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Spring (late March through mid-June) and autumn (September through November) are the best times of year to go on a river cruise in the US. Spring blossoms add a colorful touch to the shoreline, and you can never go wrong with autumn foliage. The temperatures are mild, if not pleasantly cool, and passengers are eager to welcome a new spring travel season—or to enjoy one last autumn river adventure before winter arrives. You can visit 18 ports in six states on a 23-day Mississippi River journey from New Orleans to St. Paul.
Complete Mississippi River Experience
Elizabeth Rhodes is a special projects editor at Travel + Leisure, covering everything from luxury hotels to theme parks to must-pack travel products. Originally from South Carolina, Elizabeth moved to New York City from London, where she started her career as a travel blogger and writer. Perhaps take a narrated motorcoach excursion to get an overview of this dramatic city. Explore the home, life, and career of Elvis Presley or make your pilgrimage to Sun Studio, where he recorded his earliest smash-hits.
Night The Big Easy To The Gateway CityDetails
Welcome to New Orleans, world-renowned for its round-the-clock nightlife, vibrant live-music scene, and unique cuisine reflecting its history as a melting pot of French, African and American influences. This vivacious city is the perfect destination to begin your Mississippi River experience. Our onboard experts bring the stories of the River to life and provide context to each shore experience we provide along the way. This epic 23-day exploration of America begins in New Orleans and travels north, visiting new ports of call each day before concluding in Minneapolis. Guests can also look forward to discovering spacious lounges and quiet nooks to gather with fellow travelers.
Mississippi River Cruise Photos
Dynamic presentations by your onboard speaker connect you to the region’s culture and history, while local guides share insights to illuminate your shore excursions. New Orleans reverberates with the sounds of jazz, while Memphis offers savory barbecue, rich music history museums, and an amazing exploration of Elvis’ Graceland. Discover why the Mississippi River and the port of Vicksburg were so important during the Civil War and enjoy the beautiful architecture, antiques, and gardens of grand estates alongside the river, including Houmas House, and Rosedown. Perhaps sip and savor a tasty mint julep while strolling under the canopy of 300-year-old trees at Oak Alley or peruse the local shops and museums of quaint and cozy towns like St. Francisville and Natchez.
NEW! Mississippi River Odyssey
You can cruise all the way from New Orleans to Minneapolis, or you can sail shorter segments of the river. Typically, cruises along the Lower Mississippi sail between New Orleans and Memphis, while cruises on the Upper Mississippi sail between St. Louis and the Twin Cities. Here's what you need to know about Mississippi River boat cruises, from choice itineraries to popular stops.
From there, it continues on to Hannibal, Missouri; Burlington, Davenport, and Dubuque, Iowa; La Crosse, Wisconsin; and Red Wing, Minnesota, where travelers can learn about America's most recognizable symbol at the National Eagle Center. In between action-packed stops, there's plenty of time to take in the scenery from your veranda or the boat's several public viewing areas. There are so many reasons to explore the Mighty Mississippi River from New Orleans to the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Admire the breathtaking scenery that has inspired the country’s most legendary writers, artists, and musicians. Whether you're looking to see where Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) was born, explore Civil War sites or take in the music, food and culture of the South, you'll find a wide variety of Mississippi river cruises that suit your interests.
Mississippi River Cruises
Explore unique boutiques, antique shops, a fully restored courthouse, and Tunica Veterans Memorial at Rivergate Park. Here, you can enjoy the kind of southern hospitality you thought only existed in storybooks. During the Civil War, the struggle to control Vicksburg proved to be a major turning point. With no Civil War fighting here, Natchez still features hundreds of antebellum homes and buildings. Each of these architectural treasures has its own story to tell, creating a charming downtown that embodies the essence of southern charm and hospitality. Meaning “red stick,” Baton Rouge’s 1699 French name references an ancient geographical marker and reflects the city’s long history.
Learn about this idyllic town’s rich past and revel in its natural beauty, led by our engaging local guides. Explore the charming downtown, located only two blocks from our dock, where you peruse local boutiques, coffee shops, and eateries. Or relax on the sun deck or private balcony and enjoy the passing landscapes as we make our way along the Mississippi River from Hannibal to Muscatine. In Natchez, grand homes sparkle like jewels, adorning the bluffs that tower above the river. Since 1716, when the French first built a fort here among the Natchez Indians, the town has grown to boast elaborate mansions built by planters in the 1800s to flaunt their wealth. Later, experience the opulence and natural wonder of the Oak Alley estate with its breathtaking parallel row of 28 ancient and massive live oak trees.
