Being from Minnesota, I had a pretty good idea of what the Mississippi river was. It was the river I crossed when stepping across the rocks of Itasca State Park. It was the river I walked by everyday during my first year of college. It is what divided the west from the rest of the eastern United States in the 1800s. I didn’t know how much I didn’t know about the Mississippi River.
Highway 61 was the road I would alway take to not only get to my small town from my house, but also the neighboring small towns. I always associated it with the railroad that used to go through northern Minnesota. I had no idea that other states along the Mississippi had their own associations with the highway. That is, until my family took a road trip down the Mississippi. We started in our small town and ended up in New Orleans, with of course many stops along the way.
I’ve been trying to figure out how to write this post to show you everything we did while not being overwhelming so I thought, “What if I write it like an itinerary?” So I have decided to show you all the amazing stops along the Mississippi River to inspire a road trip of your own!
So without further adieu, lets head south!
Day 1: Moose Lake, MN to Le Claire, IA
Stops:
- Effigy Mounds National Monument- Harpers Ferry, IA
- Field of Dreams Movie Site- Dyersville, IA
Total Driving Time: 7 1/2 hours
The goal of our first day was to get right out of Minnesota. If you were to do this trip from a different point on the Mississippi and were to head north to see the starting point of the Mississippi River, then there are definitely a lot of other stops that could be made like spending some time in Minneapolis and stopping at some State Parks, including Itasca State Park where the river begins. We wanted to see outside of Minnesota so our stops started once we crossed the border.
Effigy Mounds is the site of over 200 mounds built by Pre-Columbian Native Americans. Not only is the park beautiful with its location in the Mississippi River Valley, bit it holds a lot of cultural and historical significance to the native tribes of the region. While their exact significance is unknown, we do know they were most likely ceremonial and could have denoted territory. Native American culture has strong ties to the natural world, so I find visiting place such as this that have Native American significance to be very peaceful and they help me to reconnect with nature. I would highly recommend this as a quick stop to get out of the car and get some fresh air.
Field of Dreams was my brothers’ and dad’s stop. I had never actually seen the movie, but I do like baseball! Now when I talk about this site, we visited the original field where the movie was filmed, not the new field that the MLB created for their fun cornfield games. That came after we visited. Here you can walk the bases from the original field used for the movie. You can also visit the farmhouse via a tour and the gift shop where you have a wide array of fun souvenirs, which of course include the actual movie disc. Even though it feels a bit out of the way and like you are in the middle of nowhere, it is completely worth the stop.
Day 2: Le Claire, IA to St. Louis, MO
Stops:
- Antique Archeology- Le Claire, IA
- Hannibal, MO
- Mark Twain Boy Home
- Mark Twain Cave
Total Driving Time: 4 hr 40 mins
Out next day was to be a bit shorter on driving time. That is because we wanted to spend some time in the town that Mark Twain was from, Hannibal. Hannibal to this day is one of my favorite towns in the whole United States. It is so cute and its located in such a beautiful part of Missouri. I will say that summer is its peak as the last time I was there it didn’t have the same affect, but I can promise you will absolutely fall in love with it on a sunny summer day. Also don’t count out the Mark Twain cave! Its located on the other side of town but is a unique stop that is a great reprieve from the heat. I shouldn’t forget though, we started out day with a stop in Le Claire at Antique Archeology.
Antique Archeology is the home base of American Picker’s Mike Wolfe. Here you will find Iowa and American Picker souvenirs, but also some of the antiques from the show. I honestly did not expect to like it as much as I did, but it really is a fun stop for anyone. It is very clean and the style of the building is really fun and engaging. Even if you don’t want to buy anything, it still is a cool place to check out.
Mark Twain Boyhood Home is the 19th century home to the Clemens family. It has been open to the public and under preservation since the early 1900s. You can tour the house to learn more about Mark Twain and his childhood in Hannibal. Outside the house you’ll walk the grounds of the site and find statues as well as the white fence that was inspiration to Tom Sawyer’s story. The main house holds the interpretive center but there are other buildings included in the complex like the Becky Thatcher House and Huck Finn House. Its essentially a museum mall where the street is closed off and you get to walk in and out of all the old homes. This is perfect for any Mark Twain fan that wants to step into the world of his stories.
Mark Twain Cave is another inspiration for Mark Twain’s work. As a child he played in this cave. You will even find his signature marked in it. You’ll find this site in the Adventures of Tom Sawyer as McDougal’s Cave, but it has since been renamed after Mark Twain, making it one of the many stops for tourists wanting to experience his hometown.
Day 3: St. Louis, MO
Stops:
- Gateway Arch National Park- St. Louis, MO
- Cohokia Mounds State Historical Site- Collinsville, IL
Total Driving Time: Depends on Location of Accommodation
To see more of everything you can do in St. Louis you should definitely check out my post dedicated just to it because I have been back since and discovered all the amazing things there are to do there and places to eat. Here is what we did on our day in St. Louis on our road trip and I think these two things should defintiely be on the top of anyone’s list when visiting St. Louis.
