One type of vacation that I don't see advertised a whole lot is the American Riverboat Cruise. These cruises are on smaller vessels and stop at scenic cities along different rivers throughout the US. The most famous? Probably the Mississippi River, where you can sail on an actual paddle boat for just a portion of the river or the entirety of it. However, other rivers and lakes are available for river cruising (Columbia, Snake, Illinois, Ohio, Cumberland, Tennessee).
River cruising is perfect for those who want to explore the United States OR who are nervous about ocean cruising and want to get their feet wet, or are interested in cruising but want to see more cities and sites than beaches and sand.
River cruising is very much like ocean cruising as in EVERYthing is included once you're on board (including WiFi!). One perk to river cruising is that shore excursions are included in your cruise price, as is the hotel room the night before your river cruise takes off!
One itinerary that caught my eye was the New Orleans to Memphis sailing in late September of 2024. It has five stops along the way in cities in Mississippi and Louisiana. This 9 night cruise runs about $4000/person (however, right now they have some great winter savings deals available) and would be a great gift for parents and grandparents! An added bonus is that the river cruise boats are wheelchair accessible/friendly.
Ready to book this cruise for yourself? Let's go! Fill out a travel request form and you'll hear from me soon!
See you on the river!
Alyssa