7-night Heartland Of America Cruise

St. Paul has historic landmarks, museums, sightseeing, shopping, and accommodations to fit every budget. The casinos bring Las Vegas thrill, and the rugged mountains cater to the outdoor enthusiast. St. Paul has attractions and activities for a family on vacation, someone visiting for business, or a couple searching for romance. Amusement parks, museums, historic sites, shopping, fine dinging, and educational attractions including: The Science Museum of Minnesota, Historic Lowertown and the Valleyfair Family Amusement Park are all within minutes from anywhere in St. Paul.

Red Wing has been ranked amongst the top historic destinations in the United States. View examples of historical buildings at the Sheldon Theatre or the 135 year old St. James Hotel. Stroll this small town's rows of galleries, antique shops and picturesque store fronts before visiting the Red Wing Collectors society or the Red Wing Pottery Museum - documenting the important history of Red Wing pottery - or to the Goodhue County Historical Society to explore their research library and exhibitions. Go horseback riding along the Hay Creek Trail, or venture a little further afield to hike, bike, skate or ski at the Cannon Valley Trail, which offers nearly 20 miles of trail from Red wing to Cannon Falls. Experience paddle-boating as it was in the 19th century with a visit to Lake Pepin, or explore the lake by sailboat. Round out your day at one of the many restaurants or cafes, or meander along the marina to watch the boats come in.

Destination Guide

La Crosse's business district includes almost one hundred nationally registered historic buildings displaying a variety of architectural styles from Greek revival to Neo-Classical. Visitors can also take a riverboat cruise on a late 19th century steamboat complete with dining options. Shoppers will find a nice selection of unique boutiques in historic downtown to before heading over to one of the many unique restaurants and pubs.

Dubuque certainly has a variety of attractions and beautiful surrounding to keep visitors busy. Visitors can spend their day hiking, biking, or snowboarding, or casino hopping. There is also museums, boutiques, and delicious award wining restaurants that capture the authentic taste of Mississippi River cuisine. Dubuque also has an array of local wineries and breweries to satisfy an array of tastes.

Destination Guide

Iowa City was the site of the original state Capitol. The old Greek Revival building has been restored and is now a museum offering guided tours. Today, the city is better known as the home of the University of Iowa. Two of the university's museums are worth seeing: The Museum of Art has an excellent collection of both European and African works and the Museum of Natural History offers a good introduction to the geology, flora and fauna of the state. If these two museums don't satisfy your Iowa curiosity, we suggest you head to the well-regarded Prairie Lights Bookstore, located near campus, where the helpful staff can make recommendations for further reading.

There are a couple of interesting possibilities for day trips from Iowa City. U.S. President Herbert Hoover was born 20 mi/32 km east of Iowa City in West Branch. The Herbert Hoover National Historic Site features a library, museum, lectures, walking tours and the graves of Hoover and his wife. The site also includes the Quaker meetinghouse and the school Hoover attended as a youth. There are places for picnicking and trails for cross-country skiing as well. Cedar Rapids, 25 mi/40 km north of Iowa City, was once the home of American painter Grant Wood. Several of Wood's works hang in the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. The city's Czech heritage is preserved in a museum and an old-world-style neighborhood along 16th Street. The Cedar Rapids Kernels play minor-league baseball in town during the summer. In Riverside, south of Iowa City, you can see the future birthplace of Star Trek's Captain Kirk; the TV show's creator, Gene Roddenberry, wrote that Kirk would be born in a small Iowa town in the year 2228, and Riverside claimed the right (with Roddenberry's official permission). Trekkies celebrate Kirk's future birthday the last weekend in June. Iowa City is 110 mi/180 km east of Des Moines.

Destination Guide

Burlington is a Mississippi River town rich in cultural history. Marina's offer supplies for fishing and boating for trips along the river. For outdoor activities, area parks offer camping, hiking, caving, and golfing. At Fun City, an amusement and water park, families can enjoy go-karts, laser tag, and restaurants. Families will also enjoy Burlington's Summer festivals featuring outdoor performances by top musical groups, art, crafts, and delicious food.

Hannibal is a wonderful place to enjoy the natural beauty of this beautiful river town. Boaters will find easy access to the Mississippi, as well as local lakes. Hannibal was home to Mark Twain, and visitors can take a self guided tour of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum Properties to learn more about this great American author. Hannibal has grown into an inspirational home for artisans, and is included in the famous 50 Miles of Art. 50 Miles of Art is a scenic drive on Highway 79 and focuses on the growing art communities of Hannibal, Louisiana and Clarksville. Each year there are two studio tours (one in the Spring, and one in the Fall) that highlight artists and their studios.

Destination Guide

St. Louis's "gateway to the west", the Gateway Arch, is a nationally recognized site as it stands over 630 feet above the Mississippi River. Although the arch is a great site, visit some other St. Louis attractions including: historic landmarks, museums, sightseeing, shopping, and accommodations to fit every budget. St. Louis has attractions and activities for a family on vacation, someone visiting for business, or a couple searching for romance. Boating tours, museums, historic sites such as the village where Daniel Boon lived, shopping, fine dinging, and educational attractions are all within minutes from anywhere in the city. St. Louis offers culture, sophistication, old world charm, and fantastic architecture.

Destination Guide