Information

[akgnere]

Hello ladies,
I am hoping to get some info from you all. Has anyone driven the Great River Road (the road on both sides of the Mississippi river). Hubby and I are planning to take a couple (maybe 3) weeks to drive the 3300 miles down and then 3300 miles back up. I ordered travel guides from the 10 states the road goes through, but would love some first hand info.

So if you live by the might Miss, or have traveled the road I would love to hear anything you can give me.

Thanks in advance,

Annie

[1grandma]

Annie, how I envy you that trip! I have not made it, but love to travel. If you get to Chicago, I recommend going down town to Naval Pier. It is an interesting area, but I intend to see it in the future. The Museums are wonderful there if you enjoy that sort of thing; I do. Enjoy yourself and be safe.

[amberella]

I've never driven on that specific road, but I live in a city that the Mississippi goes through (and have been to many more - St. Louis is awesome!), and my grandfather was a lockmaster on one of the river's dams for many years (mom was a "dam kid!!!"). I can say that the scenery is breathtaking, and there are lots of fun places to visit on the way (I'd looove to go to New Orleans!) so I think the trip would be well worth it. I would just be careful of when you plan the trip - spring (i.e. flood season), would not be the optimal choice.

I hope you enjoy it! it sounds like an awesome vacation!

[Ayla]

Never heard of it, but it sounds like a great trip!

[mgehrke]

I have never driven the road, but I do only live 2 blocks from the Mississippi in MN. We love to jet ski and fish on the river. Sometimes just walking along the shore line is fun too. I have been to the Mississippi Headwaters in Itasca State Park MN. It is beautiful and it is shallow enough to walk acrossed it. Really great photo ops. I hope you have a wonderful time.

[akgnere]

We are planning on going in the beginning of June. So am hoping it will be past flood stage then. Hubby said last night that he wants to start at where I-80 crosses the Miss going into Iowa, then down to the gulf and back up to I-80 then home.
I have roots in Louisianna, so I am guessing we will spend some time there.

[amberella]

We are planning on going in the beginning of June. So am hoping it will be past flood stage then. Hubby said last night that he wants to start at where I-80 crosses the Miss going into Iowa, then down to the gulf and back up to I-80 then home.
I have roots in Louisianna, so I am guessing we will spend some time there.

I think the beginning of June is generally past flood stage, yes, but if you don't have to have any plans set in stone, I'd be careful. You may not actually have to deal with a flood itself, but the aftermath (which can take a long time to clean up) isn't pretty, either - and that'd kind of ruin the scenery.

This year you'd likely be safer than previous years, though, due to the fact that we've had a pretty easy winter up river.

Now I've jinxed us. We'll be getting 2 feet of snow after our week of 60º weather. :P

[mgehrke]

We are planning on going in the beginning of June. So am hoping it will be past flood stage then. Hubby said last night that he wants to start at where I-80 crosses the Miss going into Iowa, then down to the gulf and back up to I-80 then home.
I have roots in Louisianna, so I am guessing we will spend some time there.

I think the beginning of June is generally past flood stage, yes, but if you don't have to have any plans set in stone, I'd be careful. You may not actually have to deal with a flood itself, but the aftermath (which can take a long time to clean up) isn't pretty, either - and that'd kind of ruin the scenery.

This year you'd likely be safer than previous years, though, due to the fact that we've had a pretty easy winter up river.

Now I've jinxed us. We'll be getting 2 feet of snow after our week of 60º weather. :P

Amber what did you just do? YIKES!!!!!!!!! If we do get 2 feet of snow I am so blaming you. LOL

[Charleneanne]

Boy that sounds like a fun trip. The year my DH retired, we took a 3 week trip to Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Mt. Rushmore, Deadwood, SD and Kalispell, MT. Weather was perfect the entire 3 weeks. Hope you have the same luck and a great trip.