River Tours on the Mississippi

River cruises are gaining popularity and many people flock to the Mississippi River to join the trend. There is a lot of planning that goes into a river cruise, similar to cruises on the open ocean.

Currently, two companies offer regular services on the Mississippi, but more are planning cruises. American Cruise Lines operates the Queen of the Mississippi and the American Eagle on only the Lower and Upper Mississippi, and American Queen Steamboat Company operates on all of the river.

The Mississippi is divided into three parts: Lower Mississippi, Middle Mississippi and Upper Mississippi. The lower portion is New Orleans to Memphis. Usually a weeklong trip can go in either direction. There are ports in the different states and some include interesting sites such as plantations.

The middle is Memphis to St. Louis. This is another weeklong journey with many port stops along the way. The stops feature Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Paducah, Kentucky; and Chester, Illinois.

The last section is from St. Louis to St. Paul. This upper stretch of the river is the most scenic of the three. It’s a weeklong sailing trip and includes stops along the way. Some trips go further and have an extra stop in Illinois or Wisconsin.

Overall, the trip would take about three weeks to do the entire river. Each portion of the river has its own best season to cruise, but overall it’s better to cruise in the fall after the muggy heat of summer has gone away.