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Kentucky/Pennsylvania

From Pittsburgh to Louisville: Sailing the Ohio River

Program No. 23591RJ
Sail along the Ohio River to small towns as you immerse yourself in local history before journeying to exciting cities to learn just how far America has come over the last 150 years.

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We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more

Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
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Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.

DATES & PRICES

Ship Inside Ship Out Ship Balc
Jun 21 - Jul 2, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Inside 5,699
Ship Outside 7,399
Ship Balcony 7,999
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 and receive free round-trip airfare from many cities! Availability may vary by date. Ask about low-cost air from other cities.

DATES & PRICES

Ship Inside Ship Out Ship Balc
Jun 21 - Jul 2, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Inside 6,799
Ship Outside 8,799
Ship Balcony 9,999
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 and receive free round-trip airfare from many cities! Availability may vary by date. Ask about low-cost air from other cities.

At a Glance

"The Ohio is the most beautiful river on earth. Its current gentle, waters clear, and bosom smooth and unbroken by rocks and rapids..." Learn what inspired Thomas Jefferson’s love of the Ohio River as you sail its cool waters from Pittsburgh to Louisville. Along the way, discover sleepy towns and bustling cities, each with a fascinating story to tell. With our local experts, step back to the days of Carnegie as you explore the historic houses and landmarks that each passing port displays with pride. Delve deep into the steel and coal mining industries and learn how they led to the economic boom of the 1920s as you explore the parts of America where history was made.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Walking and standing for up to an hour at a time during field trips. Embarking and disembarking from the boat up and down steep gangways.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Discover the real story behind Rosa Parks at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati.
  • Explore the childhood home of singer Rosemary Clooney.
  • Learn how the “City of Steel” got its name from a local expert before embarking on your beautiful journey along the Ohio River.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
The Collections of the Cincinnati Art Museum
by Karen Feinberg
This book gives the reader a glimpse into many past exhibits at the Cincinnati Art Museum, covering 5,000 years worth of art.
Meet You in Hell: Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and the Bitter Partnership That Changed America
by Les Standiford
Two founding fathers of American industry. One desire to dominate business at any price. The author of Last Train to Paradise tells the riveting story of Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and the bloody steelworkers’ strike that transformed their fabled partnership into a furious rivalry. Set against the backdrop of the Gilded Age, Meet You in Hell captures the majesty and danger of steel manufacturing, the rough-and-tumble of the business world, and the fraught relationship between “the world’s richest man” and the ruthless coke magnate to whom he entrusted his companies. The result is an extraordinary work of popular history.
Run for the Roses: 100 Years at the Kentucky Derby
by Jim Bolus
Book about Derby History fro one of the foremost authorities on the subject.
Always a River, Second Edition: The Ohio River and the American Experience
by Robert L. Reid (Editor)
A compliation of essays taking a look at The Ohio River and the impact that it has had on politics, economics, literature and more.
Insiders' Guide to Louisville
by David Domine
A detailed look at everything you need to know about Louisville, KY.
Lord of Misrule
by Jaimy Gordon
This National Book Award winning novel centers around the happenings at a small racetrack in West Virginia.
The Essential Lewis and Clark
by Landon Y. Jones (Editor), Meriwether Lewis, William Clark
This compact book features selections from Lewis and Clark's journals focusing on natural history, people and landscapes of the West.
The Most Glorious Crown: Story of America's Triple Crown Thoroughbreds from Sir Barton to Affirmed
by Marvin Drager
The definitive work on this rare coronation, this book delves into the history, personalities, and subplots of each of the 11 Triple Crown champions. From Sir Barton in 1919 through Affirmed in 1978, each Triple Crown winner has exhibited a true personality and charisma befitting of super stardom and renowned author Marvin Drager's prose brings to life these 11 remarkable stories.
Hidden History of Horse Racing in Kentucky
by Foster Ockerman Jr.
Foster Ockerman Jr. details the not so well known history behind horse racing in Kentucky.
The Architectural History of Louisville 1778-1900
by Samuel W. Thomas
An overview, arranged by style, of the architecture of Louisville, Kentucky, from 1778-1900. From log cabins and shotgun houses to mansions and commercial structures, Louisville's early built environment is documented and examined. Many of the structures featured are no longer standing. The Architectural History of Louisville, 1778-1900 is a comprehensive look at the building styles that formed the city's streetscape and residences from its earliest days right up to the 20th Century. With hundreds of photographs collected over many decades, The Architectural History of Louisville 1778-1900 is the signature achievement of its author, well-known historian Samuel W. Thomas. Published to mark the 125th anniversary of The Filson Historical Society, "this volume approaches each of the distinctive architectural styles discussed by providing examples in the chronological order of their construction. The result is an indispensable guide to Louisville's early architectural history and a reference book for generations to come."
Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City
by Stefan Lorant
Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City follows Pittsburgh from its frontier beginnings through its evolution into the most heavily industrialized city in the world, to the city's renewal of itself as "America's Most Livable City." This beautiful volume though, is much more than the story of a single city; it is the history of the United States. This book is based on years of research and includes contributions by such noted American historians as Henry Steele Commager and Oscar Handlin. More than 1100 pictures recreate the city's dramatic 200+year history. Featured are photographs by W. Eugene Smith, Margaret Bourke-White, Norman W. Schumm, Lorant himself and others. A chronology of events from 1717 offers historical snapshots in the day to day life of the archetypical American city.
Moon Pittsburgh
by Emily King
King gives the reader insight on the top sights, restaurants and experiences that Pittsburgh has to offer.
Folded Map: Louisville Street Map
by Rand McNally
A streetmap of Louisville, KY.
Girl Singer: A Memoir of the Girl Next Door
by Rosemary Clooney, Joan Barthel
Girl Singer tells the story of one of the twentieth centuries' greatest voices. Rosemary Clooney opens up about the highs and lows of her life, starting at her first appearance at three years old and following her rise to the top as well as her personal life.
Rand McNally Folded Map: Pittsburgh Street Map
by Rand McNally
A folded streetmap of Pittsbugh, PA
Cincinnati Revealed: A Photographic Heritage of the Queen City
by Kevin Grace, Tom White
A collection of photos starting at 1788. Grace and White give the reader a glimpse at Cincinnati's evolution from a small pioneer town to the constantly growing City that it is in the present day.
The Ohio Frontier: Crucible of the Old Northwest, 1720–1830 (A History of the Trans-Appalachian Frontier)
by R. Douglas Hurt





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If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.