A Great River Road Trip along the Mighty Mississippi
Get to know “Old Man River” with a remarkable road trip on America’s longest and oldest National Scenic Byway
From farmlands and forests, to historic towns and bustling metropolises, finger-licking barbeque and plenty of good, old-fashioned, all-American hospitality—you’ll discover this mythic byway through 10 states and 110 counties is truly a destination in itself.
"It takes a single drop of water 90 days to travel from the river’s headwaters in northern Minnesota all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Your 2,100-plus-mile trek won’t take nearly as long—though that doesn’t make it any less epic."
Though comprised of nearly two dozen zig-zagging routes along the “Big Muddy,” the Great River Road is a well-marked network of federal, state and local roads, bridges, dams and locks that follow the Mississippi’s shoreline as closely as possible. You’ll know you’re on the right route by following the white highway markers featuring a green riverboat pilot’s wheel logo.
Tips for traveling on the Great River Road
Step over a shallow, unassuming stream at Lake Itasca deep in the idyllic Minnesota wilderness and you’ve just crossed the headwaters of the Mississippi River!
- Plan to be on the road for six full days. It takes about 35 hours to drive the Great River Road from end to end. But traveling that far without sightseeing is difficult and, frankly, not any fun! Instead, schedule at least 6-7 days on the road to take a more personalized, leisurely pace and give yourself enough time to stop at any the many attractions, historical sites, interpretive centers, quaint river villages and booming cities along the way.
- Choose your travel season wisely. Summers and winters on the Great River Road tell tales of two extremes. Expect pleasant temps in the north with muggy days in the south during summer, and comfortable weather in the south with freezing temps in the north during winter. If you can, plan your trip during the “shoulder” seasons. Spring is beautiful (though often rainy) and the landscape is lush with greenery. Meanwhile, the fall is mild and awash with autumn colors—with September designated as “Drive the Great River Road” month
- Download an app or an interactive map. There are literally hundreds of places to stop on or near the Great River Road—and while the main route is well marked, if you’re not familiar with the area, it’s easy to get turned around. Download an app or interactive map—like this one from Experience Mississippi River—which plots out the route and provides an exhaustive list of attractions and points of interest along the way.
- Save time and money—pack a cooler. Stopping for every meal can be a real drag on your travel time (and on your wallet). While you should absolutely make plans to sample top regional tastes (Midwest barbecue, anyone?), packing a cooler with snacks, sandwiches and quick bites makes it easy to eat on the cheap while on-the-go. Plus, the river offers many perfect picnicking sites along the way, so you can enjoy your mid-trip meals with some truly unforgettable views.
- Book your hotels in advance. While the Great River Road is a route well-traveled, there’s still a chance you could run into a “no vacancy” sign or two, which could really put a damper on your overall travel plans (and your mood). So, why not book your hotels ahead of time and save yourself from any unnecessary travel headaches? You may also be able to save money by booking early.
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First Leg: Lake Itasca, MN to St. Paul, MN – 386 mi.
Most of St. Paul's top parks, museums and attractions are just a stone's throw of the Mississippi as it bends through the city center.
Your Great River Road trip starts early and begins where the Mississippi is born—in Itasca State Park, just a 40-minute drive from hotels in Bemidji. Visit the Jacob Brower Visitor Center and then take a short walk to the marker that indicates the river’s headwaters. Walk along the man-made dam or kick off your shoes and wade in the knee-deep water to the other side. You can then tell everyone back home you “swam” across the Mississippi River! Hit the road, follow the markers until you reach Grand Rapids, and visit the Itasca County Historical Society. Or, stop by the Minnesota Fishing Museum and Hall of Fame in Little Falls, and then continue along the Great River Road through Minneapolis and into St. Paul. Head to the Minnesota History Center (just be sure to reserve your tickets in advance) and discover all the interactive exhibits at the top museum featuring the state’s history. Or, visit the Science Museum of Minnesota and the adjacent, admission-free Mississippi River Visitor Center (open Friday through Sunday) to learn all about the culture, biology, and history of the Mighty Mississippi.
Extended Stay Alert! Take an extra day or two to explore all the top attractions and points of interest in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Visit beautiful Hidden Falls Regional Park, Fort Snelling State Park, the Fredrick R. Weisman Art Museum, the world-class Minneapolis Institute of Art, the fun and family-friendly Minnesota Children’s Museum, the Mall of America and so much more.
