The 6 Best River Cruises in USA

A little lesson in geography and some interesting facts:

In this big, wonderful country called the USA, there are a wide variety of waterways, but only a few of the rivers are considered reliably navigable for cruise ships. We have plenty of bays, sounds, coastlines, straights, and lakes (and some are pretty Great!) but here, we’ll focus on the 6 Best River Cruises in USA just waiting for you to explore on a cruise ship (in no particular order):

Columbia River

• Divides the states of Oregon and Washington, but begins in Canada
• Is 1,240 miles long
• Was traveled by Lewis & Clark and the Corps of Discovery
• Only U.S. river to travel through a mountain range. It travels through the Cascade mountain range as a result of the unique geology which formed the famed Columbia River Gorge 
• Largest port cities: Astoria, Oregon; Portland, Oregon; Vancouver, Washington; The Dalles, Oregon; Richland, Washington
• Is the largest river flowing into the Pacific Ocean in North America
• Ocean going vessels can only reach as far as the Portland/Vancouver area. 
• 11 dams are on the main river

On the week-long scenic journey on the river dividing Oregon and Washington, you’ll take in the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Highlights include the Bonneville Dam (complete with viewable fish ladders!), towering Multnomah Falls, and multiple wineries along the way.  American Cruise Lines ships that sail this route with five different ships that sail the Columbia with options from a 5 day to a 10 day cruise.  For an adventurous cruise, try the National Geographic / Lindblad partnership cruises perfect for those that want to get out on the water and enjoy a culinary/wine focus in this abundant growing region.

Mississippi River

• Travels almost the entire width of the U.S.A. – from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico
• Is the USA’s 2nd-longest river at approximately 2,340 miles (first place goes just barely to the Missouri River.)
• Highly prized and hard-fought during the Civil War
• Famed for paddle boats made common in the late 1800s
• “Ol Man River just keeps rolling along” from the movie “Show Boat” is probably the most famous song ever written about a river. It was written in 1927 about life along the Mississippi River.  
• Largest port cities: Minneapolis/St. Paul; Red Wing, Minnesota; St.Louis, Missouri; New Orleans, Louisiana
• One of the world’s most important commercial waterways
• The width varies from over 11 miles wide near Bena, Minnesota to just 20-30 feet wide at Lake Itasca
• The slow-moving river averages just 1.2 mph, or half the speed of a person walking.

This is America’s Great Highway – nearly dividing the USA in half.  To cruise the full length of the river, you’ll need about two weeks, or choose to cruise just the Upper Mississippi (cruises generally start near Memphis or St. Louis) or the Lower Mississippi (cruises that travel between Memphis and New Orleans.) Options for cruising on the Mississippi River include Viking River cruises with their special ship, the Viking Mississippi, built especially for this river, and American Cruise Lines, with several ships including vintage-looking paddle wheelers and modern river boats.

Ohio River

• 981 miles long
• Travels between Pittsburgh and the Mississippi River
• Although it is named the Ohio, it actually flows through or borders 6 states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia
• There are 20 dams on the Ohio River
• At its widest point, it is approximately 1 mile wide near Smithland, Kentucky
• The largest recorded fish ever caught in the river was a 49” longnose gar weighing 25 pounds, in 1966. 

From Civil War battlefields to the Kentucky Derby to tours of some of the best music cities in the US, our Ohio River cruises offer several different modern riverboats to choose from. Our cruises provide remarkable opportunities for adventure seekers and history enthusiasts alike. Enjoy the gorgeous views along the river while learning about the diverse culture and heritage of the many towns, cities, and sites along the way. Popular destinations on the Ohio River include traveling between the music cities of Nashville and Memphis, or a cruise that will take you all the way from St. Louis into Pennsylvania.

Hudson River

• 315 miles long
• Famous home of West Point Military Academy which overlooks the river
• A strategic waterway during the American Revolution
• Known for inspiring the Hudson River School of Landscape Painting
• Flows mostly through New York State, but briefly borders New Jersey
• A favorite location for summer homes of wealthy families in the late 1800s and early 1900s. You can see several mansions on the banks overlooking the river.
• Home to the world’s longest pedestrian bridge. When built in 1889 as a railroad bridge,  it was the world’s longest bridge at 1.28 miles long. Rebuilt in 2009 as the “Walkway Over the Hudson” it is now for pedestrians only.

