The Mississippi River travels from Minnesota all the way to the Gulf Of Mexico, covering 2,320 miles. The river flows through ten states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. By car, it can take travelers anywhere between five days and two weeks to follow the river. Driving isn’t the only way to see the Mississippi River, though. The best way to see the Mississippi River is by boat.

The Mississippi River can be broken up into two parts, the Upper Mississippi and the Lower Mississippi. The Upper Mississippi is made up of any portion of the river upstream from Cairo, Illinois. Though, as we look at the Upper Mississippi cruise itineraries, you will realize that these itineraries stop or start in St. Louis, Missouri, which is about 150 miles north of Cairo.

Naturally, that means the Lower Mississippi is anything south of Cairo. Just as the Upper Mississippi itineraries, that doesn’t mean that the Lower Mississippi itineraries start in Cairo. All of these sailings either start or end in Memphis.

There are also sailings that sail the entire Mississippi. From Minnesota to Louisiana. But more on those in a minute.

Upper Mississippi River Cruises

An Upper Mississippi cruise takes guests through the Midwest. During their time aboard, guests may have a chance to visit the hometown of Mark Twain, ride the Fenelon Place Elevator, visit the Riverside Museum in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and so much more.

On the Upper Mississippi, guests can expect to see wildlife as well as dramatic landscapes. There are many lock and dam systems along the river, which allow river guests additional views as they sail.

American Queen Steamboat Company offers two itineraries on the Upper Mississippi:

Mark Twain’s Mississippi from Minneapolis to St. Louis, or reverse

This itinerary is either eight or nine days and includes stops in Red Wing, Minnesota; Winona, Minnesota; La Crosse, Wisconsin; Dubuque, Iowa; Bettendorf, Iowa; Burlington, Iowa; Hannibal, Missouri; and Alton, Illinois.

Highlights of the voyage might include a visit to the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum, the Romanesque Chapels of St. Rose, and a tour of a Dutch windmill.

Heartland Heritage roundtrip from Minneapolis

This nine-day itinerary takes guests to Red Wing, Minnesota; La Crosse, Wisconsin; Dubuque, Iowa; Prairie du Chein, Wisconsin; and Winona, Minnesota.

Highlights of the trip might include a visit to the Pottery Museum of Red Wing, the Fur Trade Museum, and the Sheldon Theatre, which opened in 1904.

*Both of these sailings have multiple themed varieties.

American Cruise Lines offers one itinerary on the Upper Mississippi:

Upper Mississippi River Cruise from St. Louis to St. Paul, Minnesota, or reverse

This eight-day itinerary takes guests to St. Louis, Missouri; Hannibal, Missouri; Fort Madison, Iowa; Davenport, Iowa; Dubuque, Iowa; La Crosse, Wisconsin; Red Wing, Minnesota; and St. Paul, Minnesota.

Highlights of the sailing may include a visit to the Missouri History Museum, an agri-tourism tour at a dairy farm; and a visit to the National Eagle Center.

*This sailing has two themed varieties, Mark Twain cruise, or Fall Foliage Cruise.

Lower Mississippi River Cruises

On the Lower Mississippi, guests will experience Southern culture – traveling from Memphis to New Orleans. On these sailings, guests may visit historic Civil War sites, plantations, mansions, and more. The Lower Mississippi is also where music-themed cruises are going to take place, as New Orleans and Memphis are well known for their influence in the jazz and country music scenes.

American Queen Steamboat Company offers three itineraries on the Lower Mississippi:

A Taste Of The True South from Memphis to New Orleans, or reverse

This eight or nine day itinerary visits New Orleans, Louisana; Nottoway Plantation; St. Francisville, Louisana; Natchez, Mississippi; Vicksburg, Mississippi; Greenville, Mississippi; and Memphis, Tennessee.

On this sailing, guests can visit Nottoway Plantation, the South’s largest remaining antebellum mansion; the Old Court House Museum in Vicksburg, which hosted speakers including Teddy Roosevelt and Ulysses S. Grant; and a Jewish temple that contains artifacts and memorabilia from World War II.

Jewels Of The Lower Mississippi from Memphis to New Orleans, or reverse

Another nine-day journey, this sailing stops in Memphis, Tennessee; Vicksburg, Mississippi; Natchez, Mississippi; Baton Rouge, Louisana; St. Francisville, Louisana; Nottoway Plantation; and New Orleans, Louisana.

Guests sailing this itinerary can visit Royal Street in St. Francisville, Louisana; explore a Fletcher-class Destroyer, USS Kidd, that fought in many US battles; and visit the Greenville Writers’ Exhibit, which showcases writers from Greenville.

Southern Sampler roundtrip from New Orleans

This nine-day journey takes guests to New Orleans, Louisana; St. Francisville, Louisana; Natchez, Mississippi; Vicksburg, Mississippi; Baton Rouge, Louisana; and Nottoway, Louisana.

