America's Great Waterways

Below are America's best rivers for cruising. Sailing these waterways is a carefree and enjoyable way to experience the country's rich heritage and scenic beauty, and Vacations To Go offers every discount, deal and special promotion available for these trips.

Before we get to the highlights, here are some great offers on U.S. river cruises for our customers.

Fly for free from select gateways on sailings with American Queen Voyages, plus save up to $2,000 per couple off the cruise price when you book certain cabin categories and get $100 per couple in onboard credit. Book by October 14.

Save up to $2,000 per couple on 2022 and 2023 itineraries with American Cruise Lines.

Below are brief summaries of what you might experience while cruising America's rivers. Click the links to see all the latest deals and search for itineraries.

Board a comfortable ship and cruise the Mississippi River, which winds its way from northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. On the Upper Mississippi, you can visit Mark Twain's hometown of Hannibal, Missouri, and explore the arts scene in Red Wing, Minnesota. During the fall, see brightly colored autumn foliage. On the lower half of the river, experience Southern hospitality as you tour beautifully restored mansions, like Oak Alley in Louisiana, and dine on world-famous cuisine in New Orleans' French Quarter.

As the largest tributary of the Mississippi River, the Ohio River was a major transportation route for Native Americans, European explorers and settlers. Sailings can include Henderson, Kentucky, once home to naturalist and painter John James Audubon; keep an eye out for the 12 bronze bird statues around town, plus one of Audubon. In Paducah, Kentucky -- where the Ohio meets the Tennessee River -- the galleries of the LowerTown Arts District are big draws. Madison is on the Indiana Wine Trail, and Louisville, Kentucky, is known for its horse-racing heritage. Ohio River itineraries can include segments on the Mississippi River.

The Tennessee River covers four states, flowing from east of Knoxville, Tennessee, to Paducah, where it converges with the Ohio River. During the Civil War, Union troops strategically used the river to invade Confederate territory, leaving behind a notable list of Civil War sites. Tennessee River itineraries can make time for the Shiloh National Military Park south of Savannah, Tennessee, and the W.C. Handy Home & Museum in Florence, Alabama, where the "Father of the Blues" was born in 1873.

Head west to the Columbia River in Oregon and Washington and follow in the footsteps of famed explorers Lewis and Clark. Itineraries also incorporate sights on the Snake River. These trips offer opportunities to see the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, the Columbia River Gorge and the Bonneville Dam, a National Historic Site whose construction started in 1934.

The Hudson River flows from the Adirondack Mountains to New York City. A cruise provides the perfect way to experience all that New York has to offer, from breathtaking scenery and grand architecture to the art, history and culture of the Big Apple. Famous landmarks include Sleepy Hollow, Franklin D. Roosevelt's Springwood estate in Hyde Park and West Point Military Academy. Fall sailings showcase the region's brilliant foliage.