With several ships to choose from, these seven-day cruises allow you to explore the true beauty of Fall! See the vivid hues that blanket both sides of the Hudson River as you cruise north from New York City. Your journey takes you to some of America’s most historic towns nestled within the Catskill Mountains while taking in all of the fiery reds, cheerful oranges, and mellow yellows. Discover your options for a week-long Hudson River Cruise.

Napa River

• The 55 mile long river is a relatively short river only recently being sailed by a small cruise ship
• Begins in Napa Valley and empties into the San Francisco Bay
• Although numbers diminished in the early 20th century, native wildlife species are rebounding  including the Californian golden beaver, Pacific lamprey, several species of salmon, and white sturgeon
•  What begins as a creek at its head, becomes a lazy river up to 50’ wide
• The last 17 miles before it combines with the bay area, is an estuary with fluctuating tidal system where salt water mixes with fresh water.

Learn the ins and outs of wine culture with onboard expert and try samples of regional flavors sure to tantalize your taste buds. Take cooking demos to the next level with the ship’s culinary team, giving you great tips for making tasty dinners at home. Take home an amazing local cookbook full of delicious California cuisine essentials so you can bring the experience home with you after your cruise! The Napa River cruise with American Cruise Line was a great success the first year, and will hopefully return back to a regular itinerary option soon.

Tennessee River

• Flows between eastern Tennessee and Alabama then into Kentucky where it joins the Ohio River at Paducah, Kentucky.
• Its u-shaped course is approximately 652 miles long
• The lower course of the river was especially strategic during the Civil War
• A series of locks were added beginning in the 1930s to improve navigation of the upper course of the river. 
• Once called the Cherokee River, its current name comes from the Cherokee town called Tanasi. 
• It is the only river in the U.S. to leave a state, and then enter it again further downstream.
• Its average depth is only 9 ft, limiting the type of cruise ships that can sail it.

On Tennessee River cruises, you’ll take the Tennessee River to Savannah, Florence, Decatur, and, of course, Chattanooga. Along with all of the military history associated with the area, there are a number of recording studios that worked with the biggest names in all genres of music, a college town, and some of the most delicious catfish dishes you may ever encounter.  You have several options for choosing an itinerary that suits your interests, as well as a variety of ships including both paddle wheelers and modern riverboats. Find out more about a Tennessee River Cruise.

Why not the Missouri River? It is the longest river in the United States….   

Just barely longer than the Mississippi River by about 100 feet, the Missouri is technically the longest river in the USA. The Missouri River begins in the Rocky Mountains flowing eastward and joins the Mississippi River north of St. Louis. Averaging only between 10-20 feet deep, the Missouri is not reliably deep enough for small cruise ship traffic, although several small dinner cruise ships do sail some short sections of the waterway.

Why are we named USA River Cruises?

While we love sailing the waterways all over the USA including cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, New England, the Great Lakes, Florida, Chesapeake Bay, and the Southeast coastline, we began specializing in American river cruise lines. Over 20 years or so, we have grown to include rivers and waterways all over the United States. We are big fans of the smaller cruise ships that sail these waters. Think of us as the “Small Ship” cruise agency exploring all the waterways of the USA!

The vast majority of our ships offer cabins with plenty of square feet for you and your family, private balconies, and every amenity you could want on your short-term vacations or months-long trips. Many cruises offer a complimentary pre-cruise hotel stay, and many ports of call have guided tours for you to really take in the local flavor. From cruises in Puget Sound to coastal cruises to the tip of Florida, USA River Cruises has you covered!

International

We also are happy to help you find a cruise to anywhere in the world your heart desires. We’ve helped clients visit exotic places such as Tahiti and Bora Bora; sail through the Panama Canal; tour the Christmas Markets along the Rhine River, and tick off bucket list locations such as Iceland, the Greek Islands, Scotland, Venice, Japan, and Portugal. Where would you like to go? Many of our agents are experienced travelers in these locations and can offer our expertise when traveling abroad. We’d love to help make your travel dreams come true!

A sampling of some regional river cruises you might enjoy:

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