I was pretty disappointed by the event. Nothing was really decorated for Christmas. The website…read moresaid the house would be decorated in holiday decor. We took the tour, and nothing was decorated. They did have a few vendor booths selling things. Two people were singing Christmas carols. They did have a cooking demonstration in the kitchen, which was interesting. We also rode the wagon ride, which was very short. I wanted to like this event, but it just didn't feel like Christmas. Not compared to the other plantations or even rural life. I feel like they could do much better. We didn't stay for the bonfire, so I don't know how that was. I don't think I would go back though.

I simply love the holidays. There are so many holiday events that come up during the holiday season…read morehere in the capital city. This one definitely has potential to be greater every year! Magnolia Mounds is huge and it can definitely host the masses (as long as there is no rain because most of the venue is outdoors). Creole Christmas & Holiday Fair usually takes place a couple weeks before Christmas and it is a 5-hour event. It's a simple event and it definitely teaches the simplicity of Christmas in the 1800s'. There was singing duo, dancers, pop-up retailers, horse-drawn carriage rides, bonfire, plantation house tours and my absolute favorite - the open hearth kitchen demonstrations. It made for a fun afternoon with the family on a brisk, December afternoon. If you have never been, bring your family next year. Much of the plantation is open, so you can take tours of almost everything, unless it is under construction. Plus, there is plenty of outdoor, open space for the little ones to run around and burn some of that energy. Even though this event is a more condensed version of what you'd see, if you were to pay for a tour here, it was still a cool learning experience. I'd love to see more interactive stations and educational stations. It would be a great opportunity for them to promote their summer camps, too. My daughter loves their summer camps, so she loves Magnolia Mound. It would have been cool to see just a little bit more. I understood that they were trying to keep it simple, but simple can still be a bit more interactive and immersed learning. Hope to see this event get better throughout the years.

Now this is a holiday festival my family have always enjoyed going to during the Christmas season…read more It has gotten bigger and better as the years have gone by. In recent years, they have added a snow tubing area that the kids absolutely love. There is live music, local restaurants open, visits/photos with Santa at the Old State Capitol and so much more. Downtown is definitely bustling with families and individuals ready to celebrate the holiday season. The tree gets lit and many flock over participate in the festivities. I love events that bring the community out enjoy all that downtown has to offer. The Baton Rouge downtown area is booming, so when events happen to bring more attention to it happen, I always love to participate. This is also the same evening that Forum 35 holds their annual Reindeer Run that is an event that encourages to Baton Rouge to get active, race or leisurely run around the downtown area. Awesome to see huge participation for this event as well! So, when the holidays come around, make sure you are in tune with the date of this festival and make plans to gather your peeps and/or your family and get them out to kick off the holiday season the right way!

The LSU Rural Life Center and Burden Museum and Gardens are a hidden gem in Baton Rouge. They are…read morelocated right by I-10 on Essen, so they are easy to find. It's a very large property, and serves many purposes and hosts many events. It's a great resource that our city is very lucky to have. There are gardens and research facilities here associated with LSU, there are historical buildings and artifacts from Louisiana, then there are forests and wetlands, these are linked by roads and hiking trails. There's lots to see, and there are various events to participate in. One of these events is the new Louisiana Lights Festival which is a holiday-themed light show. It's impressive already and it's just getting started. Each year will bring more to this event! Another great event is the fall festival with its corn mazes, petting zoos, hay rides, and other fall fun activities. There are different events throughout the year, one need only check the website to be informed. There's really something for everyone here, from agriculture, horticulture, children's playgrounds, hiking, history, or just a place to have a picnic, this facility is there to meet the needs of the community. It's something that our residents and visitors should be aware of and utilize!

Amazing! A beautiful nature oasis. From mossy oaks to sunflowers, there is so much to look at here!…read more Located right off the interstate or on Essen Lane, the Burden Gardens is Baton Rouge's hidden gem. Besides just looking at nature or going on a nature walk for free, there are several events that take place here regularly. Junior League has a kid-friendly event under the outdoor the gazebo each month, there is the Louisiana Lights event in December, and a corn maze in Oct. This place is huge! There is a meeting place, which is easily accessible when you pull in. There are also places to stop and sit and go to the restroom. A great place to explore!!

Wonderful oasis in the city for a stroll or a lunch. Beautiful rose garden; informative herb…read moregarden. Pollinators garden is such a joy! The volunteers who maintain this area for the community are unbelievably dedicated. Thank y'all!