American Cruise Lines Opens 2024 Mississippi River Season - Travel Agent Central
American Cruise Lines Opens 2024 Mississippi River Season.
Posted: Thu, 22 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
From Crescent City, the birthplace of American jazz, to Memphis, known as the Home of the Blues and the Birthplace of Rock 'n Roll, this itinerary celebrates the region's homegrown rhythms. Both cruise lines offer itineraries between New Orleans and Memphis, but Viking features more excursions and onboard experiences tailored to music lovers. Cruise from New Orleans all the way up to St. Paul on Viking's 15- or 17-day America's Great River itinerary aboard the 193-stateroom Viking Mississippi, a vessel designed just for this river. The journey starts in New Orleans and stops in Baton Rouge; Natchez and Vicksburg, Mississippi; Memphis; and St. Louis, where passengers can explore attractions like Gateway Arch National Park and the flagship Anheuser-Busch brewery.
Passengers on the Upper Mississippi may get the chance to hop off and explore Mark Twain's childhood home in Hannibal, Missouri, stroll the streets of Iowa's oldest city (Dubuque), or marvel at sacred bluffs in Red Wing, Minnesota. Along the Middle Mississippi, there's Paducah, Kentucky, a UNESCO-designated Creative City, and Chester, Illinois, the birthplace of Popeye the Sailor Man. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices.
Set to debut in summer 2022, the Viking Mississippi will sail Viking’s highly anticipated voyages on the Lower and Upper Mississippi River, between New Orleans and St. Paul. Viking has only one ship on this river, the upscale, 450-foot Viking Mississippi. The eight-day New Orleans & Southern Charms is the shortest itinerary available, while the 22-day Grand Mississippi Voyage covers the entire river, from New Orleans to St. Paul. If we had to pick just one, September is the best month for a Mississippi River cruise. The weather is usually mild with less likelihood of rain, and autumn colors are beginning to paint the shoreline.
Cruising the Mississippi River and its tributaries with American Cruise Lines is an extraordinary journey through history. From Colonial pioneers to entrepreneurs, much of America’s story has been forged – or fought – along their length. The Mississippi River is navigable from New Orleans, Louisiana to the Twin Cities of Minnesota, and forms a maritime corridor through the U.S. heartland. You can enjoy excursions in Missouri's most famous big city (St. Louis) and small town (Hannibal) and then visit three ports in Iowa known for their historic architecture and agriculture (including a tour of the John Deere Pavilion). Learn about the Norwegian heritage of La Crosse, Wisconsin, and get to know the eagles and pottery of Red Wing, Minnesota, before disembarking in St. Paul. Some excursions and a pre-cruise hotel stay in the Big Easy are included in the cruise fare.
We embrace the relaxed pace of life on the River, following its bends and savoring its charms in much the same way as travelers and colonists would have over a century before. Travel to the birthplace of jazz, blues, and rock–n-roll as our talented onboard musicians entertain you with songs born along the river. Dine on the finest Cajun and Creole and mouth-watering Memphis BBQ prepared by our team of master chefs. Enjoy a complimentary cocktail hour every evening, a time when you can share the day’s adventures with like-minded travelers, while enjoying a refreshing mint julip. From New Orleans, LA to St. Paul, MN, enjoy well-customized excursions, led by engaging local guides who live and work in these great port cities of America’s Heartland.
Explore this vibrant small town with the perfect blend of urban edge and old-world charm. From rolling fields of prairie flowers to some of the most architecturally important buildings in Minnesota, enjoy all there is to see and do here. St. Louis is often referred to as the “Gateway to the West.” Take in the Gateway Arch Riverfront, highlighted by the Gateway Arch, the largest man-made monument in the U.S.
Tour the elaborate townhomes, visit a working cotton farm to learn about the crop’s importance in history and today, and discover the historic Under-The-Hill Saloon. Drift through quaint shops, nibble on local delights, and enjoy the expansive views of the majestic river valley from the bluff-top park. American Queen Voyages offers a range of nine-day Lower Mississippi itineraries aboard the American Queen, a quaint paddle-wheel steamboat. These are the best Mississippi River cruises for those looking to experience traditional river travel. River cruises are a great way to see the world — you can visit several waterfront destinations and watch the scenery pass by from cozy accommodations and top-deck lounges on intimate luxury ships.
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