Photography courtesy of visitmississippi.org
The fur-trapping voyageurs navigated it by canoe. Victorian tourists took steam-powered paddle wheelers. And a few years ago, a group of artists cobbled together a raft they christened The Miss Rockaway Armada to travel its length, playing music and getting rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard along the way. The Mississippi River has always appealed to adventurous travelers, though these days you can make the trip without snagging on driftwood or fleeing a boiler explosion. Just get in your car and drive the Great River Road, which celebrated its 75th anniversary last year. The road begins at the headwaters in Minnesota and winds for nearly 3,000 miles through 10 states before nearing the Gulf of Mexico. Whether you travel from top to bottom or just take a day trip, the expedition includes river towns large and small, bed-and-breakfasts, state parks, museums and historic sites, music and art, and of course, a chance to experience the Mississippi. We asked travel councils in each state for their top picks along the river road. There were so many, we couldn’t include them all.
MINNESOTA
Minnesota’s name comes from a Native American term meaning “clear blue water,” so it’s fitting that you embark on your journey at the headwaters of the Mississippi, where a gently rolling stream quickly becomes a mighty river.
Itasca State Park
The state’s oldest state park is home to the 1.8-square-mile glacial lake where it all begins, Lake Itasca—a fact alluded to in the name, a portmanteau of two Latin words, veritas (truth) and caput (head). At the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center, you can learn more about the headwaters. Then explore features throughout the rest of the 32,000-acre park: walking and biking trails, camping facilities, a 2,000-acre wilderness sanctuary, and 100 lakes—a drop in the bucket in a state nicknamed the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Oliver H. Kelley Farm
This rural spot near Elk River has a special place in agricultural history. Its namesake founded America’s first farming organization, The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry. A Boston-born “book farmer,” Kelley reveled in experimenting with farming techniques. Today, the family farm is a time capsule of the 1860s, where you can thresh wheat, learn to drive a team of oxen, or build a birdhouse.
Forest History Center
Experience life in a logging camp here, near Grand Rapids, where you can climb a fire tower, walk the forest trails, and step onto a moored wanigan—a cooking shack on a boat.
Mississippi National River &Recreation Area
The only state park dedicated wholly to the river, this 72-mile corridor runs between Dayton and Hastings, with no shortage of spots for canoeing and bird-watching along the way.
Stone Arch Bridge
Built in 1882, this Minneapolis bridge was only the second in the nation to span the Mississippi—after St. Louis’ Eads Bridge.
Historic Fort Snelling
Located in St. Paul, at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, Fort Snelling houses wooden barracks, a schoolhouse, a hospital, and the Half-Moon Battery. It was here that Dred and Harriet Scott met, years before the case at St. Louis’ Old Courthouse.
WISCONSIN
When you think of Wisconsin, you probably envision cheeseheads, those die-hard fans who gather outside Lambeau Field before Packers games and partake of two of the state’s staples: cheese and beer. But America’s Dairyland also offers its share of natural sights.
Potosi Brewing Company
Among the beers on tap here is Good Old Potosi—a fitting name considering the place was established more than 150 years ago to serve ale to farmers, miners, and fisherman. The building closed in 1972, but was rehabbed in the mid-1990s. Today, it houses the American Breweriana Association’s National Brewery Museum, a Great River Road Interpretive Center, and a transportation museum. Come for the beer, and stay for the history.
Pizza Farms
You read that correctly. These farms offer a mashup of American comfort food and the blossoming locavore movement. You can get pizzas made with just-picked seasonal vegetables, cave-aged cheeses, and hand-rolled doughs—served right on the farm—at places such as A to Z Produce and Bakery, Love Tree Farmstead Cheese, The Stone Barn, Stoney Acres Farm, and Suncrest Gardens Farm.
Stockholm Pie Company
After the beer and pizza, we’re assuming you left room for dessert. Stop in Stockholm to visit this palace of pie, named among “The53 Best Things We Ate This Year”by Gourmet magazine in 2012. Stockholm has pie, yes, but also cinnamon rolls, cookies, and savory meat pies.
Wyalusing State Park
Burn off those calories at this 2,700-acre nature area near Bagley, overlooking the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers. The park has camp-sites, Native American burial mounds, and no shortage of trails.
Grandad Bluff
This 590-foot-high bluff near La Crosse provides a superior view of the Mississippi River Valley across three states. Half an hour away is Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge, a 6,220-acre wilderness area that offers superior bird-watching, hiking, biking, and snowshoeing.
