New Orleans - St. Louis - 14-Day Journey

Day 2: New Orleans, LA

Departure: 6:00 p.m.

Enjoy the sights and sounds of New Orleans today.  This afternoon, you will board the American Queen to begin your voyage.

Day 3: Steamboating

Settle into a rocking chair and just let the scenery glide by. Or join in the fun of our numerous onboard activities. Your full day of leisurely steamboating on the river sets the tone for an unforgettable vacation.

Day 4: Natchez, MS

Arrival: 12:00 p.m. — Departure: 5:00 p.m.

Step into the plantation lifestyle of the antebellum south in Natchez, site of numerous restored mansions. Visit historic Jefferson College, or just amble down the Natchez Trace.

Hop-On Hop-Off Tour:  Natchez is the center of the Antebellum South. From Spring Pilgrimage to Christmas, there’s no shortage of excitement in this small town as you tour the antebellum mansions of Natchez, drink in the history and enjoy the entertainment. Stop at the Natchez Visitors Center to peruse the gift shop and bookstore, or view exhibits and films illustrating the rich history of Natchez. Take a narrated tour of Stanton Hall which was built in 1857 and is considered the grandest of the Natchez mansions. See the Magnolia Hall, Rosalie Mansion and William Johnson House. Also on our route is Twin Oaks, the antebellum mansion of Regina Charboneau, the Chef de Cuisine of the American Queen, and the Eola Hotel for shopping.

Day 5: Vicksburg, MS

Arrival: 8:00 a.m. — Departure: 1:00 p.m.

Discover a unique blend of old and new in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Take in the diversity from National Historic Landmarks to the Waterways Experiment Station. Billed as the “Red Carpet City of the South,” Southern hospitality is alive and well and awaiting your arrival.

Hop-On Hop-Off Tour:  Board your hop-on hop-off Steamcoach for a narrated tour experience of Vicksburg Mississippi, a city bursting at the seams with local culture, character, art, entertainment and outdoor adventure. The Red Carpet City of the South, Vicksburg perfectly blends Southern culture and heritage with exciting modern-day attractions. Your deluxe Steamcoach will first take you through Vicksburg’s shopping district. You will stop at The Church of the Holy Trinity, a place of spiritual refreshment to Vicksburg for more than 125 years. Two blocks from the church you will find the Southern Cultural Heritage Center.

The next stops are Pemberton’s Headquarters; as you return to the downtown area, continue to the Old Courthouse Museum, which showcases thousands of artifacts from pre-Columbian times to Civil War implements. Finally, visit Washington Street for more shopping, or discover other interesting museums including the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum, Yesterday’s Children Antique Doll and Toy Museum, the Old Depot Museum, and Lower Mississippi River Museum.

Day 6: Steamboating

The Great Waters of the Mississippi river system originate in Lake Itasca and roll relentlessly to the Gulf of Mexico. This force of nature is your constant companion during a magical day of uninterrupted cruising.

Day 7: Helena, AR

Arrival: 8:00 a.m. — Departure: 1:00 p.m.

Let gospel voices lift your heart, hear soulful Delta blues, and sample King biscuits and sausage during an eventful day.

Hop-On Hop-Off Tour: Hop aboard your deluxe Steamcoach and begin an adventure by visiting the Cherry Street Historic District. Many of the exteriors were used in the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic "Walk the Line." Along the way you’ll find a number of treasures including the famous theatre from the movie "Walk the Line," the Malco Theater; boutiques such as the Delta Gypsy Caravan; the Handworks Boutique; the Cotton and Kudzu Mall which was featured on “ABC World News Tonight”; and the Gist Music Company whose rare collectibles will transport you back in time.

Discover historic downtown Helena with two museum sites that preserve and present the heritage of the 27-county region of eastern Arkansas at the Delta Cultural Center. If you are into the Blues, Bubba’s Blues Corner offers the best selection of hard-to-find Blues music in the nation. Next is Biscuit Row, a future development project trying to rehabilitate several buildings at this gritty intersection that was once the home of the Blues in Helena. Our next stop is the Helena Museum and its eclectic collection of artifacts from prehistoric times through the Civil War and on to the present. Then, connect to two pieces of Civil War History at the magnificently restored Moore-Hornor House and the nearly full-size replica of the Union’s Fort Curtis rebuilt just a short distance from where it originally stood. Our final stop highlights some of the most beautiful historic architecture in the region, the Pillow Thompson House, a late 19th century mansion that serves as the location for many weddings, parties, and other special events.

