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Minnesota/Louisiana

History Along the Mississippi: From St. Paul to New Orleans

Program No. 23644RJ
Step back through time on a voyage by paddlewheeler along the Mississippi River as experts teach you fascinating history in some of America’s most iconic cities and classic small towns.

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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
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itinerary
Please Note:
The itinerary for this program is different on certain dates.
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.

DATES & PRICES

Ship Inside Ship Out Ship Balc
Accommodation Details

A cabin with no window, porthole or balcony.

Accommodation Details

A cabin with a window or porthole to view the outside.

Accommodation Details

A cabin featuring a verandah, or balcony, that allows you to step outside without going to a public deck.

Sep 3 - Sep 21, 2023
Ship Inside 8,499
Ship Outside 12,099
Ship Balcony 15,499
Special Offer

Enroll by June 30, 2023 and receive free round-trip airfare from many cities! Availability may vary by date. Ask about low-cost air from other cities.

Itinerary Note

This date sales on the American Countess.

Sep 30 - Oct 18, 2023
Ship Inside 8,499
Ship Outside 12,099
Ship Balcony 13,699
Special Offer

Enroll by June 30, 2023 and receive free round-trip airfare from many cities! Availability may vary by date. Ask about low-cost air from other cities.

Aug 10 - Aug 28, 2024
Ship Inside 8,999
Ship Outside 10,599
Ship Balcony 13,199
Special Offer

Enroll by June 30, 2023 and receive free round-trip airfare from many cities! Availability may vary by date. Ask about low-cost air from other cities.

Oct 4 - Oct 22, 2024
Ship Inside 9,499
Ship Outside 13,099
Ship Balcony 14,499
Special Offer

Enroll by June 30, 2023 and receive free round-trip airfare from many cities! Availability may vary by date. Ask about low-cost air from other cities.

Itinerary Note

This date sails on the American Countess.

DATES & PRICES

Ship Inside Ship Out Ship Balc
Accommodation Details

A cabin with no window, porthole or balcony.

Accommodation Details

A cabin with a window or porthole to view the outside.

Accommodation Details

A cabin featuring a verandah, or balcony, that allows you to step outside without going to a public deck.

Sep 3 - Sep 21, 2023
Ship Inside 9,999
Ship Outside 14,499
Ship Balcony 20,499
Special Offer

Enroll by June 30, 2023 and receive free round-trip airfare from many cities! Availability may vary by date. Ask about low-cost air from other cities.

Itinerary Note

This date sales on the American Countess.

Sep 30 - Oct 18, 2023
Ship Inside 9,999
Ship Outside 14,099
Ship Balcony 17,999
Special Offer

Enroll by June 30, 2023 and receive free round-trip airfare from many cities! Availability may vary by date. Ask about low-cost air from other cities.

Aug 10 - Aug 28, 2024
Ship Inside 10,499
Ship Outside 12,499
Ship Balcony 17,499
Special Offer

Enroll by June 30, 2023 and receive free round-trip airfare from many cities! Availability may vary by date. Ask about low-cost air from other cities.

Oct 4 - Oct 22, 2024
Ship Inside 10,999
Ship Outside 15,499
Ship Balcony 19,499
Special Offer

Enroll by June 30, 2023 and receive free round-trip airfare from many cities! Availability may vary by date. Ask about low-cost air from other cities.

Itinerary Note

This date sails on the American Countess.

At a Glance

Along the Mississippi River, great American history travels through gentle rapids, around every easy bend, past wading herons and to every riverside town. With local experts by your side, discover America’s deepest roots on an in-depth journey of natural, political, military and music history from Minnesota to New Orleans aboard a classic paddlewheeler. When you’re not learning about Mark Twain in his hometown or studying the civil rights movement in Memphis, explore important monuments and enjoy informative lectures on a journey through time along the full length of the Mississippi River.
Activity Level
On Your Feet

