Marquette Explorer

Arrive in St. Louis and check in to your deluxe hotel, which is adjacent to the city’s attractions. Wonder at the St. Louis Arch, an unequaled architectural statement that defines this storied town, then continue your architectural tour at the imposing Cathedral of St. Louis. Indulge a less lofty American pastime at the Anheuser-Busch brewery, an American classic.

Your fare includes breakfast this morning at your hotel as well as a transfer to the Louisiane and all porterage. Settle into your stateroom or suite, head to The Veranda for a light snack, and then bid St. Louis farewell as the Louisiane departs and you immerse yourself in the joys of life on the river. Bon voyage!

Check out the charming Grafton Historic District, one of several areas and buildings on the national Register of Historic Places, shop for handcrafted gifts, or tour a local winery. Keep a sharp lookout and you just might see one of the area’s bald eagles soar through the sky.

Step into living history at the Beardstown Courthouse, where a young lawyer named Abraham Lincoln once practiced law and which was the site of a famed Lincoln-Douglas debate in 1858, then ponder the town’s importance during the Black Hawk War of 1832.

Grab your binoculars and go bird-watching at Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge, discover Native American culture at the nearby Dickson Mounds State Museum, or head a bit farther down the road to Springfield’s Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

Visit the remarkable Peoria Riverfront Museum just a few steps from the Louisiane. Check out the enormous and sophisticated equipment at the exceptional Caterpillar Visitor Center, and inhale the sweet fragrance of Luthy Botanical Garden’s colorful blooms.

Stroll the quaint streets of this town which was once an important steamboat hub and also a center for the manufacture of alarm clocks for nearly a century. Take a hike along one of the trains in Baker Lake Park and listen for a summer band concert in Centennial Park.

Bid adieu to the Louisiane and after a transfer to Chicago to explore this first-class metropolis.