“Perhaps the beauty and mystique of the Mississippi River is an acquired taste, best enjoyed from the water itself.”
That’s a rather unflattering way to begin an article about a summer road trip down the Great River Road. The piece was written by Zachary Reid of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, who complained that on his road trip he experienced very little of the “romance of life on the river.” Based on my reading of his article, I don’t think he had an especially good time on this trip, which, if true, is a shame. I wish he would have contacted me before he left. I might have been able to help him find more of the river romance he was seeking.
So, for the rest of you folks who are considering taking a similar trip, here are a few tips to make your trip more enjoyable and to help you experience more of the river’s history, culture, and romance.
1. If you have limited time—less than a month—don’t try to cover the whole river; pick a section to focus on and spend all your time there. If you try to see the whole river in one week, you’re going to spend your whole time in the car, which is about as much fun as watching TV ads during a political campaign. Pick a loop of 300-400 miles that will allow you to explore both sides of the river at a leisurely pace.
2. Get out of your car. It’s true that there are many stretches along the drive where you don’t get to see the river. However, there are many places where you can park and hike a bit to get fantastic views; even better, those views won’t be flying by your car window at 60 miles an hour.
3. Get on the river. It’s surprisingly easy in many places. Take a cruise on one of the small boats that are based in many small towns along the upper river or guide your own canoe/kayak/stand-up paddleboard through the backwaters.
4. Talk to the people who live near the river. If you want an idea of where to get a sense of the romance of the river while you’re in Dubuque, ask a few people who live there. They’ll help you find ways to get away from those casinos and factories.
5. Try to do something beyond hitting the “main attractions.” Yes, it’s fun to stop at the World’s Largest Six Pack in La Crosse, but the city has a number of other things to do that are even more fun and actually relate to the river, like the museum in Riverside Park, a hike around Myrick-Hixon EcoPark, or canoeing from Goose Island County Park. After that, you can sample local beer at The Root Note, which is even more fun than posing in front of an oversized six pack.
In January, you can have the Headwaters all to yourself!
6. If you don’t like crowds, visit the popular attractions sometime other than August. When I visited Itasca State Park in January, I didn’t have to wait in any lines to get my picture taken next to the Headwaters.
7. If you really want to go deep, consider buying one of my guidebooks about the river. They cover the Mississippi from the Quad Cities to Hastings, Minnesota (just shy of the Twin Cities), the stretch that is arguably the most scenic part of the river. The books are full of ideas for things to do along the river and in those river towns.
And, hey, if you are planning a trip like his, please contact me for suggestions before you hit the road. I promise you will have a better time than Reid apparently did.
You can read the full article here.
© Dean Klinkenberg, 2012
