Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Moving to Baton Rouge! Where do all the young professionals live and socialize?

Mid city / capital heights / garden district is going to be the best bet. I have friends who live in the commerce building and in Spanishtown downtown. Downtown can be quiet but it’s not a bad place to be (I prefer mid city). Anything right off of Perkins from Siegen to Overpass would be great too!

Welcome to BR! Feel free to reach out if you’re looking for tips on what to do. There really is plenty of cool stuff going on all the time if you know where to look.

Moving to Baton Rouge! Where do all the young professionals live and socialize?

I moved to Baton Rouge from New Orleans a little over a year ago. Although I knew living anywhere after the french quarter would be an adjustment, this has really been a strange transition.

There’s not really much going on at night here that I’ve found. Hopefully I’m wrong, but downtown feels like a post-apocalyptic wasteland after around 9pm. It literally feels like you’re walking a sprawling set of a zombie movie. Seriously, you can drive a mile and not see a single person outside.

It’s bizarre. Lately to amuse myself I’ll take a walk and convince myself it’s all for my enjoyment. The capital building and grounds are meticulously manicured. Desolate nights, so a beautiful walk, but no other humans.

I don’t have a clue where I’d make new friends here. Fortunately New Orleans friends are only an hour away but moving here alone will require you to step outside of your comfort zone and talk to everyone.

People are pleasant, easy to talk to, and don’t seem to avoid engaging with strangers. It feels like a small town in that way.

Bring hobbies. You’ll need them. I enjoy sailing and camping on the barrier islands. I used to do it for a break from the hustle of French Quarter life. Walking downtown at night is nearly as desolate as uninhabited islands, and doesn’t require packing a cooler.

Best of luck to you. It’s a quiet city for newcomers.

What is it like living in Baton Rouge? What are the pros and cons?

I enjoyed living in Baton Rouge and this is coming from an Alabama girl born and bred. I lived in Baton Rouge for almost 2 years so I didn't get a chance to see everything of course, but Louisiana just has a lot of culture in general. Great food and the people are so down to earth. I met lots of very nice folks and had so many favorite restaurants there. I can't wait to go back and visit just for some of those restaurants. They also have great night life if that's the sort of thing you like. They have a casino, several movie theaters and lots of shopping choices. It's also very beautiful. The Mississippi River down by the capital is beautiful and much of the architecture in town is traditional, which I think makes it beautiful. Taking all of the great things about Baton Rouge into consideration, with bigger cities, also comes more crime; therefore, it can be more dangerous than some other places. Honestly though I'd say as long as you aren't out walking by yourself or in the bad areas of town you would probably be okay, just keep an eye out, as anyone would. There are still much more dangerous places out there. All in all, it was so worth it to live in Baton Rouge..my home is in Alabama, but I feel a piece of me is still in Louisiana.

What is it like to live in Baton Rouge?

Being from the area and returning to Baton Rouge after having lived on the east coast and mid west I have a better understanding of what Baton Rouge is and isn't. First if you've ever lived anywhere outside of the south you'll realize upon arriving in Baton Rouge that it's very segregated racially and economically not always on the surface but it's most definitely there. Baton Rouge is largely a blue collar town with white collar money owing to the large amount of well paying jobs in area chemical plants.

Culture in Baton Rouge revolves largely around eating and college sports. There's a very healthy bar scene but little else to do unless you really look for it. While it's a large college town with two large universities and several smaller colleges, Baton Rouge is usually comprised of people who are here for a short time due to school or career and those who have been here forever. The people who have been here forever often tend to get very defensive about what's wrong with Baton Rouge and the list is long. From public health woes to crime there's a lot of room for improvement but if like most Baton Rougeans you are ok with not scratching the pretty surface of the city it can be quite pleasant.

10 Things You Need to Know Before Moving to Baton Rouge