What is the vibe of Baton Rouge or Lafayette? (New Orleans: lawyer, houses)
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I am currently living abroad in Barcelona, Spain...I will be returning to the U.S. in a few months and am looking for a progressive southern city to live in! I have lived in Miami, LA, DC and enjoyed the nightlife and opportunites of those cities.....however, I want a mix of culture and fun! Is there more than a college or beer drinking crowd in either of these cities? What is the lifestyle/vibe of the people and city? Any information to help me get an understanding of either of these places, would be appreciated!
I am currently living abroad in Barcelona, Spain...I will be returning to the U.S. in a few months and am looking for a progressive southern city to live in! I have lived in Miami, LA, DC and enjoyed the nightlife and opportunites of those cities.....however, I want a mix of culture and fun! Is there more than a college or beer drinking crowd in either of these cities? What is the lifestyle/vibe of the people and city? Any information to help me get an understanding of either of these places, would be appreciated!
Thanks,
L
L,
I really can't comment on Lafayette, as I have not spent a great deal of time there. However, Baton Rouge has grown tremendously in the last 20 years, and a lot of that growth has taken place South of the city along the I-10 and I-12 corridors in terms of residential and retail development. Retailers that would have snubbed it's nose at Baton Rouge, let alone the area years ago have settled here, mainly in the Mall of Louisiana.
I spent a great part of my formative years between here and New Orleans. At one time, I despised Baton Rouge with a passion and dreaded coming here. Baton Rouge has always lived in the shadow of it's neighbor, New Orleans, but it is rapidly becoming a great place on it's own. When I visited BR about a year ago, I was beyond impressed at how the city has changed for the better. To be quite frank, 10 years ago, I probably would have told you not to consider coming here.
Additionally, there are plans in the making to revitalize the downtown area for dinning and entertainment venues. At one time, Downtown BR was the epicenter for shopping and entertainment, but back in the 1970s, stores began to close up shop for good or move to malls on the city's outskirts such as Bon Marche and Cortana. In time, the DT core area was more or less deserted after five, save for a few bars here and there. A well known BR institution located on the edge of the city's center, Godchaux's, eventually shuttered, thus ending the big retail prescence downtown. Now, I think BR has realized how other cities around the country have or are in the process of rebuilding their downtown areas. There are a few musuems, the La. Arts and Science Center, the State Capital and the Old State Capital. In addition, there are some casinos along the river near downtown. These have caused quite a bit of controversy prior to their establishment, but IMO, they at least help to bring people downtown.
Plus, a lot of the new growth has also been fueled by New Orelans residents who left during Katrina and have decided to make Baton Rouge a permanent home.
The area is also becoming more culturally diverse, but blacks and whites still make up the majority of the population, along with a small, but growing latino population. I have also noticed that, compared to 20-30 years ago, race relations have improved. There is more work to be done, but any improvement is something to celebrate.
Of course, it would be sinful for me not to mention B.R. and not LSU , which is situated on the South end of town. it is definitely a huge part of the city's culture and heritage. LSU football is a religion here, that's for sure. The main "drag" is along Chimes St. and Highland Road near the campus with lots of bars, some coffeehouses and eateries. There is also Southern University at the North end of town, but there is not a whole lot outside of the campus. However, both schools have beautiful campuses situated along the Mississippi River and have definitely contributed to the city's history in a big way.
While BR has it's prolbems like any other city and it does, it is a neat city. I feel it will soon become the dynamic place it was always meant to be. To sum it up, if you like to eat, drink, shop or go to church, you will not be lacking in any of these!
I think you will really enjoy it here. No matter where you to decide to settle, though, good luck!
I am currently living abroad in Barcelona, Spain...I will be returning to the U.S. in a few months and am looking for a progressive southern city to live in! I have lived in Miami, LA, DC and enjoyed the nightlife and opportunites of those cities.....however, I want a mix of culture and fun! Is there more than a college or beer drinking crowd in either of these cities? What is the lifestyle/vibe of the people and city? Any information to help me get an understanding of either of these places, would be appreciated!
Thanks,
L
I've lived in Baton Rouge for years and do like it here. It has it's issues, but the biggest one that ever affects me is traffic. I've never lived in Lafayette so I can't give an honest opinion although I hear it's more progressive. But I know people who have moved there and hate it and left there to come here. I'm sure the same can be said about BTR and all other places as well.
Basically, what I was going to say is that if you've lived in Miami, LA and DC, the only place in the state that remotely compares in terms of nightlife, social scene, is New Orleans. Maybe you should check that out as well.
Wow, thanks! that helps...i am basically looking for a replacement to LA/Miami/DC in the south!---I know that it will not be exact, but I am hoping to keep an environment that offers many different options and people who are striving to be seen on the map. I love the south and am originally from the appalachians, however Appalachia as you may know is very left behind---------Hopefully, I can find the best of both worlds! I appreciate your alls info!.....its given me a better understanding!
In addition, what do the people dress like? look like/party like?.....Sounds very superficial, but I don't know how else to get an image of the public!
In addition, what do the people dress like? look like/party like?.....Sounds very superficial, but I don't know how else to get an image of the public!