Day 8: Memphis, TN

Arrival: 8:00 a.m. — Departure: 5:00 p.m.

Hop-On Hop-Off Tour:   Board our hop-on hop-off steamcoach for a narrated tour experience of attractions throughout Memphis. Explore exhibits of the civil rights movement at the National Civil Rights Museum. Stop at the museum that tells the story of the birth of rock ‘n’ roll and soul music, featuring seven galleries and a digital audio guide at the Memphis Rock & Soul Museum. Stroll among the three blocks of nightclubs, street musicians, retail shops, and live blues music along Beale Street. Then, stop at the Peabody Hotel to view the famous Peabody Ducks as they parade through the Grand Lobby at 11:00 am. The last stop is at the Mud Island River Park where you can cross the harbor into the park by monorail or by walking.

Admission is not included for the National Civil Rights Museum and the Mud Island River Park.

Day 9: Steamboating

Today will be spent steamboating and is your day to relax and enjoy the scenery floating and flying past the American Queen.

Day 10: New Madrid, MO

Arrival: 8:00 a.m. — Departure: 12:00 p.m.

Relive scenes out of the battle and siege of New Madrid and enjoy a presentation at the Hunter-Dawson Historic Site. You’ll see the war through the eyes of local soldiers.

Included Tour:  As you board your Hop On-Hop Off deluxe Steamcoach, stroll the 120-foot observation deck and view the 20-mile-long Bessie Bend at the New Madrid Observation Deck. Shopping is next in downtown New Madrid. Then, see how culture is reflected in this ever changing river town from the Mississippian Indian period at the New Madrid Historical Museum.

In the 1940s, the Higgerson School was an 8th-grade classroom with no electricity. Other places you may want to see along the way include Veteran’s Park, the New Madrid County Courthouse, the cypress-framed antebellum mansion of the Hunter-Dawson State Historical Society, and the oldest house in New Madrid, the Hart-Stepp House Art Gallery.

Day 11: Cape Girardeau, MO

Arrival: 8:00 a.m. — Departure: 5:00 p.m.

Included Tour: Start the tour with visits to several different houses and museums that cover much of Cape Girardeau’s history. Riverfront Murals is a concrete and granite cobblestone amphitheater that provides seating for a scenic look of the Mississippi River.

Red House Interpretive Center shows an exhibit reflecting the lives of those who called the Old Cape Girardeau District home. The Old St. Vincent's Church displays Renaissance architecture in English Gothic Revival style. Next is the Glenn House, a museum that features architecture, furnishings, clothing and more from the Victorian era.

Check out spectacular vistas of historic landmark houses and views from the Mississippi River at the River Campus of Southeast Missouri State University, Old Bridge Overlook and Park, and the Crisp Museum. Then, you’ll make one last stop at the Cape River Heritage Museum, located inside an old fire station built in 1908, which houses river-related artifacts and historical items.

If you want to pick up any brochures for information or as souvenirs, Cape Girardeau Visitor's Center will help make your "Escape to Cape" a memorable experience.

Day 12: Chester, IL

Arrival: 12:00 p.m. — Departure: 5:00 p.m.

Samuel Smith built the first home in Chester, established a ferry system, and began the construction of a mill in 1829. He is said to be the town's founder. It was his wife Jane Thomas, a native of Chester, England, who gave Chester its name as a tribute to her home town. The Chester area includes a number of state parks and historic sites. The Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site has a beautiful overlook of the Mississippi River. Down the hill from the park is the Pierre Menard Home, an unusually fine example of French Creole-style architecture, which was built around 1815 and was the home of the first lieutenant governor of Illinois. Across the river from the fort is Kaskaskia Island, the only part of Illinois west of the current channel of the Mississippi River. The island was the site of the first state capital of Illinois. A historic church founded by French explorer Pere Jacques Marquette still holds weekly mass on the island. The Liberty Bell of the West, older than the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, is located near the church on the island and was a gift from King Louis XV of France.

Day 13: St. Louis, MO

Arrival: 8:00 a.m.

Enjoy the day in St. Louis.  Perhaps you will choose to visit the Gateway Arch or take in a ballgame.

Day 14: Disembark in St. Louis, MO

After breakfast, keep an eye out for St. Louis’ Gateway Arch. This iconic landmark is a symbol of America’s frontier journey.  Bid your fellow travelers adieu as you make your way home.