Shore Excursions of America

07/23/2020

Shore Excursions of America is greatly honored and proud to announce that for the 8th consecutive year, we have taken first place for the well-known and respected World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society's yearly Shore Excursion rating.

In addition to receiving the highest ranking for our hand-crafted excursions offered on the American Queen - the American Empress, American Duchess, and Victory I vessels have also been recognized in the Top 20 list!

We would like to thank our wonderful and loyal voyagers who have continued to make this possible. These votes were cast by our REAL guests, who truly experienced the heart and soul that was meticulously crafted for your enjoyment; rather than just a blind vote, which many ratings of this type tend to be.

You are the reason we keep doing what we do!

05/06/2019

On last week’s voyage for both our vessels on the Mississippi River, the American Queen and the American Duchess, guests were able to tap into their adventurous side on one of our newest premium excursions, “The Great Mississippi Outdoor Adventure: ATVs and Outdoor Sports at Knife’s Edge.” This unique premium is offered on our Lower Mississippi itineraries out of Natchez, Mississippi.

Guests will travel outside the quaint town of Natchez to unaltered forests filled with moss-draped trees and native wildlife, where they will ride their very own one or two-person ATV through the nature reserve known as Knife’s Edge.

Safety first, so before setting off, all guests will receive instructions from our certified guide. Knowing this terrain like the back of his hand, he will then lead guests through the forest, hills, and creeks, making sure to point out any notable wildlife and foliage as they drive by. Along the way, guests will try out their tomahawk and lasso throwing skills, after our talented guide shows them how it is done. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is sure to bring out the thrill seeker in all of us!

05/03/2019

12/28/2018

The lush Pacific Northwest is home to vibrant cities, beautiful landscapes, and abundant orchards and wineries. From Portland, Oregon to Spokane, Washington, the American Empress travels the beautiful Columbia and Snake Rivers and offers guests an in-depth experience of this unique region. Guests have two ways to experience all the Pacific Northwest has to offer. First is our signature Hop-on Hop-off tour, which gives guests the freedom to enjoy a narrated tour of each river port city, while hopping on and off at the various stops along the way. Another option is our award-winning Premium Shore Excursions, which takes guests on specially-crafted, in-depth experiences that are sure to create memories that last a lifetime! Thank you Cruise Critic!

Cute small towns, quirky museums and spectacular scenery.

08/31/2018

On this day, 215 years ago, Meriwether Lewis began his journey down the Ohio River on his 55-foot long keelboat from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Just a few months later, Lewis joined his friend William Clark to begin their journey west from Indiana. After traveling many months, in October of 1805 Lewis and Clark reached the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers before heading off for the Pacific Ocean.

Guests on the American Empress will have the opportunity to retrace the history of these famous frontiersmen on the premium excursion, “The Lewis and Clark Experience.” This excursion takes guests to the site of Middle Village and Station Camp which was used as a departure point for an overland trek to their first views of the Pacific Ocean.
Then, guests will discover the next stages of the Lewis and Clark expedition at the Interpretive Center located at Cape Disappointment where they finally found a route to the Pacific Ocean.

The last stop will take guests to the Lewis and Clark National Historic Park, Fort Clatsop. Here, guests can enjoy exhibits in the interpretive center and exhibit hall, as well as explore a replica of the forts built by Lewis and Clark and their crew during the harsh winters. Guests won’t want to miss this step back in history!

08/08/2018

07/27/2018

As the American Queen heads up the Mighty Mississippi River, guests will have the opportunity to go “nose to beak” with the United States symbol of freedom – the bald eagle. On our premium excursion, On Eagle’s Wings, guests will set out for the oldest city along the Upper Mississippi River, Wabasha, Minnesota.

Guests will then have an unforgettable experience at the National Eagle Center, where they can get up close and personal with these majestic birds. In a room supervised by trained professionals, guests will watch in awe as golden eagles with wingspans close to 8 feet soar above their heads. After the show, guests are free to explore on their own and discover why this area is called America’s Eagle Destination. While watching these birds, guests will truly understand the meaning and beauty of the freedom they proudly represent.

06/22/2018

Experience the legacy of the Civil War on our “On the Front Lines of the Civil War” premium excursion. Guests on the American Queen will have the opportunity to visit the site of the Civil War battle that would become one of the most pivotal moments in America’s History.

