Take a step back into history when cotton was king and plantations dotted the southern back roads of America. The story begins at Frogmore Plantation, the only cotton plantation in the south that allows guests to tour both the historic and modern-day aspects of cotton operation. Experience an inspirational musical performance, beautifully illustrating the struggles of life on a plantation, before continuing outside to the cotton fields, restored slave cabins, and rare steam engine cotton gin. To complete the journey, is a stop at Forks of the Road Historical Site, the location of the South’s second largest 19^th century slave market before returning to the dock.

Approx. cost in USD: $79 per person

Experience true Southern hospitality as you make your way to The Towers, one of Mississippi’s most elegant privately owned antebellum homes. Here you will be welcomed like old friends by owners Ginger and James Hyland and guided through their personal home. Marvel at the extensive collections of silks, lace sheers, and antiques throughout The Towers, and hear the stories of their history. Then Ginger will share stories of her star-studded past as the daughter of Lawrence A. Hyland, president of Hughes Aircraft Company and one of the men credited with the invention of radar. Your tour ends in the sunny, enclosed back gallery, where you will enjoy a delightful taste of southern comfort food prepared by local chef Esther Carpenter.

Approx. cost in USD: $79 per person

Just outside the historic and quaint town of Natchez, Mississippi, unaltered forests filled with moss-draped trees, native wildlife, and natural waterways overtake the horizon. On this American Queen Steamboat Company exclusive adventure, take to the wilderness on an expedition to Great River Adventures at Knife’s Edge. Trek the Mississippi countryside in an All-Terrain-Vehicle. Rest assured, your guide will only move as fast – or as slow – as you are comfortable. Weave between landmarks, splash through a creek, and keep a keen eye out for wildlife as you journey through the scenic Mississippi landscapes. This once-in-a-lifetime outdoor adventure will please the nature lover and the thrill seeker in each of us.   
Note: Participants must wear long pants and close-toe shoes. A signed liability waiver will be required.

Approx. cost in USD: $199 per person

Join the American team golfers for tee time in Natchez! On this excursion, you will play through 18 holes at the beautiful Duncan Park Golf Course. Challenging play for golfers at every level, Duncan Park offers an elegant and well-manicured landscape, featuring beautiful flowers, towering longleaf pines, and live oaks draped with Spanish moss. All cart, clubs, and green fees are included.

Approx. cost in USD: $99 per person

Join this excursion from Natchez and make a short trip to a local southern-style mansion, named Twin Oaks, personal home of award-winning chef, Regina Charboneau. Regina’s claim to fame is her much-coveted recipe for picture perfect, buttery biscuits and for your tour, she’ll share the recipe with you. And if the biscuit wasn’t enough, she’ll demonstrate how to put a new spin on the recipe, by placing it on top of the warm, comforting chicken pot-pie. She’ll share helpful tips and even ask for a few volunteers to get hands-on! The day will end around Regina’s dining room table, as you enjoy your creations and some laughs

Approx. cost in USD: $129 per person

This tour is an exclusive look inside the gates of one of America’s most infamous prisons as you embark on a tour of second chances, rehabilitation and redemption. Experience the struggles of life-term inmates inside Angola Prison, formerly America’s most dangerous penitentiary. Today, Angola is known as a model facility and takes great pride in the faith-based rehabilitation of its inmates, most of whom will never regain their freedom. You’ll be taken inside the barbed-wire fences for an up-close look that may change what you thought you knew about life inside.

Approx. cost in USD: $79 per person

This St. Francisville experience goes beyond the expectations of a “traditional” southern plantation and offers guided tours of two plantations with a more personal touch – Rosedown Plantation and Catalpa Plantation. Experience two southern plantations that are owned and operated by the descendants of the original families – the same family! Pay close attention to each home during the guided tour – see if the family portrait displayed in both plantations can be found!

