Baton Rouge

The capital of Louisiana, Baton Rouge is located in the southeastern region of the state, along the Mississippi River. The city is a major industrial and port center and home to Louisiana State University.

Founded as a military outpost by the French in 1719, Baton Rouge was incorporated in 1817, several years after Louisiana has been sold to the United States, and became the state's capital in 1849.

In 1770s, French-speaking Acadian settlers were driven into exile by British forces. Many fled to rural Louisiana; their descendants, known as Cajuns, are part and parcel of Baton Rouge's cultural fabric today.

• Baton Rouge Zoo
• Capitol Lakes
• Dixie Landin' Amusement Park
• Independence Park Botanic Gardens