The second largest city in Louisiana, Baton Rouge can’t compete with New Orleans in the number of bars for drinking and debauchery, but it has a fun scene in it's own right. This compact city on the Mississippi has a small, vibrant gay community that is friendly and welcoming to newcomers and many of the same faces are to be seen in both cities. It’s a university town too, home to Louisiana State University, which lends a surge of youthful energy.

Baton Rouge Pride Fest, one of the community’s biggest annual events, takes place every June.

 

Getting here

Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, about 7 miles from downtown, has mostly regional flights. Many people fly into Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, about an hour away.

 

Getting around

A car is usually your best bet for getting around this sprawling city. Capital Area Transit System (CATS) is the public transit provider in Baton Rouge - see route map and schedules on their website. The standard fare is $1.75 on all 24 bus routes, except the 16 Capital Park Shuttle Route which is free. Transfers cost an extra quarter. RouteShout is a free mobile app that allows riders to see where the bus is and when it will arrive.

 

Media & Resources

Ambush is a regional gay publication that covers events in Baton Rouge.

For map locations and website links to the businesses below, and more, see our gay Baton Rouge listings pages.

 

Nightlife

George's Place (860 Saint Louis St) party bar, mostly men, male dancers, drag shows, trivia games, karaoke nights.

Hound Dogs (668 Main St) mosty guys, neighborhood hangout, after-work crowd weekdays, Sunday shows.

Splash Nightclub (2183 Highland Rd) Thursdays-Saturdays dance club, many kinds of music, men, women, mostly young crowd, Sunday drag shows, special parties.

 

Accommodations

The Belle of Baton Rouge Casino (103 France St) hotel and casino offers all amenities and serves a a major meetings and events venue for the city. Their Garden Atrium Buffet is popular, with Saturday/Sunday breakfast buffets too, from 7-11am.

Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center (201 Lafayette St; 225 344-5866) plush downtown full-service hotel, steak and seafood restaurant.

The Stockade (8860 Highland Rd; 888-900-5430) elegant B&B near LSU, full breakfast, cable, parking, snacks, refrigerator beverages and access to nearby 24 hour gym.