mississippi explorer cruises

I was part of a Road Scholar group touring the upper Mississippi River area and a four hour cruise on the Explorer was part of our tour program in early October. Our group of about 42 adults had the boat to ourselves. It was a great experience for all. The boat has both inside and outside seating, although most of the seating is indoors. This worked out fine for our group, as some people did not want to deal with the coolness of being outdoors. We brought our lunches on board the boat and there is also a bathroom available if needed. Our captain Annie did a great job of piloting us along the river and providing river information. We also had a naturalist on board who spotted birds, waterfowl, turtles and other wildlife for us. Our cruise actually began in Lansing Iowa and ended in Prairie du Chien. The scenery was quite beautiful during our trip with lush foliage along the river, some trees starting to change into fall colors and the most wonderful, huge, puffy clouds in the blue sky. We enjoyed seeing some wildlife including bald eagles, a peregrine falcon, Canadian geese, a few ducks, coots and some turtles sunning themselves. I was expecting to see more waterfowl this time of year which was a little disappointing. Our cruise went through the wildlife refuge which is very large, covering much of the river area in this part of the country, but the waterfowl were not very abundant the day of our cruise. We passed through one lock and dam on our cruise, Dam #9 in Lynxville, Wisconsin. During our cruise we traveled with Iowa on one side of the river and Wisconsin on the other side. I really enjoy cruising and boating and this trip is a must do if you are ever in the area of Lansing or Prairie du Chien. It is a great way to learn about the Mississippi and enjoy some beautiful scenery!

A nice way to spend a few hours enjoying the fall foliage while learning about the history and wildlife in the area. Chris wa a a very knowledgeable guide. The boat was no where near capacity and you can bring your own snacks and drinks which was nice.we enjoy it.

We took the sunset wildlife cruise and had a great time. It was early October, beautiful, clear, sunny late afternoon. The colors were gorgeous and we saw lots of wildlife. The crew was very knowledgeable and we saw eagles, their nests, turtles, beavers, blue herons and just beautiful scenery.

What you see varies by the time of year. We went in the fall and saw fall foliage and wildlife... eagle nests, eagles flying, beaver abodes and plenty of river turtles. Very friendly and knowledgeable boat crew. Fun for kids.

The time flew by on this Mississippi River excursion. It was a chilly mid-October afternoon, but their were plenty of blankets available for those who wished to see outside. The large windows were very clean so you were able to see very well if you opted for the warmer cabin area. Annie, the pilot, has an amazing ability to spot an eagle in a tree or great blue herons wading near shore. Chris was extremely knowledges about the local history and pointed out local businesses and landmarks as we cruised along. At one point, Annie took the boat through a slough where beaver had built several lodges and were in the process of chopping down a few large trees. It's definitely a great way to learn more about the area and the wildlife in it.

Annie and Chris really know their river history and have a good eye to spot wildlife. The morning cruise we took it was cloudy and only 13 on board. Made it really nice because they could help anyone who was not able to see the wildlife they were pointing out. Even sharing their binoculars with those ones. Restroom onboard. Very clean. The windows were spotless and allowed for a great panoramic view no matter where you were sitting. Made for a really nice trip down the river!

Very friendly and accommodating staff. Enjoyable and informative river tour with plenty of eagles, beaver dams, muskrats and more!

This was our third time on the Mississippi Explorers, twice out of La Crosse and this tome Prairie du Chien. This is a very enjoyable and informative experience. Annie and Carla were very knowledgeable about the river and the wildlife native to the area. We saw many eagles, vultures, frogs, and other wildlife habitats. In about another month there will probably be more birds migrating and it will be much more interesting but it was still a very nice way to spend a couple of hours. We will definitely do again whenever we have the opportunity as the river is always different.

We took the sunset cruise on a warm evening in August. There was no breeze, and the windows only partially opened. Four rows of benches inside, facing each other. To look out, you either had to be able to turn your neck 180 degrees or look over another row of people. Average age of cruisers was around 70. The boat was clean and the captain and tour guide were very knowledge, but I'd call this tour "boring" at best. We saw three eagles, but no other wildlife. You could see the eagles from shore if you looked hard enough. Your time is better spent taking a spectacular hike at Pikes Peak Park or Effigy Mounds. Or if you really want to be on the river, consider renting a boat.

Well worth the money. Couldn't have been happier with the tour guide and captain of the boat. Tour was very laid back but informative. We were on the sunset wildlife tour.

had a great sunset cruise. The staff was very knowledgeable about the river. They answered any questions that were asked. very smooth ride and nice accommodations including a rest room if needed. The trip lasted for 2 hours as advertised. Very relaxing and a good value for the price. Would recommend to others. Don't forget to bring drinks and snacks as these are allowed.

The docking location was moved due to local flooding, but we were escorted to the alternate dock a mile or so away. We hoped to see eagles and were not disappointed. The crew was relaxed and open to any questions during the two hour tour while they informed us about the local habitat, history and natural resources. Benches on the front accommodated about 18 people and seating inside another 40 or so. Views from either position were great. Mexican serape blankets were available if anyone was chilled but we had a beautiful 85 degree day. It was a highlight of our visit and we would travel with them again. Adult tickets were $21.

My wife & I took a cruise in July for the first time with Mississippi Explorer Cruises. We both enjoyed ourselves very much. The crew of two were very nice and very informative when it came to the local habitat. They took us past several Eagle's nests to make sure we would eventually see them. I have to state that we were bumped off our original cruise up in La Crosse due to a party chartering the whole boat. However, Mississippi Explorer Cruises not only refunded our money right away, they offered us a free cruise at anytime at any location at a later date. So, we took them up on their offer and since we were driving South from La Crosse, we chose Prairie Du Chien a few days later and evrything worked out great! We are happy we chose them to help us explore the magnificent Mississippi River, and we will definitely book a cruise with them again!

The cruise was great, they knew the river and where to go. We saw no less than 5 eagles, otters, muskrat and some very nice scenery. They also took us in the back water so we could have a great sunset view with some of the best forest on the river, not say anything about some of the old houses and the stories behind them. My 94 year old mother hates boats and boat rides, she rates this as the best… from her that is an extreme compliment.

We braved the weather forecast, and glad we did. Our cruise was absolutely beautiful. Seen a couple eagles, before we even left the docking area. Cruise lasted approx 2 hours, vessel was very clean & plenty of windows to see out of. Our crew was very knowledgable on what to look for. We as a group, brought along drinks & snacks. Would definately do this again