Enjoy your complimentary stay at the pre-cruise hotel. The evening is yours to become acquainted with the city. Our Hospitality Desk will be located in the hotel, and our friendly staff can assist with everything from general questions about your upcoming voyage to reserving premium experiences. Both American Queen Steamboat Company and local representatives will be readily available to provide you with dining, entertainment and sightseeing options to maximize your time here.

This authentically quirky port is a muse to artisans of mixed mediums – from sidewalk chalk to street fare – and home to the cultural diversity that quickly captivates the heart of its visitors. The local tradition that lives within images of Derby hats, Old-Fashioned cocktails and the 120-foot Louisville Slugger that towers over the friendly city are better lived than seen. Explore the red penguin-peppered Main Street. Embrace oddity. Experience Louisville. 

INCLUDED SHORE EXCURSIONS:
Louisville Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
Museum Row  
Museum Row is home to nearly 10 local attractions in one historic neighborhood.
Suggested Visit: 30 minutes - 1.5 hours    

The Frazier History Museum  
With three floors of exhibit space, the Frazier History Museum is a world-class museum that provides an unforgettable journey through more than 1,000 years of history with ever-changing and interactive exhibits, daily performances by costumed interpreters, and engaging special events and programs.
Suggested Visit: 1 - 2 hours    

Mark Payton Glass Center  
Visit this glass-blowing studio and tour the amazing techniques and artwork created by professionals. The tour will pass by artists in action as they flamework, sculpt, cast, and blow glass. Make sure to stop in the gallery to explore finished products or the gift shop where you can purchase some unique and beautiful souvenirs. Suggested Visit: 15 - 30 minutes    

Cathedral of the Assumption  
The steeple rises 287 feet above the Louisville skyline, and the coronation window is one of the oldest surviving examples of hand-painted stained glass in the country. Suggested Visit: 30 minutes    

4th Street Live!  
Restaurants and entertainment venues in the complex include Gordon Biersch Brewing Company, Hard Rock Cafe, T.G.I. Friday's, Sully's Irish Pub,  The Sports & Social Club (bowling alley and restaurant), tavern on 4th street, The Fudgery, and the first-ever Maker's Mark Bourbon House & Lounge.  
Suggested Visit: 30 minutes - 1 hour    

Louisville Visitor Center  
The Louisville Visitor Center is a one-stop-shop for brochures, maps, experience itineraries, dining suggestions, coupons, and shopping for Louisville and Bourbon Country-themed items.  Also, attraction tickets are available for purchase and you can pick up and redeem Urban Bourbon and Kentucky Bourbon Trail passports. Find all the information you need for your day in Louisville.  Suggested Visit: 15 - 30 minutes

Louisville Museum Row Shuttle
Louisville's West Main Street, with its extraordinary collection of Victorian cast-iron historic facades combined with striking contemporary architecture, has experienced a dramatic renaissance over the past decade and has become one of the most creative arts-inspired cultural districts in the nation.

Tucked away between Cincinnati and Louisville is Madison, Indiana, a quaint river town rich in character. This charismatic port flaunts its personality throughout the streets, where a 133-block historic district showcases its collection of classic architectural artistry. Admire the antique machinery at the Schroeder House, or an example of fine craftsmanship at the Lanier Mansion State Historic Site. The downtown shopping district is a unique showcase of unbeatable hospitality, with each shop locally owned and operated. Madison’s heritage is woven into every stop, ensuring a glimpse of beauty and history. Madison, Indiana was founded in 1809 along the Ohio River. The city was bursting with commerce, had a very active steamboat port, and was home to Indiana’s first railroad. Due to its unique location and transportation infrastructure, Madison was primed to be a link on the Underground Railroad. The neighborhood area known as “Georgetown” (which includes the African Methodist Episcopal Church) was designated in 2004 as the only Network to Freedom district. Four of the 11 sites listed for the Indiana Network to Freedom are in the Madison area.

INCLUDED SHORE EXCURSIONS: 
Madison Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
Schroeder Saddletree Factory  
This factory is America's very last 19th-century saddletree factory. For 94 years, workers at the Ben Schroeder Saddletree Company crafted tens of thousands of wooden frames for saddle makers throughout the United States and Latin America. 
Suggested Visit: 30 minutes - 1 hour      

Broadway Fountain  
One of Madison's landmarks, the original Broadway Fountain stood in the middle of Broadway for almost 100 years before it was dismantled and recast in bronze in 1976. The original Janes, Kirtland, and Company cast iron fountain was displayed at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition.

