Wish You Were Here
Walnut Creek residents Sandy and Mike Heller's recent Mississippi River cruise took them from St. Louis to St. Paul, Minnesota.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER: Pre-pandemic, Walnut Creek residents Sandy and Mike Heller took cruises to far-flung destinations around the globe. “But since COVID, we have been staying closer to home,” Mike says. That doesn't mean they stayed put, though. A recent trip on the Mississippi River took them from St. Louis, Missouri, to St. Paul, Minnesota.
“We discovered the northern part of the river isn't as wide as down south, has 27 dams and locks, is less commercial and more recreational — few barges, but lots of speed boats, private homes along the river banks, etc.” Mike says. “The stops were typical Midwest small towns and lots of fun.”
They stopped in Hannibal, Missouri, birthplace of Mark Twain; Davenport, Iowa — “Ever wonder where the world headquarters of John Deere Tractors is?” says Mike — and Red Wing, Minnesota, home of the National Eagle Center for injured bald eagles.
TRAVEL TIPS: “We traveled on the new Viking Mississippi, which is more than twice as large as the traditional Mississippi river boat. You can sail the entire river — 15days — or just a part, like we did in eight days. The ship and crew were great, but we'd recommend booking your own air to and from the ship and not using Viking's air arrangements.”
Share your travels with us! Send a photo of yourself on your latest adventures to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com. Tell us where you are, who everyone is and where they're from, and share a travel tip or two to help fellow travelers.