Things to do in Plaquemine
Baton Rouge Zoo
Most of the zoo's 1,400 animals and birds reside in naturalistic outdoor habitats. L'aquarium de Louisiane highlights the region's fish, reptiles and amphibians. Tropical birds are featured at Parrot Paradise. A children's zoo is on the grounds. Call (225) 775-3877 for more information.
3601 Thomas Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 70807
Blue Bayou Waterpark and Dixie Landin' Theme Park
Blue Bayou Waterpark and Dixie Landin' Theme Park is at 18142 Perkins Rd. Five waterslides, a water play area and a wave pool are the highlights of the water park. A lagoon features diving, volleyball and a gator and lily pad walk. Dixie Landin' is an amusement park with 24 rides, including a roller coaster with a 14-story drop and a flume ride with drops of 26 and 50 feet. A children's section includes a carousel and a biplane ride. Call (225) 753-3333 for more information.
18142 Perkins Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 70810
Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center
Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center is off I-10 exit 162, 2.5 mi. s. on Bluebonnet Dr., then just w. to 10503 N. Oak Hills Pkwy. The 9,500-square-foot nature center houses live-animal exhibits, touch tables, a working beehive, a backyard wildlife garden and a collection of duck-hunting decoys. Visitors may explore a 65-acre cypress-tupelo swamp and a magnolia-beech hardwood forest via trails and boardwalks. The site's inhabitants include herons, owls, hawks, raccoons, bobcats, snakes, turtles and alligators. Call (225) 757-8905 for more information.
10503 N. Oak Hills Pkwy., Baton Rouge, LA 70810
Houmas House
Once the seat of a 20,000-acre sugar plantation, the French- and Spanish-style rear house was built in the late 1700s. A Greek Revival mansion was added in 1840. The restored mansion is furnished with early 19th-century antiques, including a Parisian mantel clock rumored to have belonged to Marie Antoinette and Limoges china emblazoned with the Houmas name. A mural depicting a sugar cane field greets guests in the main hall and a graceful spiral staircase winds its way through the manse's three stories. Formal gardens, fountains and live oaks surround the house, which has been the setting for several films, including “Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte” with Bette Davis. Guides in period dress provide historical background. Call (225) 473-9380 for more information.
40136 River Rd., Darrow, LA 70725
Louisiana Art & Science Museum
Louisiana Art & Science Museum is downtown at 100 S. River Rd. Housed in a historic train station, the museum features fine art exhibitions, a sculpture gallery, a creative playroom with art activities, and an Egyptian tomb exhibit. Permanent exhibitions include contemporary and Civil War photographs, a Southern art collection, 18th- to 20th-century paintings by American and European artists, and sculptures by Ivan Mestrovic. Call (225) 344-5272 for more information.
100 S. River Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70802