North America Rivers

North American Rivers

If you're looking for a cruise vacation that's completely different from any other, come discover Mark Twain's America . . . on board an authentic paddlewheel steamboat!

A Steamboatin' vacation offers delightfully diversified pleasures - the excitement of exploring quaint rivertowns; the thrill of travelling along America's great rivers; the tranquility of watching the sun set on the river; the romance of a moonlight stroll on deck; and the reward of pure relaxation.

The USA has a host of navigable rivers and waterways that offer wonderful river cruise experiences.

The Columbia and Snake rivers allow round trip cruises from Portland into the Pacific North West

Mississippi cruises are often split into Lower Mississippi which is south from St Louis and Upper Mississippi which is north from St Louis. These cruises are generally on Paddle Steamers. Cruises also make use of the Mississippi’s main tributaries including the Ohio, Tennessee and Arkansas rivers.

The St Lawrence and Great Lakes have cruises that can go from Quebec and through the lake system to Chicago and into Lake Superior.

The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway extends from Key West in Florida to Boston, Massachusetts and covers a region rich in both history and geography. Its 1200 mile course includes manmade canals, bays protected by barrier islands, natural river channels, and estuaries.

Cruise types

The vessels used range from Mississippi Paddle Steamers, to small ships and to river boats. The destination and the rivers drive the ship type as often as not.

Cruise season

Seasons vary by river. Lower Mississippi cruises operate year round, while cruises on the Coastal Waterway, the St Lawrence and the Columbia don’t operate in the winter and their schedules may be set to enjoy Fall Colours or historical events.

Main ports

Columbia and Snake Rivers - Portland
Mississippi – New Orleans, Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga, Cincinnati, St Louis, St Paul and more
St Lawrence and the Great Lakes – Quebec, Montreal, Chicago
Intracoastal waterway – Quebec, Toronto, Chicago, Buffalo

Weather

The weather varies according to the region, river and season. Fall cruises to view the autumn colours will be cooler while summer cruises on the lower Mississippi will be warm to hot.

Photo Credit: American Queen

All Destinations

Select from all of our destinations Africa - North & Middle East Africa - South & Central Alaska & Canada West Antarctica Arctic North Atlantic Arctic Northwest and Northeast Passages Asia Asian Rivers Atlantic Trans Australia Australian Rivers Bahamas Bermuda Canada & New England Caribbean Egypt & Nile EU British Isles EU Mediterranean EU Norwegian Fjords EU Rivers EU Scandinavia & Baltic EU West & Atlantic Islands Hawaii India & Indian Ocean India Rivers Mexico North America Atlantic North America Pacific North America Rivers Panama & Central America South America South American Rivers South Pacific & New Zealand World Cruises & Sectors

