I was impressed during my first visit to River Bend Park. The playground equipment for children was…read morenice and updated, the tennis courts and basketball court were well kept, and the best part of it all was the surrounding woods! This park is not just a big open space. Nature has been preserved, which makes it a pretty place to visit. I would recommend coming here for a walk, or to let your kids play and explore.

This public BREC park is nestled inside a quiet neighborhood, but it's easy to get to by car (or…read morefoot if you happen to live in River Bend). It's a peaceful place with lots of trees and open spaces. There's a tennis court, covered picnic table area, water fountain, benches, two sandy playgrounds, and a walking loop. No restrooms. Recently they built a nice scenic pathway that takes you through the trees to Farr Park, and from there it's a straight shot to the levee- another nice walk and good place to see the sunset. Park is open during daylight hours.

This is a nice outdoor space. There are walking trails, a "beach" area and a great place to see…read moresome indigenous plants. I've been here before on a guided hike and got learn about the unwanted plants and trees that ended up growing there. I was grateful to see that during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was still open to public. Unfortunately, people did not physically distance like I would have wanted them to, but oh well. If you want to get in touch with nature a bit, come check this place out, especially before it gets too hot outside. When we arrived on Sunday, there were a lot of people, but parking was still plentiful. It's closer to Central and north Baton Rouge area. It's also across the street from the famed church Life Tabernacle Church. I can only see myself going back there during the fall and spring months... summertime there will not be happen.

This was a favorite spot for me and my best friend to hang out at. There are two lakes in the front…read morethat many people fish in. There are walking paths great for jogging and taking a stroll through the woods. My favorite part was the man made beach in the back at the comite river. The water only got as deep as my knee. It was nice to just play around in the water and play on the tire swing someone put up. We also liked to sun bathe on the sand bank. Some people made fires there at night. It was a nice and peaceful way to relax. It's a good spot to bring your dogs as well! Be careful though because we have stumbled upon snakes a few times on the trail path to the beach!

This park is filled with historic tidbits and gems about Louisiana. You can tell the park is well…read moretaken care of. It's quiet & has a nice location right next to a lake. I would be back to walk my dog.

Lovely park right next to the capitol buildings. Lovely old oaks shading parts. A lot of statues,…read morethe Liberty Bell replica is here as is the Old Arsenal Museum. Come take a walk outside.

If you are not familiar with all that BREC has to offer, you are clearly missing out! Gosh, where…read moredo I start? Whether you are looking for a fishing pond, a rock climbing wall or a kids summer camp, you've come to the right place. BREC operates so much of what goes on in Baton Rouge's parks and recreation programs. I have had the chance to enjoy many of them. Just down the street from where I live, there is a really cool skate park, where one could do some pretty gnarly tricks using a skateboard + there is a rock wall for climbing enthusiasts and so much more. If you are looking for recreational activities like tennis or golf, you'll find it within BREC, too. During the summertime, my daughter enjoys some of the camps they offer for the young ones. Again, there are so many, but from the ones she has done, she did enjoy history camp (at Magnolia Mound) and swamp camp (at The Bluebonnet Swamp). So, whatever it is that you may enjoy and fancy, go check out all that BREC has to offer in your neighborhood. No matter where you are in Baton Rouge, BREC is surely to offer something for you and your family to love.

Brec has a lot to offer, check out their website and you will be pleasantly surprised. Easter…read moreevents, zoo, waterparks, tennis courts, library, summer camps, karate lessons, and so much more. They are the king of Baton Rouge recreation.

What a wonderful hidden gem! Located across from the Santa Maria golf course, this park is always…read moreclean, lots of shade, picnic tables, water refill station, and great play structure for kids. We love this park!

We came here on a Saturday I believe. The weather was perfect! We roamed around and enjoyed our…read moretime. Loved reading about all the different plants!

If you are more "outside-y" than "outdoorsy", this is a nice place to pop in to be in nature and…read moretake a quick breather. It's not too big of a walking trail, so you can finish walking it quickly. It's a nice peaceful spot, and we enjoyed sitting outside by the lake and watching the turtles.

Great park! There…read moreisn't much real "hiking" in Louisiana, but Port Hudson State Park gets pretty close to it, and it doubles as a Civil War commemorative site/museum :-). Came here on a Sunday in January, right after it had poured down rain the day before. It was $4 per person to get in (and $4 total in my case bc I came by myself) and was pretty easy to find, as it was right off state highway 61, which itself is easily accessible via I-10/I-110, and everything was super clearly marked. There were a few different areas you could park after paying at the entrance. I parked by the museum and started my trek through the woods there. The network of trails was super easy to find and follow. There were signs with maps posted at all the major trail intersections, and the trails themselves were pretty wide gravel paths, all of them pretty clear. In some places all of the tree roots were painted red so you wouldn't trip over them :-). What I loved, too, was that throughout the trails there were little informational signs pointing out different kinds of trees and natural landmarks, AND there were historical signs explaining what went down in the specific area during the Civil War. I wasn't too interested in stopping and reading, but I did here and there, and they were pretty interesting! Plus, it was kind of cool and exciting hiking from historical site to historical site. I was a little worried about having to wade through water, since like I said, it had rained the day prior, but luckily, the paths were mostly clear of puddles, except for in one or two places. I'll be back for more exploring!

I came for the reenactment, and there really wasn't much going on when I stopped in. This is listed…read moreon the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail on the states website and it preserves a portion of the fortifications and battle area of the longest siege in American History during the American Civil War. It is also significant because it was the first place where African American military units fought under the Union Army. There are walking trails, picnic tables, restrooms, and an information center. Very interesting and well maintained. I look forward to coming back when not as many people are here.

Walk through the swamp . Stop inside see all the snakes .. we liked the turtles . Many of all sizes…read moreand they put on a show for us

Definitely kid-friendly, even makes for a cool daytime date! I enjoyed it! 10 out of 10read more