On the River, On the Way

West Baton Rouge is a down-home escape just across the bridge

Owing to its close proximity to both Interstate 10 and Highway 190 as well as the Mississippi River, West Baton Rouge Parish has a long history as a hub of economic and agricultural development within the industrial corridor. The port city, just a stone’s throw away from the Louisiana State Capitol, is an attractive area for industry investment thanks to its growing urban market potential. That’s not all, though. In 2019, the parish seat of Port Allen became recognized as a Louisiana Cultural District, a distinction that demonstrates it is well on its way to leveraging the creative arts into capital.

One of the parish's best features, the Mississippi Riverfront Overlook, offers a panoramic view of the Capital City skyline with a pedestrian promenade, benches for sightseeing, and ornamental lighting alongside the titular waterway. For those who prefer to get up and get moving, the West Baton Rouge Heritage Trailway is a network of safe and scenic pathways perfect for a sunset stroll or morning bike ride on the river levee. It also includes the DeSoto Levee Top Trail, a five-mile path from the Brusly Trailhead to the town of Addis. Brusly has bicycles available for rental with its new bike-share program at Alexander Park and the Brusly landing. 

A staple among locals, most evenings the dock of Morley Marina is usually packed with flat-bottom boats and skiffs. The Brusly watering hole and restaurant on the Intracoastal Canal is near one of the only public boat launches in the area, meaning that most weekends (and always on Sunday) you can hear the sound of local live music and fishermen showing off their latest catch well before you make it to the landing. When in season they host crawfish boils weekly, and the dancefloor is hardly ever empty. 

Time-honored local gems like the River Queen Drive In and Port Allen Bakery offer burgers and baked goods worth writing home about, and the stands at the State Capitol Raceway are the place to be when it's competition time on the track. To download a Visitor Guide or learn more about this riverside region, go to westbatonrouge.net.