The Mississippi River is a legendary maritime highway that allowed Midwestern states to prosper. From the 1800's to today, this river continues to generate incredible amounts of wealth leading to culturally diverse cities spanning it's 664 navigable miles. While not quite the romantic castles and palaces that you might find along European rivers, the Mississippi offers an opportunity to explore a different side of American history from a variety of angles including civil rights, food, music, industry, agriculture, and military heritage. I've had the fortune to explore nearly the entire length of this region on road trips but I can already tell you that traveling by boat would be the ultimate way to explore the "Mighty Mississip'!"