Mississippi River Tours - Mark Twain's Mississippi - St. Paul to St. Louis

MARK TWAIN MISSISSIPPI RIVER TOUR Please Call 1-800-314-8602 and mention tour code NTMT "When I was a boy there was but one permanent ambition among my comrades...that was to be a steamboatman." - Mark Twain Though the career of steamboatman is not a common ambition among children today, the lure of steamboat travel is as strong as ever. There is no greater way to explore America's heritage than to make a timeless voyage aboard the authentic paddlewheel steamboat Delta Queen, fully restored with rich oak and mahogany woods and Tiffany stained-glass windows. Join the National Trust on a very special exploration of America's heartland, where the scenery and pleasures of steamboating have changed little since the days of Huck Finn and Becky Thatcher. We begin in the Twin Cities and steam south to St. Louis, gateway to the West. Along the way, we'll visit Winona, a former refueling stop for steamboats; Prairie du Chien, where early pioneer fur traders built magnificent homes; Galena, former home of Ulysses S. Grant; Nauvoo, departure point of the great 19th-century Mormon exodus; and Hannibal, Mark Twain's hometown. Our specially designed shore excursions allow time to enjoy the atmosphere of these quaint old river towns, whose history was shaped by the coming of the steamboat. Enjoyment of sights ashore will be equaled by the pleasures of watching the unspoiled landscape of the riverbanks slip by and marveling at the 26 locks that make navigating our route a fascinating experience. Life on board the Delta Queen, which is exclusively  chartered for National Trust, Smithsonian and Stanford travelers, also includes the old-fashioned entertainments of flying a kite from the sun deck, playing dominoes in the elegant lounge and trying your hand at the steam calliope that "infernal music machine." In the evenings, the Delta Queen's renowned musicians will transfix you with the best of America's own music from the blues to Dixieland to Big Band. Accompanying us as study leaders are Richard Fagen, a retired Stanford professor who delights in traveling by water and in talking about steamboats, the mighty Mississippi and Mark Twain; and Dwight Bowers, a cultural historian at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History and leading authority on the history of American music. We're also pleased to annouce that on this trip we'll be joined by Francis McGovern, Editor and Publisher of Literary Traveler. We'll hope you'll join us for this fascinating and fun voyage aboard the Delta Queen, the romantic icon of America's Mississippi River history. Sincerely, Scott Gerloff Director, National Trust Tours P.S. This summer voyage is ideal for students, and we are offering a special student rate of $500 off the I category cabin rate for middle school and high school students who are accompanied by an adult. Spaces for students are limited. Please Contact us for more information about this tour  Please Call 1-800-314-8602 and mention tour code NTMT Discussion Leader(s): Richard Fagen taught political science at Stanford University for 32 years before his retirement in 1993. Since then he has participated in more than three dozen expeditions to destinations as diverse as Cuba, Melanesia, the Caribbean and Antarctica, lecturing on a wide range of topics, from history and politics to exploration and the romance of the sea. A graduate of Yale and Stanford, he is the author or editor of 16 books, including a novel, Closer to Home. During our voyage he relates the colorful history of steamboats, the Mississippi River and Mark Twain. Dwight Bowers is currently a cultural historian in the Division of Cultural History at the SmithsonianÃ?¢??s National Museum of American History. He has curated exhibitions such as ThereÃ?¢??s No Business Like Show Business: The Irving Berlin Centennial, Ella Fitzgerald: First Lady of Song, and Red, Hot & Blue: A Salute to American Musicals (which also yielded a book with the same title). In addition to his achievements at the Smithsonian, he is a frequent guest lecturer on AmericaÃ?¢??s performing arts culture in locales that range from colleges and universities to the Delta Queen steamboat. Francis McGovern is the editor and publisher of LiteraryTraveler.com. Literary Traveler has been recognized by NPR, the NYTimes, USA today and the Wall Street Journal called the site a "Bookworm's Delight." Since founding the website in 1998, he has been exploring the connection between literature and place and has traveled extensively throughout the United States researching the lives of famous authors. He is the author and editor of many articles on American writers. He has lead and promoted numerous literary tours. In addition he also serves as a consultant on Internet travel and search engines and has worked in publishing, public radio and for the search engine Lycos. Advertisement: Location: Travel the Mississippi River Date(s): July 11-19, 2007 Fees: Starting at $5,495 per person double occupancy Mississippi River Tour Application Form Legal & Financial Terms Cabin Deck Rates / Information Accomodations: Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989, the Delta Queen is considered by many to be AmericaÃ?¢??s greatest maritime artifact. A member of the National TrustÃ?¢??s Historic Hotels of America program, the Delta Queen is a sternwheel paddleboat, built in 1926 but reminiscent of the 19th centuryÃ?¢??s great era of luxurious river travel. All of the accommodations are outside cabins with private facilities. The continuously restored riverboat boasts original Tiffany windows, crystal chandeliers and staterooms featuring period furnishings, many of them antiques. Please note: the Delta Queen has no elevator. Advertisement: