The beautiful scenary and rich history of Louisiana offers lovestruck couples with a few alternatives to the standard dinner date.
Bogue Chitto Canoeing and Tubing Center An hour and a half from campus, a lazy river meanders through a thick, green forest. The Bogue Chitto River is host to multiple tubing, canoeing and kayaking companies and could make for a great date with the outdoors-y type. Floating along the Bogue Chitto makes for a romantic trip: cool water, hot sun and the sounds of nature. Be sure to break at one of the beaches and eat a packed lunch, reapply sunscreen or snap photos. Secluded from technology and urban amenities, you’re forced to speak to one another without distraction. Make sure you and your date can carry a meaningful conversation for nearly two hours (not counting the road trip) before agreeing to this all-day date.
What: Bogue Chitto Canoeing and Tubing Center Where: 10237 Choctaw Road, Bogalusa, La., 70427 Cost: $15 tube per person, $5 ice chest tube (recommended) Dress: Swimsuit under loose clothing to leave in the car. Bring: Sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, towels, ice chest, sandwiches, bottled water, snacks, waterproof radio, small bungee cord to tie the tubes together, waterproof camera
Global Wildlife Center It’s better than a zoo. Global Wildlife is a safari. If your date adores animals, he or she is sure to enjoy the time with you. At Global Wildlife, you not only observe exotic animals but feed and interact with them. Guests ride in a sturdy wagon and visit reticulated giraffes, zebras, camels, east African crowned cranes and many other endangered or threatened animals on a guided tour. Ever wonder what a giraffe’s tongue feels like? The animals will come running to eat from your hand when you reach out of the truck with a cup of feed. While the animals feast, make sure to snap a picture of your date petting a camel. It takes about 90 minutes to get there from the University, but the interactions with the animals are better than any zoo. As long as your date doesn’t mind getting their hands dirty, they’re sure to agree to another date.
What: Global Wildlife Center Where: 26389 Highway 40, Folsum, La., 70437 Cost: $17 tour per person, $2 souvenir cup of feed Dress: Casual Bring: Sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, bottled water, camera, hand sanitizer
Houmas House Plantation and Gardens Half an hour downriver from Baton Rouge lies Houmas House, a Southern history buff’s dream date. A tour of the historical plantation and beautiful gardens will have everybody interested in Louisiana’s past culture. The knowledgeable tour guides will teach you something new about our region’s past while making you laugh at their entertaining narratives. Admire the artwork and furniture as you walk through the mansion, and be sure to look over the grounds when you get the chance. After the tour, wander the 38 acres of grounds hand-in-hand with your date. Blooming flowers, huge live oaks and bubbling fountains set the scene for a romantic afternoon.
What: Houmas House Plantation and Gardens Where: 40136 River Road, Darrow, La., 70725 Cost: $20 mansion and garden tour, $10 garden and grounds tour Dress: Casual-business casual Bring: Sunscreen, sunglasses, camera
Louisiana Art & Science Museum An Egyptian mummy, renowned artwork and a planetarium are all just 10 minutes from campus. The Louisiana Art & Science Museum and the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium house numerous galleries and exhibitions for people of all ages to admire. Because the galleries change every few months and not all of the LASM’s collection is on view year-round, you and your date will have a different experience each visit. Currently, the museum features Ukiyo-e prints from the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, woodcuts by Jacques Hnizdovsky and European prints from the LASM collection. Be sure to view a digital movie or sky show at the planetarium. The visually appealing films are sure to wow you and your date. Take a walk on the levee to find the real stars after the show or eat dinner at one of downtown’s many acclaimed restaraunts afterward.
What: Louisiana Art and Science Museum Where: 100 River Road, Baton Rouge, La, 70802 Cost: Free museum gallery with Tiger Card, $8 planetarium show Dress: Casual-business casual
 
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Contact Danielle Kelley at [email protected].