Not Many People Know That You Can Take A Three-Day Cruise Along The Mississippi River In Wisconsin
By Ben Jones|Published October 07, 2021
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Ben Jones
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Ben Jones is at heart an adventurer who delights in inspiring others. A former reporter and photojournalist, he explored towns large and small as a Wisconsin correspondent for USA Today. He later became a lead photographer and senior copywriter for an award-winning destination marketing agency, before founding Boldland Creative, a company that produces photography, video, and other content for travel destinations. Jones has completed photography and content projects in more than 15 states and when he’s not looking through a camera or at his Macbook you’ll find him exploring the world’s lakes and forests.
There’s a way to travel a stretch of western Wisconsin that you might not have heard of. The Celebration Belle, a Quad Cities-based riverboat, takes travelers on a three-day excursion from the far southwest corner of the state up to historic Prairie du Chien. It’s a trip like no other and it’s an incredibly scenic and timeless way to see a side of Wisconsin that few get to experience. Here’s what you can see on the Celebration Belle.
The boat is a 750-passenger paddlewheel that’s specifically designed to navigate the waters of the Mississippi River. It looks like it's from the 1800s, but it was actually built in 1986 by Patti Shipbuilding of Pensacola.
The Wisconsin excursion departs from Dubuque, which has a long history as a river town. On the first day of the cruise, the Celebration Belle will take you about 60 miles upriver to Prairie du Chien. All meals are included on the boat, and there’s also entertainment on board.
The second day of the trip is spent exploring Prairie du Chien, including Fort Crawford Museum, which chronicles the history of the fort that stood guard over the city from from 1816 until 1856.
The scenic and relaxing return trip takes you back down river. It’s about an eight-hour cruise, and it travels through some gorgeous stretches of river country.
People travel as far as 1,000 miles to take a trip on the Celebration Belle. It even once hosted the king and queen of Sweden! Learn more about the Wisconsin excursion and other Mississippi River trips here. If you can’t swing a three-day cruise, upriver in La Crosse, there’s another riverboat that serves passengers pizza on the water!
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