• Riverboat paddle wheel image by itsallgood from Fotolia.com
  
  Riverboat tours along the mighty Mississippi are a staple of Iowa waterfront communities. From afternoon excursions to dinner cruises and overnight mini-vacations, the colorful array of vessels include paddle wheels, steamboats, water taxis, and replicas of Victorian-era luxury liners.Though some riverboats are permanently docked as floating casinos, many still cruise the currents of the river as they did in bygone days.
  
  

Maiden Voyage Tours

• Maiden Voyage Tours launches its riverboat cruises out of Harpers Ferry, Iowa. This 51-foot vessel is a certified U.S. Coast Guard Passenger Vessel and can accommodate 49 passengers for a variety of excursions, including dinner cruises, riverboat charters, and ecological tours. Most tours range from one and a half hours to seven hours, and fishing is allowed from the decks. They offer a popular "Tom Sawyer Adventure" cruise that includes lodging in log cabins for up to seven people. The company also owns a nearby Riverboat Casino, for extended entertainment after the boat docks back in the harbor. They are based out of Harpers Ferry but also port out of Lansing, Iowa; Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin; and Mcgregor, Iowa.
  
  Maiden Voyage Tours
  2238 Andy Mountain Road
  Harpers Ferry, Iowa 52146
  563-586-2123
  www.maidenvoyagetours.com
  
  

Riverboat Twilight

• The Riverboat Twilight departs from Le Clarie, Iowa, on a two-day overnight Mississippi River adventure, covering 166 miles, with accommodations at the Riverfront Grand Harbor Resort in the city of Dubuque. The riverboat is a replica of the Victorian-era steamboats and features three decks with dining salons and sundecks. Cruise guests typically encounter numerous bald eagles, pelicans, egrets and blue herons along the route. Each afternoon onboard the boat, guests are entertained by various folk musicians and humorists. While docked in Dubuque, the entertainment choices include museums, an aquarium, trolley tours, a nearby casino and a 25,000-square-foot water park that is attached to the hotel. The riverboat tours have all-inclusive pricing, and the boat is air-conditioned and heated for year-round enjoyment.
  
  Riverboat Twilight
  406 Franklin St.
  Scales Mound, IL 61075
  800-331-1467
  www.riverboattwilight.com
  
  

Celebration Belle

• The Celebration Belle is reportedly the largest luxury non-gaming excursion vessel on the Upper Mississippi River. It has the capacity for 800 passengers and offers a wide variety of boat tours, including dinner and lunch cruises, as well as Dixieland or big band excursions. Longer tours are also offered, with four- and five-hour jaunts that include live entertainment and freshly prepared cuisine. Overnight packages include stays in Dubuque or Praire du Chien in Wisconsin. The family-owned company also makes time for charter tours, including weddings, family reunions and corporate events.
  
  Celebration Belle
  2501 River Drive
  Moline, IA
  800-297-0034
  www.celebrationbelle.com