Second Leg: St. Paul, MN to Dubuque, IA
Take a walk to the scenic bluff at Eagle Point Park for some sweeping, picture-perfect views of downtown Dubuque and the Mississippi River.
Head south out of St. Paul until you reach a fork in the road near the towns of Hastings and Prescott. From here, you’ll have the option of sticking to the east side of the river through Wisconsin, or you can cross the Hastings Bridge and take the western route. Both unique routes end in Dubuque, IA, and offer plenty of places to stop on the next leg of your Great River Road trip.
East Route – 275 mi. Stop in Prescott and visit the Great River Road Visitor and Learning Center, one of many interpretive centers on the route. Next, drive for about 2.5 hours until you reach the town of La Crosse and stop for a picnic lunch at Riverside Park—or splurge on tasty apple wood smoked barbecue at historic Piggy's Restaurant & Blues Lounge. Make a reservation for a self-guided tour of Stonefield State Historic Site on the outskirts of Cassville, and then swing south to Potosi. This quaint river town boasts one of the nation’s oldest breweries (founded in 1852) and is home to Potosi Brewing Company’s three onsite museums: the Transportation Museum, the Great River Road Interpretive Center and the ABA National Brewery Museum. Take an all-inclusive tour (the best bang for your buck) before heading down to Dubuque and settling in for the day.
West Route – 258 mi. Take the western route to get up close and personal with bald eagles and other large birds of prey at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha. Or, make your first stop of the day in Winona and explore the Minnesota Marine Art Museum instead. Both are popular Great River Road interpretive centers. Next, cross into Iowa and tour the Driftless Area Education & Visitor Center in Lansing. Make a short stop at the Effigy Mounds in Harpers Ferry, or drive straight through to Pikes Peak State Park in McGregor. From here you can snap an awesome vacation selfie from atop the 500-foot bluff overlooking the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers—the most photographed spot in all of Iowa.
Side Trip Alert! Adds 21 miles and about an hour to your trip. Take a detour west from Pikes Peak State Park to the Motor Mill Historic Site in Elkader and visit the historic limestone mill, inn, cooperage, ice house and livery stable structures dating back to the late 1860s.
Third Leg: Dubuque, IA to St. Louis, MO – 398 mi.
The magnificent Gateway Arch in St. Louis offers the perfect riverside photo op—commemorating the halfway point of your Great River Road trip.
Start your day early in Dubuque to visit the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium as soon as they open, before heading south toward Davenport. Make a pit-stop at Flatted Fifth Blues & BBQ for lunch inside historic Potters Mill on the banks of the river in Bellevue. Once in Davenport, head to the Putnam Museum of History & Natural Science, a Great River Road interpretive center, to experience the history of Iowa and all the family-friendly, hands-on exhibits. Next, plan a short visit of Old Fort Madison—or skip it and drive directly into Hannibal, MO. Here you’ll have two fantastic literary points of interest to explore—starting first with the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum, followed by a tour of the Mark Twain Cave, which was made famous in his iconic novel “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” From Hannibal, you're just over two hours from St. Louis—the Gateway City to the West—which marks the halfway point of your Great River Road trip.
Extended Stay Alert! Spend an extra day in St. Louis to explore this Mississippi River city's top sites. Plan a longer trip to Gateway Arch National Park to truly take in the sight of the tallest man-made monument in the world, and be sure to visit the Howard Joyce Wood Education & Visitor Center at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, Forest Park, the historic Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis Art Museum, and the beautiful Missouri Botanical Garden, too.
Fourth Leg: St. Louis, MO to Memphis, TN – 345 mi.
The Great River Road finds its way into the rockin' city of Memphis, Home of the Blues and the Birthplace of Rock 'n Roll.
Make a quick stop at the Gateway Arch to snap the perfect vacation photo before heading back onto the Great River Road to tackle the fourth leg of your adventure. Take a detour east just before you reach Jackson and visit the Trail of Tears State Park for a somber lesson about the Cherokee tribes that lost their lives on a forced relocation march across the Mississippi River to Oklahoma. Next, cross into Tennessee via Cape Girardeau and drive until you reach the Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site in Kentucky. Cross the Mississippi again, this time into Arkansas and head toward Osceola. From here you’re just about an hour outside of Memphis, where you’ll end this leg of the journey. And if there’s still time left in the day, be sure to visit the Mississippi River Museum at Mud Island River Park before enjoying a one-of-a-kind barbecue experience (and ordering up a heaping plate of charcoal ribs) at the ever-popular Charles Vergo's Rendezvous.
