RiverBarge Excursion Lines

America's Junction

Barging along the Ohio River Valley
Picture yourself floating along the same route as the early keelboat and steamboat operators who traveled the Ohio River in the 1700s and 1800s. Imagine viewing the banks of the Ohio River where for many hundreds of years before Europeans came this way, the Miami and Shawnee Indians lived an idyllic existence. In this region we call America's Junction, you'll see the Confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers whose navigable waters stretch almost a thousand miles in three different directions. These are sights that can only be fully experienced from our unique vantage-point aboard the R/B River Explorer. Only RiverBarge Excursion Lines gives you so much to see and do!

Along the banks of the Ohio where farmlands border the many tributaries that merge here to form these beautiful waters, we offer several excursions for exploration. No matter which route taken, we see the joining of these rivers just as pioneers did hundreds of years ago. The only difference is that today we travel comfortably on a river that bustles with traffic, carrying goods and people through this historic region that is a meeting place of rivers, people, cultures and ideas.

Come to appreciate the Ohio River as more than a dividing line between states. It is a dividing line between cultures: between mint juleps and German-brewed beer; between southern fried chicken and knockwurst; between Kentucky Colonels and the Ohio Amish.

The Ohio River is also America's passage for settlement and commerce. Formed by the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers at Pittsburgh, the Ohio defined America's early westward expansion, as more and more settlers headed toward the heart of the North American continent.

Some of America's most distinctive cities and towns are here: Cincinnati. Louisville. Henderson. Paducah. And some of America's most distinctive rivers are here, too. The Wabash, the Green, the Kentucky, the Kanawha, the Cumberland and the Tennessee rivers all join the Ohio along this route. The Ohio's junctions with the Tennessee and the Cumberland rivers have created Land Between the Lakes, a prime recreational area.

You'll travel through the historic locks that made the Ohio River navigable and see Cave in Rock, a notorious hangout for 1800s river pirates.

Come along with us as we visit the part of our continent where America meets the river, where the river meets the people, where the stories begin and the fun never ends-see yourself as part of the picture in a place where it all comes together: America's Junction.

Detailed Itinery Variations

St. Louis Round Trips
See St. Louis, "the Gateway to the West." The amazing Gateway Arch. Westward Expansion Museum. Travel on the Upper Mississippi River and view the beautiful bluffs along the way. Visit Cape Girardeau, Mo. Don't miss the Missouri Wall of Fame paintings on the floodwall. Witness the Confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. In Chester, Ill., enjoy a French Colonial District tour. Pass through Lock 27 and Mel Price Lock. Visit the quaint town of Grafton, Ill., on the Illinois River before heading back to St. Louis.

Louisville Round Trips
Enjoy spending time in Louisville, Ky., before we depart on the Ohio River. Visit Madison, Ind. Enjoy its historic nineteenth century architecture, antiques, specialty shops and award-winning wineries. We'll pass through several locks during this excursion. Visit the Rankin House in Ripley, Ohio, and do some antique shopping. Point Pleasant, W.Va., is rich in tradition and historical interest and is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Kanawha rivers. In Portsmouth, Ohio, enjoy a relaxing walk through Boneyfiddle, Portsmouth's historic downtown district. Aurora, Ind., is surrounded by beautiful hills with several historic homes including Hillforest, a National Historic Landmark.

St. Louis - Cincinnati
These excursions afford an experience in the boarding and destination cities of St. Louis and Cincinnati. Barge on the Upper Mississippi River and visit Cape Girardeau, Mo., before seeing the clear water of the Ohio mix with the muddy Mississippi at the Confluence. Travel the Ohio River to Paducah, Ky. Enjoy the Quilt Museum and antiquing. In Louisville, Ky., visit the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs, the Louisville Slugger Bat Museum and more. Visit Aurora, Ind., located on a beautiful bend of the Ohio River. Locks and locks to see.

St. Louis - Louisville
These excursions afford an experience in the boarding and destination cities of St. Louis, with a visit to the Gateway Arch and Louisville, with a visit to the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs. You'll enjoy a visit to Cape Girardeau, Mo. Witness the Confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Travel the Ohio to Paducah, Ky. Enjoy antiquing and the Quilt Museum. In Henderson, Ky., visit the John James Audubon Memorial Museum and State Park. Locks and locks to see. (Rare on the River, The Route of Lewis and Clark. Louisville to St. Charles.)

Cost of This Itinerary

The least expensive cabin costs:
$316 per person per night in low season and
$376 pp pn in high season

The most expensive stateroom costs:
$346 per person per night in low season and
$405 pp pn in high season