This guided tour will take guests on 16-mile journey that will weave through the 1,300 monuments and markers at Vicksburg National Military Park and make a few stops to allow for a close-up experience at some of the key points of interest. A stop at the Battlefield Visitor’s Center will enlighten guests with an informative fiber-optic display that depicts the progression of the battle. Guests will also have the opportunity to tour the USS Cairo and Museum which was restored from the depths of the Mississippi and now can be fully explored.

If you’re a civil war buff you won’t want to miss this experience!

05/18/2018

At 8:32 in the morning on May 18, 1980, the most famous Pacific Northwest volcano, Mount St. Helens, woke up and spewed ash for hundreds of miles nearly devastating the nearby landscape. Today marks the 38th anniversary of the Mount St. Helens eruption and guests on the American Empress can experience all the beauty and history this volcano has to offer on our Premium Excursion, Mount St. Helens Tour.

Guests are able to take this excursion as either a Pre-Cruise or Post-Cruise option while traveling along the Columbia and Snake Rivers. On this excursion, guests will have the opportunity to see Mount St. Helens from multiple vantage points allowing them to get the full experience and learn of the volcano’s active history.

The excursion begins with a Portland city driving tour, which will highlight the areas of historical significance before making a stop at the world-renowned International Rose Test Garden. The excursion continues to the Coldwater Lake Science and Learning Center, which offers spectacular views of the mountain, as well as the tranquil turquoise lake sitting in its shadow. Our final vantage point, Johnston Ridge Observatory, is located only 5 miles from the Mount St. Helens crater and provides views of the blast zone, crater, and lava dome.

05/11/2018

Soar through the Pacific Northwest’s luscious landscape on our “Zip Lining Adventure” Premium Excursion! Guests on the American Empress will have the opportunity to experience the natural wonders of Oregon like never before. At Highlife Adventures, guests of all ages can safely enjoy the forests of Oregon.

Guests will be guided through the forest by being securely tethered to a course consisting of eight zip lines. For the extra adventurous spirit, they can zip over lakes and even take a dunk as they soar by. The day concludes in the gift shop where guests can purchase a candid photo of themselves in action!

This experience is a once-in-a-lifetime!

04/20/2018

New for 2018, American Queen and American Duchess guests can experience Louisiana’s Cajun Country and Culture like never before on our Premium Excursion, "The Ultimate Cajun Adventure." This experience takes guests to the Atchafalaya Basin for an exhilarating air-boat ride through the deep swamplands. Following the air-boat tour, guests will get an opportunity to indulge in some down-home cuisine at Pont Breaux’s Cajun Restaurant while watching, and even participating in, traditional Cajun dances.

The final stop is at the Vermilionville Historic Village, where docents dressed in period-accurate clothing will tell the story of the region’s heritage, in addition to putting on demonstrations of how Cajuns lived using resources available during the mid-1700s. This Cajun filled day will have guests singing, “Laissez les bons temps rouler" (let the good times roll)!

11/03/2017

Calling all local vendors near Nottoway Plantation, St.Franciville, Louisiana, and Natchez, Mississippi! Our deadline for our Annual Holiday Plantation Markets has been extended. Head over to our the official page for more information!

Explore sites and attractions featured along your AQSC voyage and discover what each port has in store for you as you step off the vessel onto land!

08/10/2017

Where will you be during the August 21, 2017 Solar Eclipse?!

Guests joining us on our exclusive Premium Excursion: American Astronomy-A Solar Eclipse Tour, will join us in Alton, Illinois for wine and a picnic-style lunch as we await this historic phenomenon directly in its path!

Enter any location to see an animation of the big event

07/08/2017

Shore Excursions of America and American Queen Steamboat Company love the small towns and ports we visit along our routes. We always strive to showcase the unique stories and cultures each of these quaint American towns have to offer.

Check out this great list of small towns across the country, published by Thrillist. Two fantastic towns offered on our Premium Excursions are featured in this list - Galena, Illinois (VisitGalena.org) and Hood River, Oregon (Visit Hood River)!

04/28/2017

Check out this awesome video of Jake and the Pearl Street Jumpers who played at Club Ebony on our Small Towns Big Legends: The Story of B.B. King excursion in Greenville, Mississippi! One of the American Queen guests was brought on stage to play harmonica!