Wings Over Alma Nature& Art Center
This urban nature and fine-arts center is a must for bird-watchers—particularly because it’s situated in Alma, a town where you can observe bald eagles and pelicans, as well as migratory species like tundra swans and canvasback ducks.There’s more than cornfields, baseball, and politicians in Iowa. The state also has history, adventure, and a dose of the quirky. But it still wouldn’t hurt to take in at least one baseball game along the way.
Mississippi Explorer Cruises
It’d be a shame to travel along the river and not actually get out on the water. This company in Lansing travels the backwaters on purpose—to get away from modern civilization and give travelers an undistracted view of the plants and animals along the banks.
Effigy Mounds National Monument
If you love Cahokia, Illinois, a stop at Effigy Mounds is in order. Here, in Harpers Ferry, you can see 206 mounds built by the Effigy Moundbuilders, including ones in the shapes of lynx, bears, birds, deer, turtles, and water spirits. The site is associated with a dozen present-day Native American tribes.
Old Man River Restaurant & Brewery
This spot in McGregor isn’t just a place to stop for a bite and a brew; you also get a little history on the side. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and features high-quality brickwork in the Romanesque and Queen Anne styles—done with brick imported from St. Louis.
Guttenberg
This little river town, incorporated in 1851, has retained its 19th-century charm. In 2010, Forbes named it one of “America’s Prettiest Towns.” Check out the town’s 2-mile-long river walk, the separate Bottomland Forest Trail, and a rare replica of the Gutenberg Bible on display at the town’s library.
Davenport
Take in a minor-league baseball game at Modern Woodmen Park, where the Quad Cities River Bandits play. The stadium is so close to the Mississippi that home runs often sail over the outfield wall and land in the river. Then stop at the Figge Art Museum, the largest art museum between Chicago and Des Moines, with galleries dedicated to Frank Lloyd Wright, 19th-century American art, and folk art.
Snake Alley
Located in Burlington, this old-fashioned cobblestone street has been pronounced “the crookedest street in the world.” Consider it the Midwestern equivalent of San Francisco’s Lombard Street.
ILLINOIS
You’re probably familiar with Brussels and Grafton, where bikers and beer are ubiquitous. But other attractions await nearby along the Great River Road, ideal for weekend getaways.
Galena
Last year, Condé Nast Traveler named this wonderfully preserved 19th-century river town one of its “friendliest cities in the world.” Many other publications have dubbed its historic Main Street among the best in the Midwest. There, you’ll find dozens of antique shops, spas, museums, and art galleries. Outdoorsy folk can take hot air balloon tours at Galena on the Fly, indulge in horseback riding at Shenandoah Riding Center, or head out on the many trails around town, including the 6-mile Galena River Trail.
Quad Cities
The three Illinois cities that com-pose the Quad Cities—Rock Island, Moline, East Moline—are home to several colleges. Translation: There’s a robust night life. Rock Island’s pedestrian mall known as The District is crammed with bars and restaurants, including Blue Cat Brew Pub, Rock Island Brewing Co., and The Smoking Dog Pub.
Quincy Museum
Housed inside the historic Newcomb-Stillwell Mansion, this museum in Quincy provides a first-hand glimpse into 19th-centurylife throughout each of its rooms. Exhibits also highlight Native American culture and the wildlife along the Mississippi.
Kayak Quincy
Before getting an up-close-and-personal encounter with the Mighty Mississippi, you’ll learn to pilot your kayak from instructors on another, not-quite-as-mighty body of water: Quincy Bay.
MISSOURI
If you only have time for a quick day trip—not the entire length of the Mississippi—there are plenty of riverside options near home, small towns where you’ll find art, history—and flying baked goods.
Louisiana
Not to be confused with the state of the same name (that’s later in your journey), this small town’s been dubbed a city of murals. Here, ASL Pewter Foundry makes old-fashioned steins, utensils, and decorative objects. And if you see a wedding cake-esque pink house, you’ve found Stark Bro’s Nurseries & Orchards Co., where you can check out the tools used by the pioneering horticulturists who introduced the Red Delicious apple.
Overlook Farm
If you’re staying just north of St. Louis overnight, consider Overlook Farm in nearby Clarksville. It’s owned by Nathalie Pettus, the woman behind Nathalie’s in the Central West End. The rooms are inviting, and the courtyard offers a sweeping view of the river.
