Cumberland River Cruise: Nashville to St. Louis

Day 1 - Nashville (Clarksville), Tennessee

Today we fly from Albuquerque to Nashville and lodge for one night in Clarksville. Begin your voyage on the luxurious American Queen with an escorted Nashville city tour. Our expert guide will share local stories and lore of “Music City” as the motorcoach traverses the city streets. As we pull up to the Country Music Hall of Fame, you will most definitely spot the building. The massive museum showcases piano keys that span the entire building. The museum is nicknamed “The Smithsonian of Country Music” because of its absolutely remarkable collection.

Day 2 - Nashville (Clarksville), Tennessee - Embarkment Day

Today we board the American Queen! Clarksville is a modern, booming city with a charming small-town feel, located about 40 minutes northwest of Nashville. Clarksville is one of Tennessee’s oldest cities, founded in 1784 before Tennessee achieved statehood. The city prospered from river trade, especially tobacco, through the 19th century. The Customs House Museum, an ornate, Victorian building from 1898, offers local history and art exhibits, plus model trains. Northeast, surrounded by parkland, the vast Dunbar Cave complex dates back thousands of years. The McGregor Park Riverwalk follows the meandering, tree-lined Cumberland River. The river’s history is traced at the As the River Flows Museum. Fort Defiance, on a bluff 200 feet above the confluence of the Red and Cumberland Rivers, has been a hub of activity for more than two centuries. During the Civil War, the hilltop was chosen by Confederate troops as a site to defend the river approach to Clarksville. In 1862 the fort was captured by Union forces, renamed, and occupied for the remainder of the war.

Today, a visitor will find Fort Defiance remarkably well preserved; the outer earthworks, powder magazine, and gun platforms are still discernible. From natural beauty and worldly cuisines to historic attractions, scenic rivers and trails, Clarksville was named 2019’s “Best Place to Live” by Money.com. The city’s historic sites preserve the ingenuity of the human spirit and deliver lasting memories. It is also a lively university city with an artsy vibe. Thanks to a trendy craft food and beverage scene, visitors can experience, taste, and savor its breweries, wineries, and distilleries.

Included Shore Excursion: Clarksville Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

Meals included: (B, L, D)

Day 3 - Nashville (Clarksville), Tennessee

Enjoy another day in Clarksville.

Included Shore Excursion: Clarksville Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

Meals included: (B, L, D)

Day 4 - Dover, Tennessee

In 1805 a state-appointed commission purchased a 30-acre plot on the Cumberland River from Robert Nelson and established the county seat of Dover. By 1850 the Tennessee frontier town had blossomed into a large river trade center and the second largest steamboat port on the Cumberland. A resting dock meets American Queen Voyages guests in Dover, a town that reveals the value of serenity in river living, where peace and quiet are interrupted only by birdsong and cricket chirps. Adventure through Fort Donelson – Dover’s touchpoint during the Civil War – which has been resurrected into Fort Donelson National Battlefield Park, a nexus of history and natural riches. Fort Donelson was the site of a major Union victory. Here, hilltops harbor somber stories, country roads lose themselves in golden horizons and historic treasures are kept secret behind the tree lines. Union troops, who had occupied the town since the fall of Fort Donelson in 1862, set fire to Dover to prevent the town from falling into the hands of General Nathan Bedford Forrest; only four buildings survived the conflagration.

Capture the romance of this little river town’s past and experience the everyday phenomenon of its future at Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge, an 8,862-acre habitat for waterfowl and aquatic plant life. Or venture to Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, one of the largest blocks of undeveloped forest in the eastern U.S. with over 170,000 acres of forests, wetlands, and open lands on a peninsula between Kentucky and Barkley lakes in Western Kentucky and Tennessee.

Included Excursions: Dover Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

Meals included: (B, L, D)

Day 5 - Paducah, Kentucky

Paducah’s significant American heritage can be traced to the city’s strategic location at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers. Paducah, originally known as Pekin, was settled around 1815 in McCracken County. The community was inhabited by a mix of Native Americans and Europeans who lived harmoniously, trading goods and services. In 1827, William Clark, of Lewis and Clark fame, arrived in Pekin with a title deed to the land he now owned.

The town was platted out and named in honor of the largest nation of Native Americans that ever roamed North America, the Padouca Indians. Lewis and Clark had made acquaintance with many of them on their trek west. Discover how Paducah played a pivotal role in American history from rivers to railroad transportation, the Civil War to civil rights. Museums and riverfront “Wall to Wall” murals by the Dafford Murals Team weave the story of Paducah’s past and guide viewers to experiences and landmarks throughout the town, where historical markers detail the significance and cultural heritage.

