Setting Up My Trip Plan
Alright, so I knew I was heading to Baton Rouge soon. Needed a spot to crash near LAuberge Casino, right? Figured walking distance would be killer, especially after maybe having a few drinks or just not wanting to deal with parking mess. Grabbed my laptop, fired up Google, and just punched in “hotels near LAuberge Baton Rouge walking distance”. Simple start.
Saw a bunch pop up, names like Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Hilton Garden Inn… you know, the usual chains. Needed to be smart about this though. “Walking distance” can mean different things to different people. For me? Less than 10 minutes, tops. Also, not interested in trekking across crazy busy roads or through sketchy patches, especially later at night near the casino. Safety first, always.
Digging Deeper and Calling Around
Started clicking on these hotel websites, one by one. Looked at their location maps first thing. Some claimed “close”, but the map showed like a 20-minute hike! Nah, skip those. Got down to a shortlist:
- Crowne Plaza Executive Center
- Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center
- Holiday Inn Baton Rouge College Drive
Time to be thorough. Hit the phones. Called Crowne Plaza first. Asked straight up: “Hey, realistically, how long to walk from your front door to the main entrance of LAuberge?” The guy was cool, said it was maybe a 7-minute walk, mostly sidewalks. Noted that. Called Hilton Capitol Center. Nice lady, said “Oh honey, that’s a quick walk! Less than 5 minutes, just down the street.” Sweet. Holiday Inn was a bit trickier; map showed potential crossing a bigger road, but the desk person said it was manageable, sidewalks all the way, maybe 10 minutes. Good backup option.
Also grilled them all on those little things matter:
- Parking costs? (Got hit with that surprise fee too many times!)
- How late is the bar open? (Important!)
- Pool situation? (Never used it, but good to know)
- Any recent construction noise?
The Walking Test & Final Pick
Flew into Baton Rouge midday. Drove straight to that Hilton Capitol Center area first, figured I’d scope it out since it sounded closest. Parked nearby, decided to actually walk the route myself. That’s the real test, right? Maps lie sometimes. Headed towards the casino. Legit, it was super easy! Wide sidewalks, well-lit even during the day, mostly downhill. Took me about 4 minutes, just like the lady said. Felt totally safe, just regular downtown traffic.
Walked back past the Crowne Plaza entrance. Yeah, maybe 7 minutes. A bit further but still totally doable, sidewalks were fine. Holiday Inn felt a bit more isolated across the street later, so mentally bumped it down the list.
Ended up choosing the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center. That under 5-minute walk clinched it for me. Checked in, dumped my bag. Walked right back out the lobby, strolled easily to LAuberge for dinner and a little playtime. Coming back later? Piece of cake. No stress, no Ubers. Exactly what I wanted.
Key Takeaways After Doing It
Here’s what really mattered:
- Double-Check Walk Time: Don’t just trust websites or descriptions. Call the hotel desk, tell them you’re walking, ask point-blank how long it really takes. Better yet, time it yourself if you arrive early.
- Check the Actual Path: Look closely at the route on a map app with satellite view. See if there’s sidewalks the whole way? Any big, busy intersections without lights? Google Street View helps too.
- Think About Night Safety: Downtown near casinos can be… lively. Make sure the walk path feels comfortable and well-lit when you’ll likely be walking it.
- The Bliss of Proximity: Honestly, that walk back to bed after a night out? Priceless. Skipping the whole parking/cab hassle is worth its weight in gold.
Mission accomplished. Solid spot, super easy walk. Would pick it again in a heartbeat.