Ste. Genevieve
The city’s home to the nation’s largest concentration of French Colonial architecture, including the Felix Valle House State Historic Site and Bolduc House Museum. If you go during one of the town’s seasonal festivals, like Rural Heritage Day on October 25, you can hear traditional music or talk to historical reenactors.
Cape Girardeau
Art aficionados should make a beeline for the Crisp Museum, where you can see works by Auguste Rodin and Pablo Picasso. And don’t forget to hit downtown Cape, where you’ll find a number of galleries around Bilderbach’s Art Plaza.
New Madrid
The town’s name is synonymous with the earthquake fault line, but you can also experience a less unsettling form of nature from the 120-foot-long Mississippi River Observation Deck.
Lambert’s Cafe
On your way back to St. Louis, make a stop at Lambert’s Cafe in Sikeston, a half hour north of New Madrid. Brace yourself for a sizable meal,with unlimited sides like fried potatoes and okra, as well as those famous “throwed rolls.”
KENTUCKY
The Bluegrass State is known for horse racing, bourbon, and college hoops. But you’ll also find art, history, and water sports along the river running down the western side of the state—which sort of resembles a drumstick, now that we think about it. Did we mention Colonel Sanders’ Original Recipe was born here?
Paducah
Mile for mile, there may be more attractions here than anywhere else along the state’s stretch of the river road. In fact, Paducah is so rich in fine arts, it has been designated a UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Art. At 27,000 square feet, the National Quilt Museum is the largest museum of its kind in the world, exhibiting antique quilts, cutting-edge art quilts from Japan, and more. And the Lower Town Arts District is home to painters, sculptors, potters, photographers, and others. Be sure to seek out the self-guided Wall to Wall Mural tour on the riverfront along Water Street; the 50 life-size panoramic murals show scenes from Paducah’s history.
Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site
You’ll find the confluence of the Mississippi and the Ohio rivers40 minutes away. The mounds here date back to what archaeologists call the Angel Phase of Mississippian culture, between the years 1050 and 1350. In addition to the ancient mounds, the site includes hiking trails and a museum filled with Mississippian pottery, tools, and artwork.
Grand Rivers
This tiny town nestled between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley is one of the state’s most-visited water rec areas. While you’re there, stop at Patti’s 1880s Restaurant. Its famous charbroiled pork chops have earned it a place on multiple best-of lists.
ARKANSAS
It’s known as The Natural State. So it’s only natural that you’ll want to experience the great outdoors while passing through Arkansas. But you should also check out the state’s man-made wonders, including the bookstore that launched a best-selling author’s career, the boyhood home of the Man in Black, and some award-winning barbecue.
Jones Bar-B-Q Diner
We’re spoiled when it comes to good barbecue, but the true connoisseur lives to sample other regional styles. There are excellent choices in Blytheville, but the state’s only James Beard Award–winning restaurant is Jones Bar-B-Q Diner, housed in an unassuming two-story building in Marianna.
That Bookstore in Blytheville
If you’re looking for food for thought, don’t miss the business that helped a once-struggling writer named John Grisham get his start by stocking his first novel, A Time to Kill.
Sans Souci Landing
If you’ve read Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi, you might want to briefly visit Osceola and check out this landing, which includes a historical marker for what was known as Plum Point Landing and Overlook in Twain’s time.
Wilson
In January, The New York Times wrote about this burg, once a company town named for Lee Wilson that printed its own currency. Gaylon Lawrence Jr. purchased the town for $110 million in 2010 with the hope of reviving it as a destination for food and culture. While in Wilson, stop at the Wilson Cafe, serving gourmet burgers and donut bread pudding. And at the Hampson Archeological Museum State Park, you can view Mississippian artifacts circa 1400 to 1650.
Historic Dyess Colony
In Dyess, you’ll find the boyhood home of Johnny Cash. Established in 1934 as a Works Progress Administration project, the colony recruited farm families from all over Arkansas, including the Cashes. Today, Arkansas State University is restoring the singer-songwriter’s boyhood home.
Geocaching
If you want a fun way to explore the entire Arkansas river road, consider the state’s geocaching itinerary, with more than 150 cache boxes up and down the stretch of highway. Among nearby attractions: Riverside International Speedway, the oldest continually operated dirt-bike track in Arkansas; the World War II Japanese American Internment Museum; and Lake Chicot State Park.
TENNESSEE
While the nation’s country-music capital is in the heart of Tennessee, the western edge of the state offers soul music, small towns, and another famous city—known for its blues, barbecue, and the King.
Dyersburg
Founded by some of the area’s first settlers in the 1820s, this small town boasts nearly 50 buildings around its courthouse square that are on the National Register of Historic Places. There’s also the Soldier in Grey Civil War monument.
