Play Your Way to Better Health
Healthy communities thrive on access to green spaces, fresh air, and a rich variety of outdoor and recreation experiences designed to help us live fuller, healthier lives. Luckily, Baton Rouge is home to a nationally acclaimed park system right in our backyard—BREC!
Want to ride a horse, reach for the stars, come face to face with a tiger, score the winning goal or become an adventurer? BREC has it all! With 175 parks, more than 100 miles of hiking and biking trails across Baton Rouge, and everything from arts and history to leisure and sports, there’s something for everyone.
What Is BREC?
BREC Recreation and Parks connects people in our community to a system that has more than 175 parks that mirror the history and rich natural resources in South Louisiana. From a state-of-the-art observatory to a swamp nature center located in the urban core to a performing arts theatre to an expansive 30,000-foot concrete extreme sports park, our parks give people in this community the opportunity to connect with nature, explore their culture and have fun.
Throughout its history, BREC has taken seriously its responsibility to improve the health, safety, environment, and quality of life for all citizens. Since 2004, BREC has constructed community parks, dog parks, a family-sized Aquatics Center, a growing trails system, fishing ponds, and larger playgrounds and procured two mobile recreation units to serve play deserts in the area.
Want to explore everything happening at BREC parks this month?
Award Winning Parks Right in BR
BREC is one of the few parks and recreation agencies in the country to win the prestigious Gold Medal Award for excellence in parks and recreation administration three times (1975, 1991, & 2022). It has also been a national finalist for this award more than 16 other times and is only one of a handful of agencies across the country to be accredited.