Extended Stay Alert! There’s so much to do and see in Memphis—so consider extending your stay by 1-2 days. Visit the National Civil Rights Museum, Stax Museum of American Soul Music, the incomparable Memphis Zoo, the Museum of Science & History – Pink Palace, the gorgeous Memphis Botanic Garden, the Children’s Museum of Memphis, Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, Graceland and so much more.
Fifth Leg: Memphis, TN to Vicksburg, MS
Stop and stretch your legs at Navy Circle for some fresh air and incomparable views of the iconic Vicksburg bridges spanning the Mississippi River.
Before you leave Memphis, you’re faced with another choice: stick to the east side of the river and take it slow along the shorter route with more side trip opportunities, or head down the western route for a longer, more scenic drive that takes you further away from the river. Whatever choice you make, this second-to-last leg of your Great River Road trip ends in historic Vicksburg, MS.
East Route – 255 mi. The eastern route takes you to Tunica, home of the Tunica County RiverPark & Museum. Stop for a short tour, or head straight through to Clarksdale and visit the state's oldest music museum—the Delta Blues Museum. And just a few steps away from the Crossroads (where Robert Johnson allegedly sold his soul for his musical talent), you'll find some of the best pit barbecue delights in all of Mississippi at Abe's Bar-B-Q. Drive south for a little over an hour and make a quick stop at the Washington County Welcome Center & Museum of the Delta—another Great River Road interpretive center. Just 1.5 hours more on the road and you'll find yourself in Vicksburg. If you still have time left in the day, be sure to check out the Jesse Brent Lower Mississippi River Museum to discover life on this mighty river through interactive displays.
Side Trip Alert! Adds 48 miles round trip and about 2-3 hours. Take MS 278 outside of Greenville to MS 82 east and head straight to Indianola, MS. Spend an hour or two at the BB King Museum & Delta Interpretive Center to not only learn about the great musician's life, but also the storied history of Delta blues.
West Route – 332 mi. Choose the longer and more scenic western route into Arkansas and stop for a walk through verdant forest wetlands teaming with wildlife at the Mississippi River State Park just outside Marianna. Next, head west along the I-79, where the Great River Road route splits and finds its way through Stuttgart. Explore the vast collection of pioneer-era artifacts at the Museum of Arkansas Grand Prairie—one of the state's top Great River Road interpretive centers. Then, hop back on the main Great River Road route through Dewitt and drive south for about 2 hours until you cross the Louisiana border. Stop by the Poverty Point World Heritage Site, about 10 miles south of the tiny town of Pioneer, to discover one of the oldest and most significant archeological sites in North America. Finally, it's just a short drive southeast along the river until you cross back into Mississippi and end your day in Vicksburg.
Sixth Leg: Vicksburg, MS to New Orleans, LA – 273 mi.
The Big Easy—with its colorful neighborhoods and historic bayous, famous Creole cuisine, endless nightlife, and vibrant music scene—is your final port of call on the Mississippi River.
You've made it to the final leg of your epic Mississippi River road trip. Just a few more stops to go before you say goodbye to the Big Muddy as it empties into the Gulf of Mexico. From Vicksburg, take the Great River Road into Natchez and stop by the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians. Or, drive straight through to Jackson, LA, and visit Port Hudson State Historic Site—the final Great River Road interpretive center on this itinerary. Swing through Baton Rouge and discover the tumultuous history of life on the Big Muddy at the Rural Life Museum at Louisiana State University. Finally, after just one more hour or so of driving, you'll arrive at the end of your Great River Road trip in New Orleans. Celebrate this tremendous feat by filling up on some award-winning, all wood smoked (and finger-licking-good) delights at Central City BBQ. Or, get a taste of the bayou in a historic setting with a heaping bowl of Seafood Gumbo or Crawfish Étouffée at the legendary Mother's Restaurant. You've earned it!
Side Trip Alert! Adds 156 miles round trip and about 2-3 hours. Take LA 23 south to the tiny town of Venice, which marks the true end of the Great River Road and is the southernmost point accessible via car on the Mississippi River.
Extended Stay Alert! You've earned a break after all that driving. Why not celebrate a successful trip on the country's longest scenic byway with an extra day or two to party it up in The Big Easy? Be sure to set aside time to visit the National World War II Museum, the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, the weird and wonderful New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum, the world-class New Orleans Museum of Art, and all the top shops and eateries in the Historic French Quarter.
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