Baton Rouge is Louisiana’s Capital City and the hub of all things Louisiana. With a prime, central location—just an hour away from New Orleans & Lafayette—Baton Rouge is the perfect city to explore the eclectic culture of this amazing state! Baton Rouge is also served by Interstates 10 & 12.
FAQs
According to the 2020 US Census, the population of East Baton Rouge Parish is 456,781. The Baton Rouge MSA population is 849,530. Baton Rouge is one of the largest cities on the Mississippi River and one of Louisiana's most populous.
Baton Rouge has a semi-tropical climate, perfect for outdoor activities. The weather is consistently warm from May to September and winter is usually mild and short-lived. Spring is glorious with cool nights and warm, sunny days. Precipitation is reasonably well-distributed and ample throughout the year with an average annual precipitation of 55 inches.
Over 300 years ago, in 1699, French explorer Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville named Baton Rouge for the "red stick" along a Mississippi River bluff. It is from this "red stick" that Iberville christened our city "le Baton Rouge."
In 1846, Baton Rouge earned its title as Louisiana’s State Capital, and nearly four years later, the Old State House was completed.
LSU was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana and came to Baton Rouge in 1869. The campus was located downtown prior to its move in 1926 to its present location. LSU is the flagship institution of the Louisiana State University System, and the largest institution of higher education in Louisiana in terms of student enrollment.
Southern University was established by Louisiana State Legislature Act 87 in 1880 to serve as an institution of higher learning, graduating students and graduate degrees pertaining to arts and letters for persons of color. It is the largest historically Black college or university (HBCU) in Louisiana, a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the flagship institution of the Southern University System.
Baton Rouge is accessible through daily jet service via American, Delta, United and US Airways. Many hotels provide complimentary transportation to and from Baton Rouge Metro Airport. Rental cars, taxi service and shuttles are also available. For more information click here.
9.95% sales tax; 6% hotel/motel tax
