Baton Rouge!

Today is a very special day. One of my best friends from way up north is flying in to spend a week's vacation with me here at LSU! I am so excited to show her campus, and to explore Baton Rouge!

You may not know this, but I'm a bit of an organization junkie. I like everything to be orderly and planned out, so of course I've been planning our vacation for weeks. I have the most beautiful spreadsheet detailing all the locations we want to see, the cost, the hours of operation, and how to get there. It might sound a bit crazy, but at least now I can share some of the details with you. Here are a few places that we plan to visit:

LASM- The Louisiana Art and Science Museum looks AWESOME! They have so many interesting things to see. Right now they have a special exhibit called "CUT! Costume and the Cinema", where you can see historical costumes from many famous movies. It only costs $7 to get in, and I know I'll get hours of entertainment! For more info, go here.

Old State Capitol- The Old Louisiana State Capitol looks like a castle. How cool is that? And even cooler, you can tour it. You may have noticed by now, but I'm a huge history nerd, so this is really exciting to me. The building is not only old and beautiful, but is supposedly haunted as well... I'll let you know next week if I think that is true or not. You can find out more about this historic landmark here.

Houmas House Plantation- So this one is a bit of a drive from Baton Rouge, but how can I come to the South and not go see a plantation house? I've wanted to see a real plantation for myself since I first watched Gone With The Wind when I was 8. While I know that Tara doesn't really exist, I can still appreciate the grandeur of a time gone by, and get a great southern meal at La Petite Houmas restaurant.  And if I stand on a hill overlooking the house and whisper "I'll never be hungry again" like Scarlett O'Hara, so what! See the plantation for yourself here.

LSU Museum of Art- The LSU Museum of Art, located in the Shaw Center for the Arts, was established to offer the Baton Rouge area access to its "diverse art collection, changing exhibitions, education programs, and special events" (www.lsumoa.com). The LSU MOA houses more than 3500 works, and is sure to offer a great afternoon of entertainment. Plus, there is a great sushi restaurant called Tsunami on the top floor! It's definitely worth a trip! For hours and exhibit info, go here.

Blue Bayou- So I realize that this list of activities is a little history heavy, and while I LOVE history, I also love to just get out and have a good time! That is why my friend and I are spending a whole day at Blue Bayou. For only $35, you get to go to the waterpark and Dixie Landing amusement park! With all this heat down here, it is definitely worth the price to go. Besides, nothing beats amusement park foods. It's going to be great! Find out more here!

I can't wait to get started with my Baton Rouge vacation! I have many more activities planned. Don't worry, I'll be sure to share plenty of pictures and more of my vacation itinerary next week! Can you think of other places that I just have to see?

xoxo-- Girl in the Purple Polo