Gateway Arch National Park is an obvious stop. There are two ways you can do the arch: walk to it, get your picture taken, and then continue on your way (this is definitely the fastest method) or spend some time there for the full experience. Inside you will find a cafe and gift shop and then you can buy a ticket to check out the exhibit about the 1960s construction of the 630 foot arch. Then you take the tram through the arch to the top. I think its always worth getting a full city view from above of any city, but not everyone likes heights, so this is something you might have to weigh doing. I think for those who don’t mind the height, this is a great way to spend the morning in St. Louis.
Cohokia Mounds State Historical Site isn’t talked about nearly enough. It will require a bit of a drive to get to but it is totally worth it because we don’t have many places like this in the United States. This is the largest pre-columbian civilization north of Mexico It was a metropolis of 4,000 acres, 120 mounds, and 20,000 citizens. The site was named after the Cahokia tribe, but really the city was made up of many different tribes that were considered the Mississippian. You can learn so much more by visiting the site and the interpretive center. Everything is free to visit which is just even more of an incentive to go! You learn so much about Native American history and culture not only through the exhibits but also by exploring the grounds and climbing the mounds.
Day 4: St. Louis, MO to Memphis, TN
Stops:
- Trail of Tears State Park- Jackson, MO
Total Driving Time: 4 hrs 40 mins
We didn’t do as many stops this day because we spent a few hours in the morning visiting family. That is time that could definitely be spent seeing something else in St. Louis, hitting up another stop, or getting to Memphis early to do something else there. Memphis isn’t too much farther from St. Louis, but we still enjoyed getting out of the car to walk around Trail of Tears State Park a little bit.
Trail of Tears State Park gets its significance from exactly what you think. I don’t know if you are noticing a theme in the trip, but there is so much you can learn about Native Americans around the Mississippi. This is where the Cherokees that were forcibly relocated crossed the Mississippi to head west. Here you can learn a bit about American history while also learning some geological history. While this isn’t the prettiest view of the river, it still has some great trails and greenery to check out.
Day 5: Memphis, TN
Stops
- Lorraine Motel
- Sun Records Studio
- Memphis Zoo
- Beale Street
Total Driving Time: Depends on the Location of Your Accommodation
Besides Hannibal, Memphis was probably my favorite destination on this road trip. We spent two nights there. I think why I liked it was because of how surpising it was. I didn’t know what to expect from Memphis. I guess in my head I thought it would be like Nashville, like it would feel very country. It in fact was not. It was the side of the south that I really like! It’s quite significant in recent history. It was the epicenter of the civil rights movement and where Elvis Presley took off. I would easily plan another trip here if only to listen to more Blues music on Beale Street at night.
Lorraine Motel is where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in April of 1968. During the time of segregation it was a predominantly black hotel hosting many famous black musicians and figures. This was where MLK was staying when he was shot on a balcony. Today it is the National Civil Rights Museum which is easily one of the best museums I have ever been to. This is a museum for everyone, regardless of your race. There is so much to learn about the history of the civil rights movement and the activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. as well as the ways we can continue to make things better for those who face discrimination. Its a really powerful experience that I feel I learned so much from.
Sun Records Studio was our Elvis Presley stop. I can’t remember why it didn’t work out for us to not got o Graceland, but this was our alternative, and as a music lover, it was the better choice anyway. Sun Studio wasn’t just about Elvis. It was his first record label which also became the birth place of Rock and Roll signing on Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B King, and Roy Orbison as well. At the studio you can tour the rooms where these famous stars worked and recorded their music. Its a much cheaper option to Graceland and you also get to learn about these other famous musicians as well.
Memphis Zoo is honestly a bit of a blank for me. Once you’ve been to enough zoos they all seem to blur together. I do remember that the zoo had elephants which is my favorite animal and not many zoos have them! It also has pandas which you won’t find at many zoos either. If you are a big zoo person then this should definitely be on your list for Memphis. This is a lot to do in a day though so it is completely acceptable to choose just one or two based off your interests. We only spent a couple hours in the zoo because of the weather but it could easily be a complete day with the wide variety of animals it is home to!
Beale Street is 100% where your evening in Memphis should be spent. In Downtown Memphis you will find this iconic street full of blues music and barbecue. You will see all ages of people here so don’t worry about being too young or too old. You could of course find clubs for the younger people or just go to a casual bar with food and some live music. It has something for everyone. This was my favorite place in Memphis. You can’t miss it.
Day 6: Memphis, TN to New Orleans, LA
Stops:
- National Military Park- Vicksburg, MS
- Melrose- Natchez, MS
- New Orleans, LA
Total Driving Time: 7 hrs
This is another long driving day, so the amount of stops if wanting to get to New Orleans at a reasonable time is quite limited. this is also a really beautiful drive so you don’t want to do it at night or you will miss quite a bit. We decided to stop at Vicksburg and Natchez. You might be wondering why because you probably haven’t heard of them before, but I will tell you.