03/24/2017

With the first few roundtrip voyages under our belt, the American Queen resumes her regular Lower Mississippi itineraries between New Orleans to Memphis. Our voyages offer a variety of excursions for a wide range of guests interests. In Memphis, Tennessee, the most popular tourist attraction remains Graceland Mansion. In previous years, our guests have continuously filled the spots to our Premium Excursion: King’s Memphis with Graceland, allowing for a second, brand new, VIP Premium Excursion addition: A King’s Treatment – A Platinum Memphis Tour! This upgraded experience gives our guests access to ALL of the Graceland facility exhibits including a glimpse at his personal airplane and car collection! Then guests join local icon, Memphis Jones for an exclusive walking tour of Beale Street before an authentic lunch at Blues City Café. We know our guests will love this one!

03/17/2017

The 2017 season continues to unfold as we welcome back the American Empress for her first voyage of the year on Monday! Guests joining us for our Roundtrip Vancouver voyages will enjoy samplings of the finest wines from the Pacific Northwest region on our Special Included Event: Vintages of the Willamette Valley, soak in the beauty of the region on our Premium Excursion: Multnomah Falls and Vista House, or craft their own itinerary on any of our daily Hop-On Hop-Off routes. We know they will love their time onboard and cannot wait to see what this year holds for the American Empress!

03/09/2017

With great pride, Shore Excursions of America is happy to share that for the FIFTH consecutive year, the American Queen has placed FIRST in the Shore Excursions category by World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society! The American Empress also made the list of the top ten coveted spots, coming in seventh!

We are ecstatic to be recognized for all of our hard work and dedication. As we continue to grow and adapt, we will continue exceeding expectations.

02/25/2017

The American Queen began her first voyages back on the Mississippi this week with two Round trip New Orleans sailings! We are excited to be back and continue to offer shore excursions that are sure to excite and offer guests the best possible experience they can have! In just a few short weeks the American Empress will begin her voyages on the Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest! We look forward to this upcoming season for the American Queen, the American Empress and the newest vessel the American Duchess starting this summer!

01/19/2017

12/30/2016

The American Queen is rounding out her final voyage of the season this week! While it feels like it comes and goes so quickly we know that guests had a wonderful experience exploring the Mississippi River region with us, from exploring bayous in Louisiana on our Cajun Swamp Tour to soaring with eagles on our premium excursion offered in Red Wing, Minnesota. In the following months, our team will be working diligently to prepare an itinerary that will surpass the expectations of our guests including new tours so that we can come back for the 2017 season better than ever. Until next time!

12/16/2016

This week’s Highlight:
Lower Mississippi
New Orleans Highlights Tour

As the American Queen makes her second to last voyage for the season, guests will have an opportunity to experience the culture and attractions of New Orleans. The experience will begin at the official pre-cruise hotel, where guests will board our luxury motorcoach, as it embarks on a narrated adventure through the eccentric and iconic American city. Guests will have the chance to explore a few key stops in the city, including free time to explore Jackson Square and a chance to indulge in some famous Morning Call beignets and coffee in City Park. A final stop to St. Louis Cemetery #3 will make clear just why New Orleans is “The City of the Dead,” before concluding at the dock of the American Queen!

12/09/2016

his week’s Highlight:
Natchez, Mississippi
A Jeweled Christmas in Natchez

As the American Queen continues her way down the Mississippi, the Christmas festivities remain in full swing. Our next two voyages will feature a special, Christmas-themed Premium Excursion: “A Jeweled Christmas in Natchez,” in Natchez, Mississippi. Guests will get a chance to see a restored antebellum mansion, known to many as “The Towers,” in full Christmas decorum. The Towers is an Italianate-style home built in 1858 and once served as the headquarters for the Union Army during the Civil War. Guests will tour the stunning mansion, decorated elegantly with a dazzling display of antique jewelry, exquisite garlands, and 100 luxurious Christmas trees. Hors d’oeuvres and decadent desserts with a southern flair will be offered while a local pianist fills the air with Christmas songs for a jolly sing-along.

12/07/2016

Yesterday afternoon, American Queen guests enjoyed the first Traditional Christmas Market of the 2016 season at one of the south’s most stunning locations, Nottoway Plantation! As guests explored the mansion at their leisure, they had the opportunity to walk through the Christmas Markets, perfectly situated on the manicured plantation grounds. Classical Christmas songs, aromas of hot cocoa, and shimmering white snowflakes filled the air as guests made their way to each local business’ tent, uncovering the unique treasures they had to offer! Last night, guests had the chance to watch an authentic southern ball reenactment before indulging in a luxurious, four-course dinner in Nottoway’s Randolph Ballroom. Traditional southern bonfires were lit along the levee, and as guests made their way back onboard, fireworks bid them farewell. The night concluded in the Grand Saloon where guests danced along to Christmas music for the remainder of the night!

