Port NOLA Louisiana Cruise from New Orleans to Saint Paul — 23 Days

New Orleans, USA

New Orleans makes a memorable port call. The Mississippi River runs beside a city shaped by French, Spanish, African, and American influences. From the French Quarter’s wrought-iron balconies to the Garden District’s grand homes, the city rewards unhurried exploration. Listen for brass bands, taste Creole and Cajun cooking, and ride the historic streetcar beneath live oaks. Leave time for the riverfront and beignets with café au lait. New Orleans is best savoured at its own pace.

• Land Tour (Land Tour)
• River Cruising (River Cruising)

Oak Alley Plantation, USA

In Vacherie, Oak Alley Plantation’s tunnel of live oaks leads to one of Louisiana’s most recognizable homes. The Greek Revival mansion was built between 1837 and 1839, amid the region’s sugar-cane economy. Site exhibits and tours address the enslaved people whose labor sustained the plantation. Come for the celebrated avenue; leave with a clearer understanding of its beauty and its cost.

Baton Rouge, USA

On the Mississippi River, Baton Rouge offers a Louisiana experience beyond New Orleans—more political, collegiate and distinctly local. The red-brick Old State Capitol commands downtown. The USS Kidd, a decorated World War II destroyer, is moored nearby. At Louisiana’s capital, sample Cajun and Creole cooking, explore museums, or visit historic plantations along the river. Come for a different view of the Deep South.

St Francisville LA, USA

Saint Francisville rewards visitors who prefer history at human scale. Set above the Mississippi River in West Feliciana Parish, this small Louisiana town preserves a remarkably rich past. Walk its historic district, where oak-shaded streets lead to 19th-century homes and Grace Episcopal Church, dating to 1827. At nearby Oakley, now Audubon State Historic Site, John James Audubon painted and taught in 1821. Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site adds formal gardens and a vivid glimpse of the region’s past.

Natchez MS, USA

Natchez rises above the Mississippi on a high bluff, with river views that have shaped its fortunes for centuries. Its compact historic district rewards a thoughtful walk past Federal and Greek Revival homes, churches, and gardens. Learn how cotton wealth and slavery built the city, then visit the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture. For a wider view, follow part of the Natchez Trace Parkway, an ancient route through wooded countryside.

Vicksburg MS, USA

Vicksburg sits high above the Mississippi, where river commerce and Civil War history shape the city. Its National Military Park preserves the landscape of the 1863 siege, with monuments, trenches and a scenic driving route. Downtown, explore historic streets, river views and museums that explain Vicksburg’s strategic place in American history. Pair the battlefield with the Old Courthouse Museum, then take time to watch the Mississippi flow past.

Greenville MS, USA

Greenville, Mississippi, rests on the east bank of the Mississippi River, in the heart of the Delta. Blues history, literary landmarks and Southern cooking reveal a region shaped by cotton, river trade and resilience. Explore local museums, blues landmarks and places associated with writers and musicians. Allow time for catfish and a drive through the flat, expansive countryside.

Tunica MS, USA

Step ashore in Tunica, at the heart of the Mississippi Delta. Cotton fields, blues traditions, and the Mississippi itself reveal a region whose influence reaches well beyond its quiet roads. Tunica RiverPark’s museum and observation deck bring the river’s history and landscape into focus. Across the county, casino resorts offer a lively contrast, while blues roots remain central to the Delta’s identity.

• Land Tour (Land Tour)
• Land Tour (Land Tour)

Memphis TN, USA

Memphis sits on the Mississippi, where river commerce and music shaped a distinctly American city. At the National Civil Rights Museum, exhibits trace the struggle for equality inside and beyond the Lorraine Motel. Beale Street keeps the blues close, while Graceland offers an intimate look at Elvis Presley’s life and legacy. Allow time for both: Memphis is best understood through its music, its history, and its riverfront.

River Cruising (River Cruising)

Cape Girardeau MO, USA

On the Mississippi’s western bank, Cape Girardeau pairs river views with a history-rich downtown. Walk the floodwall to see murals tracing the city’s story, then explore nearby historic streets and independent shops. The Glenn House, an ornate 1880s residence, offers a glimpse of Victorian-era life. For a cultural interlude, Southeast Missouri State University’s River Campus brings visual and performing arts close to the water.

River Cruising (River Cruising)

St Louis MO, USA

Venice, Illinois, sits on the east bank of the Mississippi, just north of downtown St. Louis. Across the river, the Gateway Arch rises above a skyline shaped by history and commerce. Nearby, the Chain of Rocks Bridge offers a striking view of the river and its distinctive bend. St. Louis’s museums, neighborhoods and riverfront make rewarding excursions from this quiet riverside port.

River Cruising (River Cruising)

Hannibal MO, USA

Hannibal sits on the Mississippi, where Mark Twain’s boyhood gave shape to Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Walk the compact historic district to see Twain’s boyhood home and the Becky Thatcher House. Then explore museums tracing the river town’s literary past and its long connection with the Mississippi. Beyond the stories, the riverfront offers broad views of the waterway that shaped Hannibal’s trade and daily life.

River Cruising (River Cruising)

Muscatine IA, USA

Step ashore in Muscatine, where the Mississippi meets a city shaped by river trade and button-making. Muscatine once led the world in pearl-button production, using mussel shells harvested from the river. At the National Pearl Button Museum, discover how shell buttons became the city’s signature industry. Then stroll the riverfront and explore historic downtown, with its brick storefronts, cafés, and local shops. Riverside Park opens onto broad Mississippi views, a fitting final stop before you sail on.

Dubuque IA, USA

Dubuque rewards a shore day spent close to the Mississippi. Iowa’s oldest city pairs a handsome 19th-century riverfront with lively museums and walkable downtown streets. At the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, river ecology and historic boats bring the waterway into focus. Ride the Fenelon Place Elevator for sweeping views across rooftops, bluffs and river. Allow time for historic Main Street, or explore the nearby Mines of Spain Recreation Area.

River Cruising (River Cruising)

Winona MN, USA

Winona sits between the Mississippi River and steep limestone bluffs in southeastern Minnesota. Its downtown has handsome commercial buildings and the landmark Winona County Courthouse. At the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, galleries display works by artists including Monet and Picasso. Explore the riverfront for a closer look at the Mississippi. Or drive to Great River Bluffs State Park, where trails open onto broad Mississippi Valley views. Winona’s appeal lies in its mix of art, architecture and big-river scenery.

Red Wing MN, USA

Red Wing stands beside the Mississippi, beneath limestone bluffs, about an hour southeast of Minneapolis–St. Paul. Explore the historic downtown, visit the Red Wing Shoe Company Museum, or trace the city’s pottery heritage. River views, independent shops, and the legacy of Minnesota’s boot and pottery makers give this compact town its character. Allow time for the blufftop overlooks; the Mississippi’s changing light is part of the visit.

Minneapolis-Saint Paul, USA

Saint Paul is Minnesota’s capital, but its best introductions begin along the Mississippi. From the riverfront, broad bluffs rise toward a city shaped by trade, immigration, and civic ambition. Visit the Cathedral of Saint Paul, whose hilltop dome commands the skyline, then explore the nearby Minnesota History Center. Summit Avenue preserves an exceptional stretch of Victorian-era homes, including the James J. Hill House. Allow time for a meal downtown; Saint Paul’s food scene rewards a closer look.