7 Best American River Cruises for an Adventure Close to Home

Cruising from St. Louis to Minneapolis, this itinerary can check a whopping five midwestern states off of your bucket list — Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. It’s offered on four different ships, including the striking 150-passenger American Heritage paddlewheeler. Whichever you choose, you’ll spend your days immersing yourself in American history, diving deeper into the work of Mark Twain and exploring iconic sites such as the St. Louis Arch. Evenings include dinners of American fare, followed by local musicians who entertain with guitars, banjos and basses or perhaps a bluegrass singer.

Pros:

• Complimentary cocktails are served before dinner
• The cruise fare includes beer and wine with lunch and dinner, plus soda and water all day long
• On the newer ships, Aquavit Terrace serves up an American barbecue dinner on the top deck, complete with brisket and sausages, plus a raw bar full of regional oysters
• Elevators reach all decks, a real boon for those who need them
• The line has its own fleet of buses for use in port