In the hands of artists, modern Paducah was thrown into form. Fingertips muddied with passion and eased by the vision of river water glided along the surface to pull up the community and create the National Quilt Museum. Residents backstitch past into present, then bind appreciation for culture – ensuring that the seams of history will not soon come undone. The people of Paducah have taken great care to orchestrate every crevice of its community into a symphony of craft and color.

Included Shore Excursion: Paducah Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

Meals included: (B, L, D)

Day 6 - Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Nestled along the western banks of the mighty Mississippi River, you’ll find Cape Girardeau, Missouri – a community rich in history and heritage. For more than 250 years, people have been drawn to Cape Girardeau and the river on which it lies. As you stroll along the riverfront, pause for a moment… you’ll feel the passion that led Mark Twain to write so eloquently about Cape Girardeau in Life on the Mississippi, the inspiration that Gen. Ulysses S. Grant used to lead with firm conviction as he took command of the Union Army in the historic downtown and the warmth and hospitality that community founder Louis Lorimier extended to Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, while on the journey of a lifetime as they set forth to explore the Louisiana Purchase on their Corps of Discovery. Cape Girardeau, which has shown hospitality to the likes of Twain, Lewis and Clark, and General Grant, greets today’s guests in the same vein.

Whether pedaling along the bike lanes that strip along the city streets, hiking through a state park, walking across one of many covered bridges, shopping for antiques, visiting area wineries, viewing murals that stretch the entire length of the downtown area, or stepping back in time at any number of historic sites, the Show Me State does not disappoint. Peeking through the long-standing architecture and handsome panoramas are moments that will mature into golden memories. Take time to embrace legends, discover a simpler time and relive the wonders of the past.

Included Shore Excursion: Cape Girardeau Hop-On Hop-Off

Meals included: (B, L, D)

Day 7 - Kimmswick, Missouri

Kimmswick offers a chance to step back into the less hurried days of the 1800s. A look back furnishes us an appreciation for the historical significance. Theodore Kimm, a successful St. Louis dry goods merchant, moved to Jefferson County, Missouri in 1850 and purchased a large tract of land where the Little Rock Creek empties into the Mississippi. Travel to the area in early days was by way of the Mississippi River or by inland trails that first used by the Indians and later by the French and Spanish. The route was called “Rue Royale” by the French and “El Camino Real” by the Spanish. Many goods were hauled over this trail by two-wheeled oxcarts and later by wagons. Early settlements in this area were under French control. But when France lost the French and Indian War, this land west of the Mississippi went to Spain.

Spanish control was relatively brief, from 1762 until 1800. Then Napoleon Bonaparte, by secret treaty, re-acquired the land from Spain. Only three years later he sold the land to the U.S. during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson. Building of the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad from St. Louis to Pilot Knob, Missouri, began in 1854. The completion of the railroad in 1858 brought with it a stream of settlers, tradesmen, and farmers. Theodore Kimm, taking advantage of the increased economic possibilities, founded the town of Kimmswick in 1859. A native of Germany, Kimm named the town after himself and his birthplace by combining the words into “Kimmswick.”

Included Shore Excursion: Kimmswick Full Day

Meals included: (B, L, D)

Day 8 - St. Louis, Missouri

No city wants to be known as a “fly-over” city. St. Louis, nestled about 300 miles from its more popular cousin, Chicago, has long had that unfortunate designation. But there’s the case to be made for “St. Louie,” as it’s affectionately called, as America’s most hidden gem. The city is typically associated with the Gateway Arch, which stands on the banks of the Mississippi River. At 630 feet, “The Arch” is an architectural marvel that is more than twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty. The stainless-steel-faced landmark pays homage to Thomas Jefferson and St. Louis’ position as the gateway to the West.

The city is a vibrant destination that also boasts a wide array of museums, music and theatre venues, and is known for its diverse neighborhoods and the different cultural traditions each one brings forth. Forest Park – almost 50 percent bigger than Central Park – is the crown jewel of St. Louis. offering nearly 1,293 acres of land for biking, walking, golf, tennis, and other sports activities. The park is home to: the St. Louis Art Museum, the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Science Center, the Missouri History Museum, and the Muny amphitheatre.

Also worth visiting is the Missouri Botanical Garden, a National Historic Landmark and one of the oldest botanical gardens in the United States. “Botan,” as it’s called by locals, features 79 breathtaking acres of horticultural display from around the world. City Museum, designed by internationally acclaimed sculptor Bob Cassilly, is a 600,000 square-foot interactive museum that appeals to all ages.

Included Shore Excursion: St. Louis Hop-On Hop-Off

Meals included: (B, L, D)

Day 9 - St. Louis (Alton), Missouri

We conclude our American Queen Voyages journey and travel back to Albuquerque.

Meals included: (B)

Itinerary subject to change.