Walking Is Good. Walking at St. James Place Is Even Better

Spending time outdoors is known to have widespread health benefits and walking is one of the healthiest forms of exercise you can get, especially as one starts to age. Studies show it helps improve memory, reduces stress, battles depression and lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, colon cancer and diabetes. It also assists in keeping one’s mind socially active. For the residents of St. James Place, finding a good place to walk is right outside the door.

Behind the majestic magnolia and oak trees that afford the campus a measure of security and privacy lies a community unlike any other in Baton Rouge. St. James Place is not only Baton Rouge’s only Life Plan Community, but also it’s full of happy, smiling, friendly faces. This unique community combines numerous amenities and classes covering everything from opera to aqua aerobics, with a lifestyle meant to keep its residents active and involved. And now that spring has sprung, what better time to get outside, feel the breeze from the Mississippi and see everything St. James Place has to offer?

What could be a nicer way to spend a spring day or evening than taking a stroll across the beautifully landscaped walking trail that stretches across 52 lush acres? Perhaps you could take the dog with you or share the walk with friends and family. Along the way why not stop and sit for a few at the gazebo overlooking the fishing lake that features a beautiful fountain in the center? Want to get off your feet for a few? Why not take your shoes off and relax under the shade of the Duplantier Oak, one of the oldest trees in Louisiana. Of course, you can always check out the pool to see who’s around. Wherever you go on the St. James Place campus, walking is a pleasant and healthy way to get there.

Of course, on the other side of the trees surrounding St. James Place’s campus lies the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s capital. Around the city are a variety of places to walk and explore with friends and family. Want to go somewhere you can take the dog off the leash and let them run free? There’s the Raising Cane’s Dog Park at City-Brooks Community Park. Baton Rouge has been named one of the most pet-friendly cities in the United States and the number of restaurants, hotels and other parks catering to our furry family members demonstrates it (but do remember to bring the leash just in case).

Feel like jogging more than a simple walk? Baton Rouge has you covered there, as well. Two of the most popular spots for runners are LSU Lakes/Milford Wampold Memorial Park and the Mississippi River Levee Path. But there are many others as well. Biking is also a popular form of exercise in Baton Rouge. The city has biking clubs and associations as well as numerous paths to ride. There are a number of places to ride safely including the Downtown Greenway that features biking and pedestrian walkways, linking residential neighborhoods to downtown parks, businesses and cultural attractions.

While there’s a beautiful fishing lake on the St. James Place campus, fishing is also a popular activity throughout Baton Rouge. The city features numerous spots to cast your rod and reel. There’s City-Brooks Community Park with a 50-acre lake as well as golf and tennis courts. You can even play croquet there. And best of all, it’s also dog friendly. And let’s not forget the Blackwater Conservation Area with its two large fishing lakes.

But, as Dorothy says in The Wizard of Oz, “There’s no place like home.” There’s also no question how beneficial the effects of getting out and going for a walk can be to both your mind and body. At St. James Place, whether you want to take a walk around the campus, swim or exercise your mind and body in other ways, it’s nice to know that right outside your door lies a great place to do it all — St. James Place. 

If you’d like to take a walk around the campus and see why so many people seeking an active retirement choose St. James Place, call (225) 314-5857 to arrange a personal tour.