Mississippi River Excursions Offer a
Rich Variety of Experiences
The Mississippi River is one of the most iconic rivers in the world, and it’s home to some of the most vital cities and towns in America. Cruising on the Mississippi River provides a rich and exhilarating experience, from history to food to music.
The Mighty Mississippi has plenty of things to do. You’ll find museums devoted to Civil War, WWII, and indigenous and African American history between New Orleans and Memphis. Moreover, the Mississippi Delta is rich with unique culinary options and jazz and blues music. In addition, each stop offers tours through their historic districts, where many buildings date back more than 200 years.
If you’re interested in learning about history, there are plenty of sites along the Mississippi that can teach you about how people lived and worked along this river centuries ago.
Here are some ideas.
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is best known for its world-class cuisine, art, and jazz music. However, New Orleans’ history is rich with indigenous, Creole, African American, and European cultures.
Historic hotspots like the French Quarter, Café du Monde, City Park, London Canal Breach, and the Garden District reveal the city’s unique treasures.
Beyond the Floodwalls of New Orleans: Bayou Life, the Katrina Effect, with Gulf-to-Table Lunch (Premium AQV)
Experience New Orleans’ Mississippi River Delta culture and history with the American Queen’s expert local guide. See the most famous sights and learn how New Orleans and surrounding areas recovered after 2005’s Hurricane Katrina.
Stop By the National WWII Museum in New Orleans
With over 39,000 artifacts and countless pieces of art and multimedia installations, National WWII Museum will give you an uncensored picture of what life was like during wartime. In addition, it has dozens of exhibits, interactive stations, and live presentations throughout each day.
Visit the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park
The USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park is nearby in Mobile, Alabama. Commissioned in 1942, it served in the Pacific theater during World War II, earning it a reputation as one of the most decorated ships of its time. After decommissioning, it was donated to the city of Mobile, where it became a museum ship for nearly two decades until 1990, when it was moved to Battleship Memorial Park.
Tour Mardi Gras World in New Orleans
Mardi Gras World is located in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana. Mardi Gras World offers visitors an opportunity to take an informative tour through its facility, learning about Mardi Gras history and how its traditions have evolved over time. Visitors can also rent costumes for themselves or their friends if they plan to attend parades during Carnival season.
Nottoway, Louisiana
American Queen Voyages offers an exclusive Mississippi River stop at Nottoway, Louisiana, just outside Baton Rouge. Located here are several unique plantation experiences and an opportunity.
Nottoway Resort Mansion Tour (AVQ Included)
Tour the Nottoway Resort Mansion in White Castle, LA, and find out what life was like before the Civil War. On this plantation-turned resort, you’ll find 31 acres of oak trees and fields, 64 bedrooms across three floors, and see why this four-star destination is called the “White Castle of Louisiana.”
Laura: A Creole Plantation (Premium)
The Laura Plantation (formerly the Duparc Plantation) was named for Laura Locoul and is a Creole take on the traditional southern farm. In addition to having a “big house” (main quarters), it has many surviving outbuildings, including two slave cabins, where a Tulane professor recorded the famous Br’er Rabbit folktales.
Stories of the Great River Road (Premium)
Take a glimpse into the stories of real people’s lives along the southern Mississippi River at the Houmas House and Great River Road Museum. Feel the generational spirit of culture, folklore, music, and commerce that made the Mississippi one of the most important rivers in the country.
Natchez, Mississippi
Named for the Natchez tribe of indigenous nations, this ancient area has been inhabited for over 1100 years. The town of Natchez is the southern end of the Natchez Trace, a historical trade route starting in Nashville, Tennessee. Today, Natchez’s Native American, French, and Spanish roots play a role in the western expansion of the USA.
Natchez Hop-On Hop-Off Tour (AQV Included)
Visit Mississippi’s oldest town on a hop-on hop-off tour, taking as much time as you want at each stop. The outing takes you to historical spots like the Old South Trading Post and Rosalie Mansion.
Hike the Natchez Trace Trail in Natchez, Mississippi
Discover what made the Natchez Trace an essential cultural and historical trail. Three separate trails offer easy hikes, or follow the Trace parkway by car and pull off at scenic stops.
Go Fishing
The Natchez Trace Parkway and Mississippi River are great places to fish, as they offer access to various freshwater fish, like catfish, bream, bass, and more. If you want the enjoyment of fishing but don’t have the patience, an organized, professional fishing boat can do all the work for you.
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Well-known for being a significant site of the Civil War, Vicksburg offers Southern heritage and modern attractions.
Vicksburg Hop-On Hop-Off Tour (AQV Included)
Sample the best of Vicksburg with a hop-on hop-off tour stopping at Church of the Holy Trinity, the Downtown Shopping District, Anchuca Mansion, the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum, the Old Court House Museum, the Old Depot Museum, the Lower Mississippi River Museum, and the Riverfront Murals.
Greenville, Mississippi
Greenville, Mississippi, offers culture, history, and outdoor recreation. Destroyed during the Civil War siege of Vicksburg, residents rebuilt Greenville, and it became the home to Nelson Street music featuring the Delta blues, jump blues, jazz, and big band styles.
Indigenous nations, like the Plaquemine Mississippian culture, inhabited the area for 500 to 700 years before the Europeans. You can experience the Winterville Mounds Historic Site, home to over twelve earthwork mounds.
Greenville Hop-On Hop-Off Tour (AQV Included)
Get a taste of everything Greenville has to offer using the hop-on hop-off tour stopping at the Greenville History Museum, 1927 Flood Museum, Hebrew Union Temple, E.E. Bass Cultural Arts Center, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, and the Writer’s Exhibit at the William Alexander Percy Memorial Library.
Small Towns, Big Legends: The Story of B.B. King – A Musical Journey through the Mississippi Delta (AQV Premium)
Journey to the home of legendary blues artist B.B. King in Indianola, Mississippi. Experience the lifeblood of the blues and the simplistic Delta way of life.
New Orleans