A rotor blade includes an airfoil portion that extends in a radial direction from a root end to a tip end. A plurality of internal airfoil cooling passages is defined in the airfoil portion. The rotor blade also includes a tip shroud. The tip shroud includes a shroud plate coupled to the tip end. A plurality of tip shroud cooling passages is defined within the shroud plate. Each of the tip shroud cooling passages extends within the shroud plate in a direction generally transverse to the radial direction. Each tip shroud passage includes an inlet coupled in flow communication with at least one of the airfoil cooling passages, and an exit opening defined in, and extending therethrough, a radially outer surface of the tip shroud. The exit opening is coupled in flow communication with the inlet.