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Listen to lively jazz and have yourself a bowl of gumbo in New Orleans.
  • Let history jump off the page as you venture to Mark Twain’s home in Hannibal alongside literary experts.
  • Stand in awe of the St. Louis Arch as you learn about this landmark.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Julie Cardenas
Julie Cardenas hails from Naples, Florida. She holds a B.A. in Biology from Florida Gulf Coast University and certificates as a Florida Master Naturalist and NAI Certified Interpretive Guide. With an affinity for traveling and being on the water, Julie spent her early career cruising oceans, rivers and inland waterways. As a naturalist, she traded seasons leading winters in the Florida Everglades and summers in Southeast Alaska. Leading Road Scholar groups since 2012, Julie currently directs programs in South Florida, Cuba and Alaska.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Julie Cardenas
Julie Cardenas View biography
Julie Cardenas hails from Naples, Florida. She holds a B.A. in Biology from Florida Gulf Coast University and certificates as a Florida Master Naturalist and NAI Certified Interpretive Guide. With an affinity for traveling and being on the water, Julie spent her early career cruising oceans, rivers and inland waterways. As a naturalist, she traded seasons leading winters in the Florida Everglades and summers in Southeast Alaska. Leading Road Scholar groups since 2012, Julie currently directs programs in South Florida, Cuba and Alaska.
Profile Image of Jackie Mlekoday
Jackie Mlekoday View biography
Jackie Mlekoday joined Road Scholar as a group leader in 2018, after volunteering to assist with the Rose Parade Program in Pasadena, California. She quickly discovered that it was the perfect way to learn, explore, and travel while forming new friendships with interesting people. Jackie moved from Minnesota to San Diego and currently leads programs in California.
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.
Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn
by Mark Twain
A handsome Everyman's Edition of Twain's classics.
New Orleans Then and Now
by Sharon Keaton
A collection of photos encompassing New Orleans past and present.
The Mississippi Steamboat Era in Historic Photographs
by Joan W. and Thomas H. Gandy
Great if you are looking for old pictures- not only of steamboats but also from the steamboat era as well. I like this book very much because it gives you a great overview of this time in history.
Rand McNally Minneapolis / St. Paul, Minnesota Regional Map
by Rand McNally
A map for both Minneapolis and St. Paul.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
by Mark Twain
This Penguin Classics edition of Twain's story of Missouri river-rat Tom Sawyer is introduced by noted Twain scholar Seelye, who considers Twain's impact on American literature.
New Orleans Mon Amour
by Andrei Codrescu
A collection of essays documenting Andrei Codrescu's life in New Orleans. Codrescu's covers the people, celebrations, history and corruption that make up the Cresent City.
A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches
by Martin Luther King, James M. Washington (Editor)
A compilation of Martin Luther King Jr's speeches, interviews and writings.
Moon Minneapolis & St. Paul
by Tricia Cornell
This travel guide covers everything the Twin Cities has to offer. Includes excursions, restaurants, attractions and much more.
USA, Central Map
by Rand McNally
A map of the central United States.
Hannibal Missouri, A Brief History
by Ken Marks
Tracing this history of Mark Twain's hometown from hamlet to bustling river port.
Mark Twain On Travel
by Mark Twain, Terry Mort (Editor)
A journalist, wanderer, opinionated and marvelously entertaining, Mark Twain wrote five well-received travel books over his long career. Editor Terry Mort handpicks choice selections for this satisfying anthology, organized geographically.
Streetwise New Orleans
by Michelin
A street map of New Orleans.
Mark Twain, An Illustrated Biography
by Geoffrey C. Ward, Dayton Duncan, Ken Burns
This illustrated companion to the PBS series follows the arc of Twain's celebrated career.
Old Man River, The Mississippi River in North American History
by Paul Schneider
Schneider's magnificent portrait takes in ancient geology, mound builders, the Iroquois, explorers, trappers, the Civil War and the steamboat era all the way to the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
The World That Made New Orleans: From Spanish Silver to Congo Square
by Ned Sublette
Winner of the Humanities Book of the Year Award and more, this fascinating read tells the story of New Orleans first one hundred years. Sublette details the struggle between France, Spain and England that shaped New Orleans into what it is today.
Moon New Orleans
by Laura Martone
Martone gives great insight into everything you need to know when traveling to New Orleans.
Minneapolis-St. Paul: A Photo Tour of the Twin Cities
by Gregg Felsen
Learn about the history and culture through this informative read. Includes 88 photos of attractions, events and neighborhoods in the Twin Cities!
The Sinking of the USS Cairo
by John C Wideman
Wideman exposes the full story behind the Confederate team responsible for blowing up the USS Cairo in this interesting study.
A Streetcar Named Desire
by Tennessee Williams
This classic drama follows Blanche DuBois and the issues that arise when she moves to New Orleans to live with her sister and her husband.
Mississippi Solo: A River Quest
by Eddy L. Harris
From Minnesota to New Orleans, Harris travels the length of the Mississippi in a canoe, facing shotgun-wielding bigots, wild dogs and tumultuous waves, ultimately emerging with an unforgettable and engaging American memoir.
Life On The Mississippi
by Mark Twain
An invaluable companion to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Life on the Mississippi is Mark Twain's inimitable portrait of 'the great Father of Waters'. Part memoir, part travelogue, it expresses the full range of Twain's literary personality, and remains the most vivid, boisterous and provocative account of the cultural and societal history of the Mississippi Valley, from 'the golden age' of steamboating to the violence wrought by the Civil War.
The Mississippi and the Making of a Nation
by Stephen Ambrose, Douglas Brinkley
This illustrated popular history -- and travelogue -- tells the story of the great river from the time of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase.
Moon Handbook St. Louis
by Brooke S. Foster
A no-nonsense practical guide in the Moon series, jam-packed not only with travel necessities (hotels, restaurants, sights), but also with a good overview of history, flora and fauna and geology.
The Colored Waiting Room: Empowering the Original and the New Civil Rights Movements Conversations Between an MLK Jr. Confidant and a Modern-Day Activist
by Kevin Shird and Nelson Malden
Shird and Malden reflect on the Civil Rights Movement of the past. With a second wave beginning they take a look at the lessons learned in order to build a better future.
A Field Guide to the Natural World of the Twin Cities
by John J. Moriarty, Siah L. St. Clair
This guidebook covers the wildlife that is found in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area.
James J. Hill: Empire Builder of the Northwest
by Michael P. Malone
Malone takes a look at the life of James J. Hill, focusing on the railroad race as well as the role Hill played in the region's development.





Important registration tip:
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.