Vicksburg has quite a bit to do, but we wanted to go to the National Military Park. If you are like us and like to collect National Park Passport stamps and stickers, this will fulfill one for you! This is a Civil War battlefield that has been well preserved to allow visitors to see what a battle during this time may have looked like. Driving around the park you will come across cannons and monuments to the regiments of different states. You also get to see the old gunboats. While it’s tempting to just do your drive through, you should definitely stop into the visitors center as well to learn more about the battle so you know what you are seeing.
Natchez is where you should go if you want to visit the beautiful homes of the southern plantations without supporting and glorifying plantations and slavery. Visiting plantations has always been a pet peeve of mine because it feels very oblivious to the atrocities that occurred there. Visiting Melrose in Natchez is a better alternative because it is a National Historic Park meaning not only is the 1800s house beautifully preserved but the park also shares the stories of slaves while bringing awareness to the estate’s history of slavery and making it a learning experience. I found this to feel like a more ethical way of traveling and experiencing.
Day 7: New Orleans, LA
Stops:
- New Orleans French Quarter
- Jackson Square and Cathedral
- Cafe Du Monde
You should dedicate a day in New Orleans to seein the French quarter. It will keep you busy all day. There are so many shops, galleries, and cafes to pop into. It’s also just a lot of fun to see the old colorful balconied buildings. This walk gets a bit hot in the summer time so make sure you have plenty of water and are stocked up on sunscreen! Now here are your big stops in the French Quarter.
Jackson Square is the iconic scene you see of New Orelans. You know? The one with the pointy white church behind a park. That is Jackson Square. That church is St. Louis Cathedral. The square is named after the president it honors with a statue in the center, Andrew Jackson. Around here you’ll find pop up artists and music. It feels like the center of the city. Then you have to step into the cathedral which feels exactly like a colonial French church. It is one of the oldest Catholic cathedrals in the US and it is quite pretty.
Cafe du Monde is the other stop you absolutely have to make in New Orleans. You’ll find it in the French Market which you should also check out. We walked through and found a lot of unique foods and goods and even came home with a syrup named Steen. At the end you’ll find the Cafe which is the go-to spot to get Beignets in New Orleans, a staple food in the city’s French-Creole cuisine. It gets really busy though so know you may have to take them to go, but they are completely worth it, even if there is a line.
Day 8: New Orleans, LA
Stops:
- Swamp Tour
- Mississippi River Boat Cruise
If you want to get out of New Orleans like we did to see the state’s swamps then you should definitely look into doing a swamp tour. I cannot remember which one we did but look up swamp tours around New Orleans and you are bound to find one. Just know you will be back on the road again for a little bit, but it’s really fun to explore this area with a car. After our swamp tour we went out for lunch at a cute small town where we tried another Louisiana specialty, mufaletta sandwich, which I only ate half of.
Swamp tours would consist of getting on a boat similar to a pontoon and a guide takes you out to show you the swamps while pointing out some of Louisiana’s unique natural life. You’ll see Savanna Moss and the star of the show, Alligators. On our tour they even had baby alligators for us to hold. They are much more cute and less scary when they are babies like that. The swamp tours are also great in the summer time when you need to escape the heat. I’ve alway gravitated towards water. There is something really refreshing about it, even if you aren’t diving in.
Mississippi River Boat Cruises are then the best way to end the trip. We booked one that just traveled along the river within New Orleans but offered a Cajun dinner of jambalaya of course. There was also a band playing New Orleans’ famous jazz. It was the best way to end our last day there because we got to see the skyline lit up at night. I highly recommend looking into some kind of river cruise even if it is just a short time on a ferry. It’s always a great way to experience a place.
Day 9 & Day 10: Return Home
The way back we did in two days. We went all the way from New Orleans back to St. Louis with no stops other than for bathrooms and food. It’s a long way but sometimes you just have to do that for road trips. We were almost tempted to go to a baseball game in St. Louis though because our team, the Twins, was playing there that day. But that did not happen. The last day we drove from St. Louis back home which sounds much less daunting. We have since done a trip to St. Louis with just a day driving there and one back. It will feel long though after that previous day. Obviously these don’t have to be anyone’s first choice. Maybe you’d prefer another night in Tennessee or Chicago, or Iowa. You can also break it up like the way down and see some more stops. I’ve always felt like road trips get long though and anything after 10 days is over kill, but I will always support an adventurous spirit!
I hope this has helped or inspired you to plan a trip down the Mississippi. It is one of the best road trips I have ever done and I felt like we had a very well rounded itinerary. It was a good mix of educational, with the Civil Rights Museum and Native Americans’ Mounds, and leisurely, with the swamp tour and music. You’ll find so much great food to eat along the way as well, so be sure to try new places and get out of your comfort zone. Our country is so diverse and there is so much to learn and experience. This trip proved just that.
The Journal of Wanderlust 