14-night America's Great River Cruise

St. Paul has historic landmarks, museums, sightseeing, shopping, and accommodations to fit every budget. The casinos bring Las Vegas thrill, and the rugged mountains cater to the outdoor enthusiast. St. Paul has attractions and activities for a family on vacation, someone visiting for business, or a couple searching for romance. Amusement parks, museums, historic sites, shopping, fine dinging, and educational attractions including: The Science Museum of Minnesota, Historic Lowertown and the Valleyfair Family Amusement Park are all within minutes from anywhere in St. Paul.

Red Wing has been ranked amongst the top historic destinations in the United States. View examples of historical buildings at the Sheldon Theatre or the 135 year old St. James Hotel. Stroll this small town's rows of galleries, antique shops and picturesque store fronts before visiting the Red Wing Collectors society or the Red Wing Pottery Museum - documenting the important history of Red Wing pottery - or to the Goodhue County Historical Society to explore their research library and exhibitions. Go horseback riding along the Hay Creek Trail, or venture a little further afield to hike, bike, skate or ski at the Cannon Valley Trail, which offers nearly 20 miles of trail from Red wing to Cannon Falls. Experience paddle-boating as it was in the 19th century with a visit to Lake Pepin, or explore the lake by sailboat. Round out your day at one of the many restaurants or cafes, or meander along the marina to watch the boats come in.

La Crosse's business district includes almost one hundred nationally registered historic buildings displaying a variety of architectural styles from Greek revival to Neo-Classical. Visitors can also take a riverboat cruise on a late 19th century steamboat complete with dining options. Shoppers will find a nice selection of unique boutiques in historic downtown to before heading over to one of the many unique restaurants and pubs.

Dubuque certainly has a variety of attractions and beautiful surrounding to keep visitors busy. Visitors can spend their day hiking, biking, or snowboarding, or casino hopping. There is also museums, boutiques, and delicious award wining restaurants that capture the authentic taste of Mississippi River cuisine. Dubuque also has an array of local wineries and breweries to satisfy an array of tastes.

Burlington is a Mississippi River town rich in cultural history. Marina's offer supplies for fishing and boating for trips along the river. For outdoor activities, area parks offer camping, hiking, caving, and golfing. At Fun City, an amusement and water park, families can enjoy go-karts, laser tag, and restaurants. Families will also enjoy Burlington's Summer festivals featuring outdoor performances by top musical groups, art, crafts, and delicious food.

Hannibal is a wonderful place to enjoy the natural beauty of this beautiful river town. Boaters will find easy access to the Mississippi, as well as local lakes. Hannibal was home to Mark Twain, and visitors can take a self guided tour of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum Properties to learn more about this great American author. Hannibal has grown into an inspirational home for artisans, and is included in the famous 50 Miles of Art. 50 Miles of Art is a scenic drive on Highway 79 and focuses on the growing art communities of Hannibal, Louisiana and Clarksville. Each year there are two studio tours (one in the Spring, and one in the Fall) that highlight artists and their studios.

St. Louis's "gateway to the west", the Gateway Arch, is a nationally recognized site as it stands over 630 feet above the Mississippi River. Although the arch is a great site, visit some other St. Louis attractions including: historic landmarks, museums, sightseeing, shopping, and accommodations to fit every budget. St. Louis has attractions and activities for a family on vacation, someone visiting for business, or a couple searching for romance. Boating tours, museums, historic sites such as the village where Daniel Boon lived, shopping, fine dinging, and educational attractions are all within minutes from anywhere in the city. St. Louis offers culture, sophistication, old world charm, and fantastic architecture.

The Mississippi River is the third longest river system in the world - stretching approximately 2,350 miles from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico. To enable travel upstream from St. Louis, 29 locks and dams have been built between there and Minneapolis. The Mississippi River is the reason the Twin Cities St. Paul and Minneapolis exist. Used by Native Americans for trade, food, and water long before Europeans visited the “New World,” the Mississippi River and its watershed is a major contributor to the ecology, culture, politics and economy North America. Congress established Mississippi National River and Recreation Area in 1988. The park’s boundaries enclose about 54,000 acres and 72 miles of river - a significant and representative stretch of the Mississippi. They contain the only gorge and waterfall on the main course of the entire 2,350 miles of river. From visitor centers to trails, from industrial centers to Mississippi River backwaters, this park has a bit of something for everyone.

Memphis is known as the home of Elvis Presley and as birth place of the blues. Don't forget to travel down Beale Street and listen to some of the worlds best blues bands. Hike, bike, golf, go for a balloon ride and take tours through the history of Elvis Presley's life. Don't forget some great sites in Memphis such as: Alex Haley's Home, Beale Street, and the W.C. Handy Home. Take a trip to the Memphis Zoo or jump on exiting amusement park rides at Libertyland Amusement Park.

Vicksburg is situated on the banks of the Mississippi and it is filled to the brim with museums, casinos, small art galleries, festivals, shopping and more. As the site of 'The Siege of Vicksburg' during the Civil War, the city is abound with history and monuments. At the old Trinity church, you view six stunning Tiffany stained glass windows. On the way to the waterfront downtown, you will find the Riverfront Murals - 32 images telling the story of Vicksburg's history by artist Robert Dafford, windows to the city's growth. For a little pampering, indulge in one of the four luxurious spas throughout the city. There is always something to do in Vicksburg, for every age and every interest.

Natchez, perched 200 feet above the Mississippi River on the highest promontory north of the Gulf of Mexico, is the oldest civilized settlement on the river. The city boomed in the first half of the 19th century with the exportation of cotton by steamboat - cotton grown on plantations in Mississippi and across the river in the rich Louisiana lowlands. Enormous fortunes were made from the area's natural resources: the land and river. Cotton was king, money was plentiful and men spent it - particularly on dazzling mansions filled with the finest furnishings money could buy. Today with its tourism, industry and enormous wealth of natural resources - hospitality - Natchez is one of the most desirable small cities in the United States. Residents are proud to have the city included in Hugh Bayless' book, "The 100 Best Towns in America."

The state flower, the Magnolia, is found abundantly in Baton Rouge and all areas of the state. In addition to the wonderful aroma that wafts ever so subtly into the night air, there are many restaurants in the Greater Baton Rouge area with the hearty aromas and taste of South Louisiana cooking. The Gothic Revival castle, built in 1849 was reported to be the "ugliest" building on the Mississippi river by none other than Mark Twain. Restored in 1882 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks in 1976. A more recent restoration of the building was completed in early 1995 and the building is open again to the public.

New Orleans is a happy, high-spirited city with the pulsing beat of Dixieland jazz. It delights visitors with its riverboats, Creole cuisine, quaint antique shops and narrow streets of the French Quarter. While here, be sure to take a ride on one of the picturesque trolley cars. Eccentric, elegant New Orleans is strongly connected to both the Mississippi River and the South, but its identity remains aloof from any regional or even national affiliation. It reminds some visitors of European cities, in part because French and Spanish colonial architecture adds an Old World backdrop to some streets. But the feeling of foreignness goes deeper: The celebrated New Orleans atmosphere, cuisine, music, traditions and lifestyle are rooted in an embrace of the decadent and assimilation of the unconventional. New Orleans welcomes all, but is familiar to none, and the result is a city which attracts the romantic, the spiritual, the wild and the inquisitive—all while successfully promoting itself as corporate America’s playground. No matter what is expected from a visit to New Orleans, no one goes home disappointed.