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Ports

• Alton, Illinois, USA
• Ashport, Tennessee, USA
• Augusta, KY, USA
• Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
• Bear Mountain State Park
• Beardstown, Illinois, USA
• Beaver Island, Michigan, USA
• Bettendorf (Quad Cities), IA, USA
• Birmingham, Alabama, USA
• Blennerhasset Island, West Virginia, USA
• Brandenburg, KY
• Bremerton, WA, USA
• Bristol, Rhode Island
• Burlington, Iowa, USA
• C&D Canal
• Cairo, Illinois, USA
• Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA
• Cave-In-Rock, Illinois,USA
• Charleston, South Carolina, USA
• Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
• Chesapeake & Delaware Canal
• Chester, Illinois, USA
• Chestertown, MD, USA
• Chicago, USA
• Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
• Clarkston, Washington, USA
• Clarksville, Tennessee, USA
• Clifton, Tennessee, USA
• Clinton, Iowa
• Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
• Columbia River Gorge, USA
• Columbus, Kentucky, USA
• Columbus, Mississippi, USA
• Darrow, Louisiana, USA
• Davenport, Iowa, USA
• Decatur, Alabama, USA
• Demopolis, Alabama, USA
• Detroit, Michigan, USA
• Doubletree By Hilton Chattanooga
• Dover, Tennessee, USA
• Dubuque, Iowa, USA
• Duluth, Minnesota, USA
• Erie, Pennsylvania, USA
• Escanaba, MI, USA
• Evansville, IN, USA
• Florence, Alabama, USA
• Fort Canby, Washington, USA
• Fort Madison, Iowa, USA
• Fort Monroe, Virginia
• Fort Smith, Arkansas, USA
• Gallipolis, Ohio, USA
• Gaylord Opryland
• Glacier National Park
• Grafton, Illinois, USA
• Grand Gulf, MS, USA
• Grand Rivers, Kentucky
• Grand Teton National Park
• Grandview, Illionois, USA
• Greenville, Mississippi, USA
• Hanford Reach, Washington, USA
• Hannibal, Missouri, USA
• Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA
• Havana, Illinois, USA
• Havre de Grace, MD
• Hayden Island, OR, USA
• Helena, Arkansas, USA
• Hells Canyon
• Henderson, Kentucky, USA
• Henry, Illinois, USA
• Hickman, Kentucky, USA
• Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza
• Hilton Hotel Chicago
• Hilton New Orleans Riverside
• Hilton St. Louis At The Ballpark
• Holland, Michigan, USA
• Hood River Valley, Oregon, USA
• Horse Heaven Hills & Red Mt, Washington, USA
• Houmas House Plantation, Burnside, Louisiana, USA
• Hudson River, New York, USA
• Huntington, West Virginia, USA
• Hyde Park, NY, USA
• Jackson, Mississippi, USA
• Jackson, Wyoming, USA
• Jeffersonville, IN, USA
• Joliet, Illinois, USA
• Jonesville, Louisiana, USA
• Kimmswick, Missouri
• Kitty Hawk, NC
• Klickitat, Washington, USA
• Kuttawa, Kentucky
• La Crosse, WI
• Lake Michigan, USA
• Lake Pepin, WI
• Le Claire, Iowa, USA
• Leavenworth,Kansas, USA
• Lewiston, Idaho, USA
• Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
• Louisville, Kentucky, USA
• Madison, Indiana, USA
• Manistee, Michigan, USA
• Marietta, Ohio, USA
• Maysville, Kentucky, USA
• Memphis Tennessee, USA
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Mississippi Delta, USA
• Mobile, Alabama, USA
• Mount St Helens, WA
• Mount Vernon, Virginia, USA
• Mt Vernon, Indiana, USA
• Muscatine, Iowa, USA
• Nashville, Tennessee, USA
• Natchez, Mississippi, USA
• Nauvoo, IL, USA
• New Castle, Delaware, USA
• New Madrid, Missouri, USA
• New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
• New Roads, Louisiana, USA
• Newburgh
• Newport News, Virginia, USA
• Nottoway, Louisiana, USA
• Oak Alley Plantation, Vacherie, Louisiana, USA
• Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA
• Ottawa, Illinois, USA
• Owensboro, KY
• Oxford, Maryland
• Paducah, Kentucky,USA
• Pendleton, Oregon, USA
• Pensacola, Florida, USA
• Peoria, Illinois, USA
• Peru, Illinois, USA
• Petit Jean, Arkansas, USA
• Pickwick, Tennessee, USA
• Pine Bluff, Arkansas, USA
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
• Plantation Road, LA
• Point Pleasant, West Virginia, USA
• Pointe Coupee, Louisiana, USA
• Port of Iberia, Louisiana, USA
• Port of Kalama, WA
• Portland, Oregon, USA
• Portsmouth, Ohio, USA
• Potomac River, Washington D.C. USA
• Poughkeepsie, NY
• Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, USA
• Quad Cities (Bettendorf), IA
• Rainier, Oregon
• Red Wing, Minnesota, USA
• Richland, Washington, USA
• Richmond, Virginia
• Rosedale, Mississippi, USA
• Sacajawea State Park, WA
• Savannah, Tennessee, USA
• Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown
• Smithland
• Snake River, Oregon, USA
• Spokane, Washington (USA)
• St Charles, Missouri, USA
• St Clair River, Michigan USA
• St Francisville, Louisiana, USA
• St Johns River, Florida
• St Louis, Missouri, USA
• St Michaels, MD
• St Paul, Minnesota, USA
• Stevenson, WA
• Stockton, California, USA
• Tell City, Indiana, USA
• Terrene Landing, Mississippi, USA
• The Dalles
• The Guest House At Graceland
• The Peabody Memphis
• Tolomato River, Florida
• Troy (for Albany), Georgia USA
• Tunica, Mississippi
• Umatilla Landing, Oregon, USA
• Vacherie, Louisiana, USA
• Vancouver, Washington, USA
• Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA
• Wabasha, Minnesota, USA
• Walla Walla, Washington, USA
• Wellsburg, West Virginia, USA
• West Yellowstone, Montana, USA
• Wheeling, West Virginia, USA
• White Castle, Louisiana, USA
• Willamette River, Oregon, USA
• Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
• Winona, Minnesota, USA
• Wyandotte, Michigan, USA
• Yellowstone National Park
• Yonkers, New York