Approx. cost in USD: $69 per person

Embark on a journey through the fields of southern Louisiana toward two of the South’s most prestigious and picturesque plantations.  Begin your adventure at Oak Alley Plantation, the “Grand Dame of the Great River Road,” where 300-year-old live oak trees line the pathway that welcomes guests to the grand entrance. Then discover what life was like for a wealthy sugar baron at the Houmas House Plantation and Gardens. Enjoy a truly southern-style lunch buffet and a guided tour of the grand mansion before exploring the beautiful grounds and sprawling gardens.

Approx. cost in USD: $149 per person

Enjoy a true Cajun experience on an unforgettable journey into the Manchac Swamp. On this tour enjoy a 45-minute ride aboard luxury River Coach, and will travel through plantation country as your local guide discusses the affluent southern Louisiana lifestyle during the era when sugarcane reigned. You will then arrive to La Place, Louisiana, home to the 250-acre ecosphere called Manchac Swamp. For the next hour and a half, your knowledgeable Cajun captain will guide you through the backwaters of southern Louisiana. Enjoy the picturesque sights of moss-draped cypress trees, lush vegetation, and abundant wildlife on this exciting exploration in one of America’s most unique ecosystems.

Approx. cost in USD: $79 per person

Disembark the American Queen, heading through the sugarcane fields, making your way to one of the South’s most prestigious and iconic plantations, Oak Alley Plantation. This immaculate home was constructed during the height of the sugar industries success in America. The breathtaking Greek-Revival home got its name from the most distinguishing feature, a quarter-mile walkway lined in 300-year-old live oak trees spanning from the levees of the Mississippi River to the entrance of the home. As you make your way around the grounds, make a stop at the authentic slave cabins, gardens, and a blacksmith’s shop, or grab a refreshing mint julep and soak in the scenery which is both breathtaking and overwhelming. Be certain to explore the Plantation Gift Shop to choose the perfect souvenir of your adventure before you make your way back to the dock of the American Queen.

Approx. cost in USD: $69 per person

Begin your journey along the Mississippi River with a king’s treatment as you depart the hotel and weave your way through the streets of Memphis toward the home of “The King” himself – Graceland! Enter through “The King’s” front door where the presence of Elvis can still be felt within the walls as you walk through the same rooms as he did after a long day’s performance. An interactive iPad audio tour will help guide you through each room, providing thoughtful narration by actor and Elvis enthusiast John Stamos, as well as personal commentary by Elvis’ daughter, Lisa Marie. Your journey continues with a visit to Beale Street, then transfer onto the ship for embarkation.

Approx. cost in USD: $129 per person

Embark on a musical tour of Memphis, Tennessee, the “Birthplace of Rock and Roll.” Activities begin in the early afternoon with a relaxing driving tour of Midtown Memphis’s 342-acre Overton Park, to stop is the iconic Levitt Shell amphitheater, where you’ll be treated to a musical performance by your tour guide on the stage where Elvis Presley put on his first paid concert in 1954. Continue to Overton Square, pass Galloway House, the Methodist church where Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two put on their first performance, and “Soulsville, U.S.A,” where legends like Otis Redding, Booker T. & the MGs, Isaac Hayes, and others got their starts at Stax Records. Your tour continues with a drive through town and a stop at the Blues Hall of Fame before transferring to the port to join your ship, the American Queen for embarkation.

Approx. cost in USD: $79 per person

Experience the city that “The King” called home on a guided journey through Memphis! Put on your blue suede shoes and board the luxury river coach as it departs toward Memphis’ heart and soul – Beale Street! Here, we will walk the most famous street in Memphis as our local guide leads us through the vibrant city he calls home. The journey continues with Beale Street in our rearview and the home of “The King” himself ahead, Graceland! An interactive audio tour will guide us through the mansion before we enjoy free time to explore the recently opened Entertainment Complex. Experience the life and legacy of Elvis before departing for the Memphis International Airport or your stay at AQSC post-cruise hotel.