L
Lol. Interesting questions. I would consider that people in Baton Rouge dress "normal". But it's still different if you walk through NYC or DC and then BTR. We're more relaxed. We wear whatever is comfortable. Big tshirts, flip flops. Not to work, but certainly in the back yard and sometimes to the grocery store. lol. You can certainly tell the difference during the daytime downtown, the lawyer types wear suits, everybody else dresses down.
The LSU Greek tend to dress up to go out "clubbin" or to the downtown establishments afterhours, but you can walk in right behind them wearing baggy pants and a sweatshirt and not be stared at. We're a fairly casual society, and I think that goes for most of south Louisiana.
I really can't comment on Lafayette, as I have not spent a great deal of time there. However, Baton Rouge has grown tremendously in the last 20 years, and a lot of that growth has taken place South of the city along the I-10 and I-12 corridors in terms of residential and retail development. Retailers that would have snubbed it's nose at Baton Rouge, let alone the area years ago have settled here, mainly in the Mall of Louisiana.
I spent a great part of my formative years between here and New Orleans. At one time, I despised Baton Rouge with a passion and dreaded coming here. Baton Rouge has always lived in the shadow of it's neighbor, New Orleans, but it is rapidly becoming a great place on it's own. When I visited BR about a year ago, I was beyond impressed at how the city has changed for the better. To be quite frank, 10 years ago, I probably would have told you not to consider coming here.
Additionally, there are plans in the making to revitalize the downtown area for dinning and entertainment venues. At one time, Downtown BR was the epicenter for shopping and entertainment, but back in the 1970s, stores began to close up shop for good or move to malls on the city's outskirts such as Bon Marche and Cortana. In time, the DT core area was more or less deserted after five, save for a few bars here and there. A well known BR institution located on the edge of the city's center, Godchaux's, eventually shuttered, thus ending the big retail prescence downtown. Now, I think BR has realized how other cities around the country have or are in the process of rebuilding their downtown areas. There are a few musuems, the La. Arts and Science Center, the State Capital and the Old State Capital. In addition, there are some casinos along the river near downtown. These have caused quite a bit of controversy prior to their establishment, but IMO, they at least help to bring people downtown.
Plus, a lot of the new growth has also been fueled by New Orelans residents who left during Katrina and have decided to make Baton Rouge a permanent home.
The area is also becoming more culturally diverse, but blacks and whites still make up the majority of the population, along with a small, but growing latino population. I have also noticed that, compared to 20-30 years ago, race relations have improved. There is more work to be done, but any improvement is something to celebrate.
Of course, it would be sinful for me not to mention B.R. and not LSU , which is situated on the South end of town. it is definitely a huge part of the city's culture and heritage. LSU football is a religion here, that's for sure. The main "drag" is along Chimes St. and Highland Road near the campus with lots of bars, some coffeehouses and eateries. There is also Southern University at the North end of town, but there is not a whole lot outside of the campus. However, both schools have beautiful campuses situated along the Mississippi River and have definitely contributed to the city's history in a big way.
While BR has it's prolbems like any other city and it does, it is a neat city. I feel it will soon become the dynamic place it was always meant to be. To sum it up, if you like to eat, drink, shop or go to church, you will not be lacking in any of these!
I think you will really enjoy it here. No matter where you to decide to settle, though, good luck!
Sorry for the long reply.
Gil
I agree with this poster. Moderator cut: edit Anyway, I love BR otherwise. I am a mother, so I do not go out at night anymore, but heard that Chimes and many places here are a l ot of fun. I also think that not too many New Orleans type are still here, maybe a few, but I think the traffic etc is exactly the same as pre hurricane-a pain, but not any worse than where I moved from! Good Luck here!
Last edited by Sam I Am; 03-22-2008 at 03:38 PM..
Reason: go to the immigration forum for talk about immigrants, please
So It is sounding like New Orleans would be a cultures and southern reaplacement for LA/Miami/DC. Louisiana has always been attractive to me, but I was always scared of that Mardi Gras, beer crawl impression that TV gives.....Obviously there is more nightlife and fun to offer than that type of scene......There defiently is class there, I would suspect?....It's not all boobs and beer, right?
So It is sounding like New Orleans would be a cultures and southern reaplacement for LA/Miami/DC. Louisiana has always been attractive to me, but I was always scared of that Mardi Gras, beer crawl impression that TV gives.....Obviously there is more nightlife and fun to offer than that type of scene......There defiently is class there, I would suspect?....It's not all boobs and beer, right?
The beer is everywhere. The boobs stick around Bourbon Street. That's the tourist mecca. Those are the ones you have to watch out for, if you're trying to stay away from the drunk college student boob flashing crowd.
I'm concerned that if you don't think NOLA has class, you're not going to find any city in Louisiana that has class... Not on the scale that you may be looking for. Baton Rouge and other cities in the state have their small sections of progressive class, with nice art galleries, restaurants, pubs, walking districts, etc. But nothing to the level that NOLA has. Just as NOLA would have a hard time matching with most larger cities in the country, NYC, DC, Chicago, LA, SF, Denver, etc.
Just trying to help out based on the info given, and defintitely don't want to deter you from checking out other places. Best of luck.
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