Highlights of this trip might include a visit to King’s Tavern and Charbonneau Distillery; Grace Episcopal Church, one of the oldest Protestant churches in Louisiana; and the Louisiana Art & Science Museum.

American Cruise Lines also has three itineraries on the Lower Mississippi:

New Orleans roundtrip

This eight-day journey makes stops in New Orleans, Louisana; Oak Alley, Louisana; Natchez, Mississippi; Vicksburg, Mississippi; St. Francisville, Louisana; Baton Rouge, Louisana; and Houmas House, Louisana.

Guests will have the chance to visit the Oak Alley Plantation, Vicksburg National Military Park, and the Longwood house at which construction was halted as the Civil War started, leaving the house unfinished to this day.

Lower Mississippi River Cruise from Memphis to New Orleans, or reverse

This eight-day sailing takes guests to Memphis, Tennessee; Vicksburg, Mississippi; Natchez, Mississippi; St. Francisville, Louisana; Baton Rouge, Louisana; and Oak Alley, Louisana.

Guests on this sailing can visit Elvis Presley’s home, Graceland; the Frogmore Plantation; and explore Vicksburg’s oldest neighborhood where they will visit an authentic antebellum mansion.

Highlights Of The Mississippi River roundtrip from New Orleans

This itinerary is perfect for guests looking for a taste of the Mississippi, as it is a bit shorter than the others on this list. This five-day itinerary takes guests around Louisiana roundtrip from New Orleans, making stops in Houmas House, Baton Rouge, and Oak Alley.

Guests will have a chance to visit the Houmas House & Plantation; the Oak Alley Plantation; and take a guided tour, highlighting some of New Orleans’ most famous attractions.

Combination Upper and Lower Mississippi River Cruises

Though the Mississippi can be broken up into two parts, there are many itineraries that combine both parts of the river. Most of these itineraries are longer than those that are segmented, so if you’re looking to do a combination cruise, you’ll likely need to block out at least two weeks.

American Queen Steamboat Company has two itineraries that combine the Upper and Lower Mississippi:

American River BBQ Challenge from Memphis to St. Louis, or reverse

This nine-day sailing only has a few sailing dates that start in May and end in September. The sailing is a BBQ competition between the culinary teams onboard, and regional barbeque masters.

Stops on this journey include Memphis, Tennessee; New Madrid, Missouri; Paducah, Kentucky; Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Chester, Illinois; and St. Louis, Missouri. Apart from BBQ sampling, guests will have a chance to visit many historic sites.

Authentic America On The Mighty Mississippi from Minneapolis, MN to New Orleans, LA, or reverse

This is the longest voyage on the Mississippi offered by American Queen Steamboat Company. Over 16 days, guests will visit Minneapolis, Minnesota; Winona, Minnesota; La Crosse, Wisconsin; Dubuque, Iowa; Bettendorf, Iowa; Hannibal, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; Memphis, Tennessee; Vicksburg, Mississippi; Natchez, Mississippi; Nottoway Plantation; and New Orleans, Louisana.

American Cruise Line has three itineraries that combine the Upper and Lower Mississippi:

Mississippi River Gateway Cruise from New Orleans to St. Louis, or reverse

This 11-day itinerary visits New Orleans, Louisana; Baton Rouge, Louisana; Natchez, Mississippi; Vicksburg, Mississippi; Memphis, Tennessee; New Madrid, Missouri; Paducah, Kentucky; and St. Louis, Missouri.

Guests on this voyage will have a chance to visit the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, take a historic hayride in New Madrid, and visit Graceland in Memphis.

Great Heartland Cruise from St. Paul to New Orleans, or reverse

This 15-day sailing takes guests to St. Paul, Minnesota; La Crosse, Wisconsin; Dubuque, Iowa; Davenport, Iowa; Fort Madison, Iowa; Hannibal, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; Memphis, Tennessee; Vicksburg, Mississippi; Natchez, Mississippi; Baton Rouge, Louisana; and New Orleans, Louisana.

Complete Mississippi River Cruise from New Orleans to St. Paul, or reverse

The longest itinerary we’ve looked at today, this 22-day sailing takes guests to eight of ten states on the Mississippi River. On this sailing, passengers will visit New Orleans, Louisana; Oak Alley, Louisana; Houmas House, Louisana; St. Francisville, Louisana; Natchez, Mississippi; Vicksburg, Mississippi; Greenville, Mississippi; Memphis, Tennessee; New Madrid, Missouri; Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Chester, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; Hannibal, Missouri; Fort Madison, Iowa; Davenport, Iowa; Dubuque, Iowa; La Crosse, Wisconsin; Red Wing, Minnesota; and St. Paul, Minnesota.

Many travelers feel a need to fly off to Europe to take a river cruise, but there is beautiful scenery and history waiting to be explored in America’s heartland.

Read more about Mississippi River cruises.