Port NOLA Louisiana Cruise from New Orleans to Saint Paul — 22 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.

Darrow LA, USA

Darrow lies on the Mississippi River’s west bank in Louisiana’s plantation country, between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Here, broad river bends frame a landscape shaped by sugar, shipping and generations of Creole history. At Houmas House and Gardens, grand rooms, live oaks and formal grounds offer a vivid view of plantation life. Allow time for river vistas, local cooking and the unhurried pace of rural Louisiana.

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.

River Cruising (River Cruising)

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)

Paducah KY, USA

Paducah sits at the meeting of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers, with a riverfront that shaped its fortunes. Downtown, 50 floodwall murals trace the city’s history across nearly a mile of concrete. The National Quilt Museum celebrates the craft behind Paducah’s UNESCO designation as a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art. Brick streets, galleries and restored 19th-century buildings make the compact center rewarding to explore on foot.

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.

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.

Alton IL, USA

Alton sits on the Mississippi River, where limestone bluffs frame one of the region’s most historic river towns. Walk downtown to find the site of the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debate and memorials to abolitionist Elijah Lovejoy. The National Great Rivers Museum explores the waterways and engineering that shaped America’s inland commerce. Nearby, the Meeting of the Great Rivers marks the confluence of the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois rivers.

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.

Burlington IA, USA

Burlington puts Lake Champlain at your doorstep, with the Adirondacks rising across the water and the Green Mountains behind town. Its compact center rewards a walk: Church Street Marketplace gathers independent shops, cafés and street performers between brick buildings. At the waterfront, follow the lakeside path or visit the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain. Vermont’s largest city feels easy to explore on foot.

Davenport IA, USA

Davenport brings the Mississippi River into view from a lively downtown. Walk its riverfront paths, then visit the Figge Art Museum. The museum’s glass façade frames collections of American and regional art. Davenport belongs to the Quad Cities, with Illinois just across the river. Make time for a riverboat outing or dinner beside the water.

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.

La Crosse WI, USA

La Crosse sits where the Mississippi, Black and La Crosse rivers meet, beneath the wooded bluffs of western Wisconsin. Its riverfront gives the city its character, with Riverside Park offering broad views of passing vessels and the changing water. Walk into downtown for independent shops, brick storefronts and ornate 19th-century architecture in the historic district. For a wider view, visit Grandad Bluff, where the Mississippi Valley opens beneath you. This is a port best explored at an unhurried pace.

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.