{"id":46028,"date":"2014-03-11T18:54:32","date_gmt":"2014-03-11T22:54:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cruiseexperts.com\/news\/?p=46028"},"modified":"2016-04-21T17:17:01","modified_gmt":"2016-04-21T21:17:01","slug":"from-st-louis-to-st-paul-take-a-mississippi-river-cruise-through-history-on-a-paddlewheeler-boat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruiseexperts.com\/news\/2014\/03\/11\/from-st-louis-to-st-paul-take-a-mississippi-river-cruise-through-history-on-a-paddlewheeler-boat\/","title":{"rendered":"From St. Louis to St. Paul–take a Mississippi River cruise through history on a paddlewheeler boat"},"content":{"rendered":"

The mighty Mississippi River is near and dear to my heart. <\/b>For several years in my young life I lived in Guttenberg, Iowa, a sleepy town north of Dubuque on the river’s edge. My grandparents lived in Muscatine, a few hours south, also on the Mississippi. \u00a0I spent hours watching the famous Delta Queen<\/em> cruise up and down the muddy river. My friends and I would stand on the edge of the river locks, waving at the friendly passengers, and they would reward us by throwing candy from their balconies. We dreamt about someday being one of those passengers, or sharing adventures on the river just like Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer–how glamorous it would be!<\/p>\n

Today, you can still see the upper Mississippi River on the American Cruise Lines\u2019 Queen of the Mississippi<\/em>.\u00a0<\/b>Cruises from St. Louis to St. Paul (or vice versa) are available. You’ll pass through the great midwest states of Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. See the early American river towns and the historical sites that prompted the westward expansion. You’ll see everything from wildlife in the form of birds and wild life in the form of motorcycles.<\/p>\n

\"st-louis---st-paul-map\"<\/picture><\/a>In 2014, this itinerary is available on July 5 & 12, August 2 & 9, September 27 and October 4.\u00a0In 2015, sail August 1 & 8, September 26, and October 10 & 17.<\/p>\n

Onboard the Queen<\/em>, you\u2019ll enjoy modern luxuries and spacious accommodations during your eight-day river cruise. So imagine you\u2019re sitting on your private balcony enjoying your breakfast as we take a cruise up the Mississippi.<\/p>\n

St. Louis, Missouri\u00a0<\/b>is best known for its Gateway\u00a0Arch<\/a>. You can take a ride up to the top of the arch\u00a0in a small egg-shaped capsule and see a spectacular view of the city and Mississippi Valley from the observation deck.<\/p>\n

\"national-park-service-jefferson-national-expansion-memorial-inside-arch\"<\/picture><\/a>

St. Louis Gateway Arch observation area inside at the top.
Photo courtesy of National Park Service, Jefferson National Expansion Memorial<\/p><\/div>\n

Take a tour and see the famous horse stables. The Museum of Westward Expansion is filled with exhibits and history recollecting the lives of the explorers, cowboys and Native Americans.\u00a0This is also home of the original Anheuser-Busch Brewery\u00a0and the historic stables of the famous Clydesdale horses–as seen on Superbowl Sunday. Make sure to include a\u00a0Budweiser Brewery tour<\/a>\u00a0while in St. Louis.<\/p>\n

\"anheuser-busch-brewery-tour\"<\/picture><\/a>

Photo courtesy of Anheuser-Busch<\/p><\/div>\n

Next, you\u2019re off to\u00a0Hannibal<\/b>, \u201cAmerica\u2019s Hometown\u201d and the town of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Visit\u00a0Sawyer\u2019s Creek<\/a>\u00a0where they serve dinner with an audience participation murder mystery to be solved. You\u2019ll also want to visit the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum.\u00a0Rockcliffe Mansion<\/a>,a historical home once located in the country, is now set in the center of town.<\/p>\n

\"rockcliff-mansion-interior\"<\/picture><\/a>

The featured image and this photo of the interior of Rockcliffe Mansion are courtesy of Rockcliffe Mansion<\/p><\/div>\n

As your paddlewheeler makes its way between Hannibal and Davenport, you\u2019ll have an entire day to enjoy cruising the beautiful Mississippi River.<\/p>\n

Once you arrive in\u00a0Davenport, Iowa\u00a0<\/b>you\u2019ll enjoy this vibrant city with a hometown feel. You\u2019ll have a chance to visit the John Deere Pavilion and Store and the John Hauberg Indian Museum in the Black Hawk State Historic Site.\u00a0The Putnam Museum of History and Natural Science<\/a>\u00a0is a lot of fun for fans of CSI where you participate in solving a murder.<\/p>\n

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Photo courtesy of Putnam Museum of History and Natural Science<\/p><\/div>\n

The Putnam museum also has the largest mammal exhibit.<\/p>\n

\"putnam-museum-hall-of-mammals\"<\/picture><\/a>

Photo courtesy of Putnam Museum of History and Natural Science<\/p><\/div>\n

Dubuque, Iowa<\/b>\u00a0is the oldest settlement on the Mississippi. The\u00a0National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium<\/a>\u00a0is filled with exhibits and historical stories of the region. You can also see the Mathias Ham House and the Old Jail Museum here, too.<\/p>\n