The essence of Kentucky radiates, from its bourbon traditions to a tableau of rolling farmland. Soul-stirring river views and Southern warmth welcome those who pursue relaxation. Mysteries of the Civil War enlist lifelong learners on the battlefield while sprawling parks and trails make way for recreation. The grass is bluer in Brandenburg and all the surrounding areas. 

The exuberance that pervades the sounds of folk music flows through the community of Owensboro. Each of its spaces is a lovely ballad that tugs at the heartstrings of visitors – from the notes of bourbon distilleries to bumbling butterflies in the botanical garden. The tawny banks of this river jewel extend a warm welcome, and invite you to experience the beauty in bluegrass. 

INCLUDED SHORE EXCURSIONS:
Owensboro Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
Western Kentucky Botanical Gardens  
Explore the history of the area in the 1890's Country Doctor's Office. Enjoy the unique works of art, wind sculptures, a spectacular woven basket,  the Japanese Memorial Garden, and the Koi Pond.  From the Rose Garden to the Conservatory, from the Rain Garden to the Herb Garden - there is truly something for everyone. Suggested Visit: 30 minutes    

Owensboro Museum of Fine Art  
In addition to its permanent collections, the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art presents traveling exhibitions from major museums, galleries, and private collections. The facility includes two structures listed on the National Register of Historic Sites: the 1909 Carnegie Library and the John Hampden Smith House, a pre-Civil War era mansion, which serves as a decorative arts wing.

Capture your inner artisan in the home of James Audubon and W.C Handy. Hospitality flows freely through a vibrant downtown that kisses the rolling river. Wide streets welcome guests and showcase historic preservation that awakens a classic ambiance in storefronts and homes. Discover nature fingerprinted with humanity in the many parks and trials that showcase artistry throughout the town. Greetings from Henderson – a walkable community wrapped in warmth. 

INCLUDED SHORE EXCURSIONS:
Henderson Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
The Depot Community Room  
Inside the Depot Community Room, you will find historical artifacts about Henderson's train history, tobacco and agriculture history, war history, and much more. Chat with local historians, view the permanent and rotating display exhibits, and learn about famous historical figures from Henderson including world-renowned artist and naturalist John James Audubon, "Father of the Blues" W.C. Handy, and Mary Towles Sasseen, the originator of Mother's Day.   

In the hands of artists, modern Paducah was thrown into form. Fingertips muddied with passion and eased by the vision of river water glided along the surface to pull up the community and create the National Quilt Museum. Residents backstitch past into present, then bind appreciation for culture – ensuring that the seams of history will not soon come undone. The people of Paducah have taken great care to orchestrate every crevice of its community into a symphony of craft and color. Life is a work of art, and the town of Paducah certainly is alive and well. Feast in this foodies’ fantasy. Uncover mastership. Catch a glimpse of Paducah. 

INCLUDED SHORE EXCURSIONS: 
Paducah Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
The National Quilt Museum  
The museum features over 600 pieces of art highlighting a collection of modern quilts and changing thematic exhibitions that celebrate the talent and diversity of the global quilting community. Visit the Museum Shop & Book Store for Kentucky-crafted items and quilt-related instructional and collector books.
Suggested Visit: 30 minutes - 1 hour

New Madrid is known for being near the military engagement the Battle of Island Number Ten during the Civil War. The city is also famous for being the site of a series of more than 1,000 earthquakes in 1811 and 1812, caused by what is called the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Explore the history of earthquakes, documented with seismographic recordings, in addition to Native American artifacts, Civil War artifacts and family life in New Madrid during the 19th and 20th centuries. 

INCLUDED SHORE EXCURSIONS:
New Madrid Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
New Madrid Historical Museum  
Guests can explore the great earthquakes of 1811 and 1812, documented with seismographic recordings, Native American artifacts, Civil War artifacts, early family life in the city of New Madrid during the 19th and 20th centuries, and the gift shop!
Suggested Visit: 30 minutes - 1 hour.
 

As the journey concludes, there are other opportunities for you to take in the town. Enjoy the city at your leisure, or consider an airport transfer.