Approx. cost in USD: $129 per person

Elvis’s first paying gig, Sun Studio, and the church where Johnny Cash got his start — all this and more on this musical tour of Memphis, Tennessee! The “Birthplace of Rock and Roll” is a crossroads of modern culture and historical appeal. You’ll explore the “Home of the Blues” on a driving tour of the city while being treated to musical performances every step of the way. Our expert guide, also a professional Beale Street musician, will play and sing soulful selections while showcasing Memphis’ history and musical heritage.
This excursion concludes at the Memphis International Airport or your post-cruise hotel stay if booked with American Queen Steamboat Company in Memphis.

Approx. cost in USD: $79 per person

The Cajun culture of Louisiana’s Mississippi River region is one of the most enduring traditions of the American South. The Creole spirit is also alive and well in southern Louisiana: a unique blend of French, Spanish, African-American, and Native American cultures. Today, Cajun and Creole lifestyles endure within the region’s local flavor and iconic cuisine. This tour today will take you on an airboat swamp adventure, offer a glimpse back in time, and trace the history of southern Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole cultures, including their traditional ways of living – and, of course, their mouthwatering food!  
Your included lunch will indulge your need for some “down-home” cuisine at Pont Breaux’s Cajun Restaurant, one of the top Cajun restaurants in southern Louisiana. The lunch, served family style, includes such local culinary favorites such as fried catfish, roasted chicken, roasted potatoes, fried okra, grilled shrimp, green beans, and of course, the official state cuisine of Louisiana, gumbo! After lunch, you can join in the traditional Cajun dances or just kick back, digest, and enjoy the charming atmosphere.
Then we will head to the Acadian Cultural Center located in Lafayette, LA. Dedicated to the ethnic group that came to be known as the Cajuns—French colonists from eastern Canada who immigrated to Louisiana after the Seven Years’ War in the mid-1700s.Approx. cost in USD: $149 per person

Embark on an adventure through a city radiating an eccentric and authentic atmosphere. On an exclusive New Orleans narrated driving tour, experience a city filled to the brim with history and culture from an intimate, first-person perspective. Relax in the comfort of your River Coach as you glide past some of the most iconic attractions in the city, including Jackson Square, the French Quarter, the Garden District, and the Lakefront Area. Enjoy a stop to St. Louis Cemetery #3 known better as the “The City of the Dead” before heading to City Park where you will be served Morning Call coffee and beignets. Finally, you’ll tour the Lake Pontchartrain Area before arriving at the New Orleans International Airport or your AQSC booked post-cruise hotel. (departure flight times restricted, please ask us for appropriate departure times prior to booking this tour).

Approx. cost in USD: $79 per person

This exclusive excursion starts with a “living history” as your local, expert guide leads you through the original colonial city of La Nouvelle Orleans. As you pass through the French Quarter, City Park, the London Canal Breach and much more, you will discuss the factors that influenced the city’s initial placement, footprint, and expansion into the surrounding cypress swamps. Learn the impacts of Hurricane Katrina and see how the city has rebuilt since the 2004 natural disaster. Learn the fascinating history of the airport and see how it has been restored to its former glory. Visit the largest urban wildlife refuge in America – the Bayou Sauvage, where millions of birds migrate across the Gulf of Mexico to warmer climates. Next is the Islenos Cultural Center where you will enjoy an exclusive tour by its director and then sit down for a hearty, authentic lunch of local Spanish culinary specialties. Then travel beyond the floodwalls to visit local fishing villages of Ycloskey and Shell Beach. Drive back and arrive to the dock of the vessel with a newfound appreciate of the region!

Approx. cost in USD: $129 per person

Embark on an adventure through a city radiating an eccentric and authentic atmosphere. On an exclusive New Orleans narrated driving tour, experience a city filled to the brim with history and culture from an intimate, first-person perspective. Relax in the comfort of your River Coach as you glide past some of the most iconic attractions in the city, including the French Quarter, the Garden District, and the Lakefront Area. You’ll stop at Jackson Square to grab a bite to eat before continuing to St. Louis Cemetery #3 and City Park’s Morning Call for coffee and beignets before arriving to the dock.

Approx. cost in USD: $79 per person