I just think this isn't the event for anyone who avoids crowds of people. And the crowd that was there that night were totally fine (at least early in the evening). They just sell too many tickets for me to enjoy it.

From what I understand, there are major renovations being completed at this park and the adjacent…read moreBaton Rouge zoo. Our family plans to go back once the weather gets a little bit cooler. There is a brand new entrance to the zoo, which goes through the Greenwood Community Park. Also, several of the zoo exhibits have been upgraded, which was badly needed.

This place is pretty awesome. It's a huge park with a lake and a tennis court and a golf course and…read morea rec center and a play area for kids. Like it literally has EVERYTHING! Did I mention you can rent a kayak, canoe or paddle board for the lake and they have bikes you can rent too?! I had been looking up kayak rentals and they were all 40 minutes or more away and cost double even with a groupon. Then I happened to find this place and felt like I'd hit the jackpot. Not only did we kayak but we also rode bikes and played around like big kids. It was an awesome experience. The staff on hand was helpful resourceful and fun. They coached us through boarding, un boarding, and maneuvering our kayak. They definitely made us feel welcomed and want to come back.

One of the only parks in the area attracting visitors from Villa del Rey to North and West of…read moreFlorida Blvd. There's a walking / running track around the outside of the park that's measured (I forget how many times around is a mile), a single basketball goal, some children's equipment (teeter totter, swing set, slides), and one pavilion in case of rain and a tennis court. Basically this is one of the most ignored parks in the BREC system. There have been no park upgrades in years despite the fact that park utilization has increased 10-fold. That being said, it's a wonderful multicultural experience given the demographics of the area. BREC needs to pay more attention to this place and perhaps fence off an area for dogs as the nearest dog park is 5 miles or more away depending on where you live. There's a large open space for playing fetch, but people who let their dog's off leash risk a fine. Also, even without a bark park, there is no provision for bags to pick up dog poop when you walk your dog on leash so bring your own doggie bags. Wonderful place, too bad BREC is so busy concentrating on water parks and parks in the South East part of the Parish. A full size basketball court and more equipment for children would also be nice.