A peaceful break in the middle of a bustling city. I couldn't resist getting out in the beautiful…read moresunshine this weekend, and while driving around running errands, I pulled into the Botanic Garden for a quick walk. While nothing is blooming right now as it's still February, you can still quietly walk around and take in the seasonal nature. There are plenty of benches spread about so you can sit and take a break if needed. The grounds are very clean and clear of debris. I look forward to going once things bloom and brighten up a bit.

The Capitol Park Museum is definitely worth a visit…read more There are some genuinely interesting exhibits, and it does a good job showcasing Louisiana's history and culture. It's engaging enough to spend a solid amount of time exploring, especially if you're already visiting other museums in the area. That said, certain parts of the museum felt a bit repetitive - almost like carbon copies of exhibits you might see at the Old State Capitol or other nearby museums. If you're doing multiple stops, you might notice some overlap. Still, the admission is very affordable, which makes it an easy and worthwhile stop overall.

Honestly, I had high hopes, but I should have known better. The state of LA has a rich history of…read morebeing part of the Deep South so I'm not sure why I expected anything elevated, learned, recognized, or truthful to be here. The museum is cheap to get into, can be completed in less than 2 hours and is technically geared more towards school age, but since it was our first time in the state capitol I figured it was worth the visit. I actually found myself crying, actual tears, in the middle of a museum for how poorly done the entire portion on slavery was. If ever there was a chance for a state to tell the real story, the real history, this would be it and that isn't what happens here. At EVERY turn there was some watered down version of how slaves "benefited" or "learned skills" and I was horrified. There was an entire section dedicated to slavery and not one school field trip was visiting that section and there were at least 2 buses of kids in the location. Let me be clear though, when I say a section was dedicated to slavery they did not tell the full story or the truth and they didn't even try! The one highlight was learning the history of mardi gras upstairs, but it was very Krewe heavy and I want to believe there's more history to learn there as well.

I called on Saturday to ask if they considered Mother's Day a holiday or if we'd be able to get the…read morespecial pricing that starts at 9:00 Sunday morning. The person answering the phone didn't know the answer to the question, so she took my name and number and said she would have the manager call when they came in that evening. Didn't hear from the manager or anyone else. We took a chance, drove 35 minutes, arriving at 9:00: the whole family (4 cars). Walked up to the front counter and was told they were closed to the public for a special event. I told the person that I called yesterday and she said "And...". And they said nothing about being closed to the public. No apology, no regret, nothing. We were all looking forward to a fun morning on Mother's Day. Instead we wasted a bunch of gas and will not be returning to one of the few places that a family can go have some affordable fun. Is it so hard to keep a website updated or make sure employees know about special events? Either of which could have saved the wasted morning and gas. What a disappointment!!

Had a great time ringing in the new year last night. This was our second time doing so and was not…read moredisappointed at all. Food was amazing, employees were very friendly, champagne was delicious and the party favors were so much fun.

More spread out than last year, more food and better lighting ! It was awesome beer selection was…read moregreat and the people were all enjoying themselves ! Go Brew at the Zoo!

This was my first year attending this event and I enjoyed myself sooo much!!! The parking was easy…read moreand the door to get in ran very smoothly. All the vendors here were friendly and they gave information about the different beers. I'm not much of a beer drinker but I absolutely learned a lot. The food vendors had some really good quick food. The egg rolls from bulldog was my favorite. The music was good too:-))) What impressed me the most was how clean the place looked even after the 2 hrs of being there. Guys this was a great event and I truly had a great time thank you Baton Rouge Zoo for hosting such a great event!!

The 10th Anniversary Celebration of Kite Fest Louisiane is scheduled for the weekend of April 5th &…read more6th on the West Baton Rouge Soccer Complex on Rosedale Road off of Highway 415. This event is free to the public and very family oriented. There will be Kite Flying (bring your own), Kite Design Competitions daily, Children's Kite Making Workshops, Precision Flying teams, Food Booths, Music and more! Big River Band will be performing on Saturday evening from 5PM-7PM followed by a fireworks display! Huge kites, the size of MACK trucks will be flying both days! Families can bring their lawn chairs, blankets and kites and set up their own area on the field for flying and viewing. No pets or ice chests are permitted. 11AM-7PM on Saturday 11AM-6PM on Sunday This event is put on by the West Baton Rouge Convention & Visitors Bureau and local sponsors!