Tour Description

The Mississippi River has been the center of Americana since its discovery. Stories, songs and poems have tried to describe its majestic waters, impressive wildlife and almost mythical power, but the true beauty of the Mississippi is something that has to be seen in order to appreciate. On this Mississippi Riverboat trip, you will get the chance to do just that. Experience the wonders of the Mississippi!

Day 1:

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Meals: Lunch

After gathering our fellow adventurers, we make our way to Hannibal, MO, for our first night together.

Day 2:

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Meals: Breakfast

We hop on the big, red bus this morning and continue north to the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, IL. After looking at John Deere’s ingenious designs, we learn more about his family life at the Deere-Wiman House and Butterworth Center. This grand, Swiss Villa-style mansion has a Victorian-style interior. Just a block from the Deere-Wiman house is the Butterworth Center. After visiting these classic homes, we make our way to our own lodgings to rest up for another fun-filled day

Day 3:

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Wake up and climb aboard the Twilight Riverboat for a 2-Day Riverboat cruise! We spend the day in luxury aboard this Victorian-style vessel. This riverboat is distinct for a variety of reasons. The exterior of the boat is powder blue with white railing and has three levels while the interior has elaborately designed ceilings and stained glass windows. While the boat is beautiful, the landscape that we go through is even more so. As we sit in our rocking chairs on the deck, the boat lazily makes its way upriver past dense forests, rocky cliffs, wildlife preserves and distinct bridges. The boat shares the Mississippi with a variety of other vessels, including massive shipping barges. This cruise also includes all meals and entertainment that is sure to bring a smile to your face. Our first day on the cruise ends as we depart the boat for our hotel in Dubuque, IA.

Day 4:

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The second day of the Twilight Riverboat Cruise includes time on your own to explore the Riverwalk or the Mississippi Museum and Aquarium before the boat leaves port for another day on the water. This time, the Twilight makes its way downstream, back to Le Claire, IA. If you were too busy checking out the scenery before, make sure you keep your eyes open today as we pass through two lock and dam sites that allow the vessel to easily traverse the different water levels of the river. There are also two, century-old railroad bridges that swing open, allowing the Twilight to continue its journey down the Mississippi. As the day draws to a close, we dock back in La Claire, IA, and take a brief bus ride back to our hotel.

Day 5:

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Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

After a restful night, we head over to the Isabel Bloom Studio to peruse their extensive collection of sculptures. These pieces of art vary in size, color and subject matter, but all try to uphold Bloom’s original vision to create honest and heartfelt art. After looking through the gallery, we will head south to Hannibal, MO. In Hannibal, we will have some time to explore downtown and visit Mark Twain’s Boyhood Home and Museum before we cast off to explore the waters of the Mississippi one more time aboard the Mark Twain Riverboat Dinner Cruise. After a delicious, included dinner, feel free to wander the deck, dance to the live music or simply sit back and enjoy the ride. Following a festive evening, we return to our hotel in Hannibal, MO.

Day 6:

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Meals: Breakfast

It may be the last day of our journey, but we still have time for some historic fun! We leave Hannibal, MO, and continue toward home, but before we go too far, we stop in Fulton, MO, at the National Churchill Museum. Even though Churchill was an English Prime Minister, his famous “Iron Curtain” speech was delivered in 1946 at Fulton, initiating the period of history eventually known as the Cold War. We arrive home after this short, but amazing trip, along the Muddy Mississippi.