Tag Archives: Mississippi River

Missouri Gateway to the West

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Missouri Gateway to the West

St Louis, Missouri is the first location I have to choose from. Known for the Gateway Arch I have to admit that Google’s description has caught my attention. “St. Louis is a major city in Missouri along the Mississippi River. Its iconic, 630-ft. Gateway Arch, built in the 1960s, honors the early 19th-century explorations of Lewis and Clark and America’s westward expansion in general. Replica paddle wheelers ply the river, offering views of the arch. The Soulard district is home to barbecue restaurants and clubs playing blues music.”

10 Best Things to Do in St. Louis - What is St. Louis Most Famous ...

Blues Music, Bar-B-que, even a trolley, what more can you ask? Accommodations are a hotel, The Red Lion Hotel- Downtown.

 

OYO Hotel St. Louis Downtown City Center MO, St Louis MO, St. Louis MO

 

Branson Missouri

My other choices are both in Branson. Branson is an Ozark town in southwest Missouri known as a family vacation destination. Its 76 Country Boulevard is famously lined with theaters, which once hosted mostly country music performers but today present diverse entertainment. Also along the strip are the Marvel Cave, the Wild West-style Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction and Silver Dollar City, an 1800s-themed amusement park with live music. ― Google

I’m sure I could have fun and enjoy the shows. In fact I originally had Branson on the top of my list but the more I think about  paddle wheelers on the Mississippi the more my camera and I want to head west.

Greensview, Branson

The first Branson accommodation is Greensview

This description isn’t too enticing, do you think?

Located in Branson Theater District, Greensview Branson by Exploria Resorts is within 1 miles of Mount Pleasant Winery, Hollywood Wax Museum, and Titanic Museum. Free WiFi is available in public areas.

Cable TV and a DVD player are included in every apartment at Greensview Branson. They each have a full kitchen equipped with a refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher.

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The Suites at Falls Creek

The Suites at Falls Creek is the 2nd resort option in Branson. I like what it has to say on Diamond Resorts web site

The Suites at Fall Creek, 1 Fall Creek Drive, Branson, Missouri, 65616, United States

Explore the “Live Entertainment Capital of the World” while enjoying the comforts of home at The Suites at Fall Creek. Surrounded by the rugged beauty of the Ozark Mountains, The Suites at Fall Creek offers a lakeside haven overlooking the White River Basin. The resort is conveniently located near downtown Branson’s entertainment district and dozens of dining options. Explore the outdoors or enjoy a show, and then return to the spacious accommodations that feature well-appointed amenities.

 

The Suites at Fall Creek By Diamond Resorts - Holiday residences in Branson (Missouri, United States)

Seems I have some thinking to do on this one!

The “least” Favorite Vacation

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If I have a favorite vacation then I guess I should have a least favorite. Doesn’t mean it was bad, just not one I care to repeat.

That one would be the Amtrak vacation Sandy and I took that covered San Antonio and New Orleans.

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Yellow roses of Texas

 San Antonio was great. I loved the River Walk and the tour of the old Spanish Missions.

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Seeing the Alamo was interesting too.

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It wasn’t what I expected but then I’m, not sure what I did expect. There is so much written about the Alamo. It’s been immortalized and romanticized in so many movies, books and folk lore. I was disappointed that they were repairing the façade so there was no way to take a photo for myself without the crane in front but I do understand the need to maintain the building to keep it from crumbling. I could have bought a post card.

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The train ride from San Antonio to New Orleans was pleasant. We met some nice people in the dining car and the motion of the train and the clickity clack made it easy to nap along the way. There was a nice observation car with a dome and comfy seating if you wanted to sight see.

Once in New Orleans we had some minor issues with the room. That was fixed quickly but it was late (after 10 pm) so it was a bit annoying.

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We didn’t have a car so we walked to the tour bus stop on the waterfront. We had to be there early and I found myself watching over my shoulder. The street was pretty messy and with the garbage pickup still sometime in the future it was pretty smelly.

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Not too many people were out walking and although we did pass a jogger or two, I still couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling. I was very happy to see the ticket booth come into sight.

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I got the same feeling when we were out in the evening. We passed obvious “ladies of the night” and were accosted by hawkers and street vendors. Some even continuing to follow us after we said no thank you. I was just very uncomfortable.  In all my travels I have never felt this way anywhere else.

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On the plus side we had a nice time riding the steam boat up the Muddy Mississippi and the aquarium was great. Our trip into the bayou got rained out. That was disappointing but even with the pouring rain we got to the Court of 3 Sisters for an amazing, elegant dinner. So I can’t say New Orleans was a total loss, just not someplace I’m anxious to return to anytime soon. I’m sure that comes as a surprise to many. I know all my friends said I would love it. Maybe once I’ve seen all of the other states I’ll go back for that missed trip into the bayou.

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Rain Forest Exhibit, New Orleans Aquarium

The Steamboat Natchez

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Back at the Lighthouse we considered our options for the afternoon. The paddle wheel steamboat Natchez was right there at the dock so we decided to take a ride up the Mississippi. We had about two hours before our trip so we went in search of lunch. The menu on the Natchez didn’t “speak” to me.

Steamboat

Instead we had lunch at the Gumbo Pot on Decatur St.

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We both tried the Po’boys. I had shrimp and Sandy had hamburger. They were HUGE! and very good.

We also had a little excitement. It was clear that a storm was approaching as the wind began to gust pretty good. Suddenly it caught one of the umbrellas and over it went right on another table. That certainly got everyone’s attention while the waiters hustled around taking down the umbrellas so it wouldn’t happen again.

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After lunch we made our way to a table on the dock where we could watch the river traffic while we waited for our turn on the Natchez. We had a front row seat for the steam Calliope concert.

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Boarding was like going on a cruise.  Photos were taken to documents our trip.

Natchez

The cruise was fully narrated and there was a jazz band playing inside.Both of us did a lot of our New Orleans souvenir shopping in the gift shop.

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Remember those sugar cane fields we saw from the train? Well we got to see where a lot of that goes when we sailed past the Domino Sugar Refinery.

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The narrator pointed out areas where the docks had been destroyed by many things from Katrina to fires. We passed huge ships and other refineries. The river it self was really wide and bustled with barges and tug boats.

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In spite of the “iffy” weather it was a great ride.

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Back on the dock we spotted a street performer. His “shtick” was to pretend he was walking his toy dog and freeze in place in mid-stride. Still pictures really don’e do it justice but he was quite good and very personable. His tip bucket was the white bucket you can see in the picture.