Beale Street Landing
Memphis is an obvious stop, considering it’s the state’s most storied town along the Mississippi. The new landing helps people get closer to the river, with a restaurant connecting to the adjacent Tom Lee Park, eco-friendly play areas and fountains for kids, and a river dock. There,you can board the American Queen steamboat and take a cruise along the Mississippi.
National Civil Rights Museum
Venture farther into Memphis, and you’ll find this museum, reopened after a $27 million face-lift. Located in a complex that includes the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, the museum houses exhibits on African-American history from the 17th century to the present.
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
Before you leave town, stop at Stax, paying tribute to the record label and the careers of such musicians as Otis Redding, The Staple Singers, and Booker T. & the MG’s.
MISSISSIPPI
When you visit Mississippi, soaking up the blues is a must. As you make your way through the state, stop and read the Mississippi Blues Trail markers. They tell the stories, in their own words, of the men and women who’ve played the blues.
Gateway to the Blues Visitors Center and Museum
Housed in a circa-1895 train depot at Tunica Resorts, near the Arkansas border, this site not only dispenses travel and tourism advice, but also has become a bona fide blues museum.
Clarksdale
Here, you’ll find the Delta Blues Museum, as well as the Ground Zero Blues Club, co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman. If you’re seeking traditional juke joints, check out Red’s Blues Club or Messenger’s. And before leaving town, grab lunch at the iconic Abe’s Bar-B-Q, which recently celebrated its 80th anniversary.
B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center
King didn’t have his best show when he stopped in St. Louis earlier this year, but cut the guy some slack: He’s almost 90 years old. After you visit this museum in Indianola and learn more about his story, you’ll have an even greater appreciation for the blues legend.
Jim Henson Museum
Take a 15-minute detour to Leland, where Kermit the Frog was born. A site is dedicated to Jim Henson’s boyhood on the banks of Deer Creek, where he conceived of the green amphibious character.
Vicksburg
Civil War and history buffs will want to stop at Vicksburg National Military Park, home of Vicksburg National Cemetery, where the largest number of Civil War Union soldiers are interred: 17,000, of which about 13,000 remain anonymous. Also in Vicksburg, you’ll find the Lower Mississippi River Museum—meaning you’re nearing the last leg of your journey.
LOUISIANA
St. Louis natives Tennessee Williams and John Goodman would both agree that New Orleans is the place to be—but there’s far more to check out in the course of your southbound adventure through Louisiana.
Louisiana Old State Capitol
This gorgeous Gothic Revival building, where the state legislature once convened, overlooks the river in Baton Rouge. These days, it houses a museum dedicated to the state’s history, similar to the nearby Capitol Park Museum.
Baton Rouge Food Tours
On Thursdays and Fridays, guides lead tours that point out the city’s architecture and cultural sites, as well as its restaurants.
Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center
Without even leaving Baton Rouge, visitors can explore 103 acres of wilderness. With gravel paths, boardwalks, and a 9,500-square-foot visitor’s center, it is a great way to learn about native flora and fauna.
Vacherie
Restaurant and grocery store Spuddy’s Cajun Foods offers traditional dishes like catfish topped with crawfish stew and red beans and rice. While you’re in town, keep an eye out for the 2,000-foot WCKW/KSTE Radio Tower, one of the tallest constructions on the planet. (It’s hard to miss it.)
Oak Alley Plantation
This past summer, USA Today named Oak Alley among 10 historic Southern plantations to see. The estate’s name derives from a canopy of oak trees, planted in the 18th century, leading up to the antebellum mansion. Last July, a new exhibit titled “Slavery at Oak Alley” was added, telling the site’s sad history across six reconstructed slave quarters.
River Road African American Museum
Located in Donaldsonville, the museum features exhibits that focus on African-American cuisine, the rural roots of jazz, the Underground Railroad, and famous African-American doctors and inventors.
French Quarter
In New Orleans’ most famous neighborhood, hop on the steamboat Natchez, departing daily. Nearby, you’ll find Jackson Square, the historic Lower and Upper Pontalba buildings, and the original Café du Monde (known for its beignets and chicory-infused Cajun coffee).
St. Charles Streetcar
For a buck and a quarter, you can take a broader tour of the city.
Preservation Hall
At night, visit such staples as Preservation Hall and Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse to hear the music that made the city famous—music that went out to the rest of the world on steamboats traveling up and down the Mississippi River.