\"national-mississippi-river-museum-and-aquarium-river\"<\/picture><\/a>

Photo courtesy of the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium<\/p><\/div>\n

In\u00a0<\/b>La Crosse, Wisconsin<\/b>\u00a0visit the Myrick Hixon EcoPark<\/a>,\u00a0a center for education, entertainment, events and exploration. The park also serves as a trailhead to hundreds of miles of hiking, biking, running, skiing and snowshoeing trails.<\/p>\n

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Photo courtesy of Myrick Hixon EcoPark<\/p><\/div>\n

Red Wing, Minnesota<\/b>\u00a0is an industrial town. Shop for shoes (you’ve heard of Red Wing shoes?), pottery, and linseed oil.\u00a0The Red Wing Pottery Museum<\/a>\u00a0has a great selection of old dinnerware, plus they’re opening their new facility this summer to showcase over 5,000 pieces of Red Wing pottery, stoneware and dinnerware donated to the museum.<\/p>\n

\"red-wing-pottery-museum-dinnerware\"<\/picture><\/a>

Photo courtesy of the Red Wing Pottery Museum<\/p><\/div>\n

St. Paul<\/b>\u00a0is a great place just to walk along along historic Summit Avenue, lined with Victorian mansions built by lumber and railroad barons. The\u00a0St. Paul Harley-Davidson<\/a>\u00a0shop has some great motorcycles to peak the interest of Harley fans.<\/p>\n

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Photo courtesy of the St. Paul Harley-Davidson Shop<\/p><\/div>\n

The Indian Mounds Park<\/a>\u00a0sits\u00a0on a high bluff above the city, offering spectacular, panoramic views of the river and downtown St Paul. It is also an important archaeological, historical, and spiritual site: the Native American burial mounds date back over 2,000 years.<\/p>\n

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Photo courtesy of the Indian Mounds Park<\/p><\/div>\n

The Science Museum of Minnesota<\/a>\u00a0has a new Massospondylus to greet you at the door.<\/p>\n

\"science-museum-of-minnesota-massospondylus\"<\/picture><\/a>

Photo courtesy of the Science Museum of Minnesota<\/p><\/div>\n

American Association of Woodturners Gallery of Wood Art<\/a>\u00a0is\u00a0a must-see for the wood crafter at heart. They have an unbelievable display of wood art crafted by the best woodturners.<\/p>\n

\"american-assoc-of-woodturners-gallery-of-wood-art-andi-wolfe-gallery\"<\/picture><\/a>

Photo by Tib Shaw, American Association of Woodturners<\/p><\/div>\n

The Grand Hand Gallery<\/a> is another great stop if you’re looking for local artist inspired by the region.<\/p>\n

\"grand-hand-gallery-birch-trees\"<\/picture><\/a>

Photo courtesy of the Grand Hand Gallery<\/p><\/div>\n

You may be interested in our other blog about other\u00a0Mississippi river cruises\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

See the historical South on a paddlewheeler boat on a Mississippi River cruise<\/a><\/p>\n

Cruise the Mississippi and Cumberland Rivers through America\u2019s Heartland \u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Experience and explore history while cruising the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers <\/a><\/p>\n

Cruise the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers between St. Louis and Memphis for a taste of Americana<\/a><\/p>\n

See the best of the Mississippi River on a cruise from St. Louis to New Orleans<\/a><\/p>\n

Want more information?<\/b><\/p>\n

Call a CruiseExperts.com agent now to book your stateroom on an America Cruise Lines river cruise. We are here to answer any questions you may have about taking a cruise on a paddlewheeler. Call us at 1-888-804-CRUISE (2784) or visit our website,\u00a0www.CruiseExperts.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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<\/b>Join our\u00a0Inner Circle<\/a>, or \u201clike\u201d us on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0for exclusive updates on the hottest deals for ocean <\/a>and river cruises<\/a>\u2013or any other cruise destination\u2013 offered by all the cruise lines.<\/p>\n

Save big on your Mississippi river\u00a0cruise with our Price Advantage Alerts<\/a>! CruiseExperts.com has secured these low prices a year or two in advance to deliver exclusive cruise deals. By shopping from CruiseExperts.com you are guaranteed to get the lowest prices. Explore our Price Advantage Alerts<\/a> now!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The mighty Mississippi River is near and dear to my heart. For several years in my young life I lived in Guttenberg, Iowa, a sleepy town north of Dubuque on the river’s edge. My grandparents lived in Muscatine, a few hours south, also on the Mississippi. \u00a0I spent hours watching the famous Delta Queen cruise … From St. Louis to St. Paul–take a Mississippi River cruise through history on a paddlewheeler boat<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":46011,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,10,30,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46028","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-destinations","category-did-you-know","category-informative","category-river-cruises"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruiseexperts.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46028","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruiseexperts.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruiseexperts.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruiseexperts.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruiseexperts.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46028"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruiseexperts.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46028\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruiseexperts.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruiseexperts.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruiseexperts.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46028"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruiseexperts.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}