Paddlewheel steamboat with flags flying tied up below wooded autumn hills, steam rising from the stern

Choosing a Mississippi Paddlewheel Route

Lower river, Upper river or the whole length.

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Choosing a Mississippi Paddlewheel Route

The Mississippi is long enough that “a Mississippi cruise” can mean very different trips. Paddlewheel itineraries usually cover one of three stretches, and the right choice depends on what you want to see and how long you want to be away.

Route	Typical towns	Best for
Lower Mississippi (New Orleans area to Memphis)	New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Natchez, Vicksburg, Memphis	Music, Southern history, first-timers
Upper Mississippi (St. Louis to the Twin Cities)	Hannibal, Dubuque, La Crosse, Red Wing, St. Paul	Bluffs, locks and dams, small towns, fall color
Full river	From the Gulf region to Minnesota	Travelers with several weeks who want it all

What Each Stretch Feels Like

Downtown Minneapolis and an arched bridge reflected in the Mississippi at dusk, the northern end of Upper Mississippi cruises — Upper river cruises begin or end in the Twin Cities.

On the Lower river the Mississippi is wide and powerful, the banks low and wooded, and the stops rich in history: antebellum Natchez, the Vicksburg battlefield, the music of Memphis. On the Upper river the scenery changes — bluffs, islands, locks and dams, and towns like Hannibal, Mark Twain’s boyhood home.

For deeper guides to each half, see our sister sites on the Lower Mississippi and Upper Mississippi.

Re-enactors in period dress firing Civil War cannon in a wooded park, the kind of living history guests meet along the Mississippi — Civil War history is a theme of many Lower river shore tours.

Route Questions

Which is better, the Lower or Upper Mississippi?

The Lower river suits travelers drawn to music, Civil War history and Southern towns; the Upper river suits those who want scenery, small towns and fall color. First-timers often start with the Lower river from New Orleans.

When is the best time to go?

Spring and fall are the most popular. Fall brings foliage on the Upper river; summer can be hot in the South. Some routes run only in certain months.

The same line runs paddlewheelers in the Pacific Northwest too; Columbia River Cruising covers that region.

Locks, Bluffs and River Towns

North of St. Louis the Mississippi becomes a staircase of locks and dams, and watching your paddlewheeler rise or fall in a lock chamber is one of the quiet pleasures of the Upper river. Many guests gather on the forward deck as the gates open. Between locks, the river widens into backwaters full of islands and birdlife, with eagles a common sight in some seasons.

On the Lower river there are no locks, and the current is strong and wide. Here the landings are often on high levees, and the towns — Natchez on its bluff, Vicksburg with its battlefield park — sit above the water. Either way, the paddlewheeler moves at an easy pace, and you will spend plenty of time simply watching the river go by.

Longer itineraries that run the full river suit retirees and anyone who wants a deep, unhurried look at the heartland. They take several weeks, so most travelers start with one half and come back for the other.

Find Your Stretch of River

Tell our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise how long you have and what you love; we will suggest the right paddlewheel route.

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