12/02/2016

This week’s Highlight:
Lower Mississippi
Christmas Markets

With the Christmas season upon us, the next three American Queen voyages have a very special treat for guests: Christmas markets! These wonderful Christmas markets help promote small businesses and a community atmosphere as all the vendors are locals of the port in which they are held. Three Christmas markets are held: on the grounds of Nottoway Plantation, Natchez and St. Francisville, each offering their own unique vendors.

Guests will be delighted by the wonderful Christmas spirit and atmosphere that these markets will provide. There will also be mugs available for guests to purchase at each port that will benefit a local school or an organization trying to help brighten and enrich the futures of others.

11/18/2016

The American Empress will be rounding out her final voyage of the season this Sunday! While we are sad it came to an end so quickly, we know our guests had a blast exploring the Pacific Northwest region with us, from wine tastings in the Red Mountains, soaring through the sky on a zip line, taking in the stunning scenery from deep inside Hells Canyon, or indulging in delectable treats from unique food trucks in Portland. In the following months, our team will be working diligently to prepare an itinerary that will surpass the expectations of our guests so that we can come back for the 2017 season better than ever. Until next time!

11/11/2016

This week’s Premium Excursion Highlight:
Portland, Oregon
Eating differently through Portland: An experience through Portland’s Food Truck Scene

What comes to mind when you imagine “food truck cuisine?” If you, like many others have only had the opportunity to order food through the passenger window of a food truck situated at your local carnival, the image in your mind probably doesn’t ignite too much excitement. But, we’ve set out to show the guests onboard the American Empress just how delicious and unique food trucks can really be.

On this upcoming voyage, the boat docks in one of America’s most cultural destinations, Portland, Oregon – a vibrant city boasting an exuberant arts district, stunning garden displays, and of course, delectable local cuisine. One of Portland’s most unique attractions are known as “pods,” and are completely exclusive to the city. The pods consist of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of local food trucks, often strung together with cozy lights, and offering delicious, high-quality snacks and treats.

Guests will take a journey to two of Portland’s most popular pods, Tidbit and Mercado, where they will have the opportunity to enjoy complimentary samples of the irresistible morsels of the sweet and savory variety. This experience will delve into the culture of Portland, one snack at a time, changing the way people see food trucks!

11/04/2016

This week's Premium Excursion Highlight:
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Grand Southern Plantation Tour

What do you think of when you picture the south? If images of gorgeous, historical southern mansions situated along the Mississippi River come to mind, Shore Excursions of America has catered the perfect excursion for you!

On this upcoming voyage of the American Queen, guests have the opportunity to indulge in a captivating day of sugar plantation exploration! As guests step off the vessel, they get a true glimpse at what southern life was like back in the Antebellum days. A guided visit to the iconic “Big House” at Oak Alley offers a stunning view of moss draped oak trees lining its quarter-mile walkway, making very obvious where the mansion got its name!

As guests make their way to the final stop, St. Joseph’s Plantation, they have the chance to snap some photos of some of two other unique plantations – Evergreen and Laura Plantations. A guided tour through St. Joseph’s Plantation will showcase an atmosphere of a true southern sugar plantation with slave cabins and picturesque moss-draped oak trees.

10/28/2016

On this upcoming voyage, guests will trace the journeys of Lewis and Clark as they begin the day traveling to Station Camp, where the explorers camped for ten days in November of 1805. Then, at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, they can watch the powerful waves of the Pacific Ocean crash onto the bluffs below and take in breathtaking views of the Columbia River at Cape Disappointment, the location Lewis and Clark concluded their two-year exploration. A final stop at the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Fort Clatsop, will conclude the day. Here, guests can become explorers too as they discover extensive exhibits and replicas of the camp that the Corps of Discovery built to brave the harsh Pacific Northwest winters.

10/21/2016

Yesterday guests embarked on a journey through history and discovered the roots of America’s melting pot, on a full-immersion cultural expedition. They re-traced the route taken by displaced Native Americans on the Trail of Tears, they discovered the German roots of a small Missouri town, and witnessed the quaintness of the American “Main Street” on an American Queen Exclusive Heritage tour. Guests got to experience an authentic German lunch cooked by local German-Americans along with a special treat: German-style Beer. Guests got experience these things and many more on the “A Tale of Tears: The Story of Two Cultures’ Painful, Yet Inspirational Migration to a New Beginning.”