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I have been on several cruises and travel adventures around the world, but recently, I’ve felt the need to focus on discovering great destinations closer to home. The U.S. is filled with countless experiences that travelers can unlock, and a river cruise offers the chance to see so many things in an efficient, hassle-free, and fun way.
Our summer cruise on the Ohio River took us from Pittsburgh to Louisville, and the itinerary included stops in Marietta, Ohio; Huntington, West Virginia; Augusta, Kentucky; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Madison, Indiana, before reaching Louisville.
I had been on voyages on the Mighty Mississippi River and even a couple in the Pacific Northwest on the Columbia and Snake rivers that traverse through Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. These itineraries are fairly well known, but I was fascinated to see what an Ohio River cruise was all about. I was happy to accept an invite from American Queen Voyages to review this special itinerary.
As it turns out, it’s filled with memorable experiences and a range of fun ways to spend your days. The best part about our trip, though, was how we got there. American Queen owns a special charm and an incredible river cruise program that makes it a favorite way to cruise within the U.S. Here’s why.
Pittsburg, pennsylvania.
American Queen Voyages offers a pre-cruise hotel stay in Pittsburgh, and it was nice to explore the City of Bridges for a day. We had lunch at the famous Primanti Brothers, diving into our hearty sandwiches — complete with fries stuffed onto the pastrami between slices of Italian bread. And we washed it down with a couple of Iron City beers.
The embarkation pier for the riverboat sits at the doorstep of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ football stadium, making for a scenic sail away from the confluence of the three rivers (Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela).
The cruise also features a stop in Cincinnati and wraps up in Louisville, so travelers have opportunities to explore these interesting big cities and all they have to offer. We went for a bike ride on the riverfront, explored the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, and had lunch and craft beers at Moerlein Lager House.
In Louisville, cruisers can explore city highlights like the famed Churchill Downs (Kentucky Derby track) or the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory before catching flights back home.
These big cities are nice, but it’s the small towns that really make this trip shine. Residents gather along the banks of the river to cheer our arrival or give us a friendly sendoff each day. Each riverside destination, no matter how small, loves to show off its slice of American history and regional attractions, such as quirky museums, pretty churches, and, of course, its local shops and eateries.
In Marietta, Ohio, attractions included Mound Cemetery, one of the oldest in the original Northwest Territory, the Ohio River Museum, and the Childen’s Toy & Doll Museum.
When I went ashore in Huntington, West Virginia, the hop-on, hop-off bus loop took us to the Touma Medical Museum, a delightful little open-air railroad museum (a yard filled with colorful old rail cars), Ritter Park Rose Garden, and the Marshall University Campus, which features a wonderful grounds filled with statues, sculptures, trees, and flowers.
In Augusta, Kentucky, AQV passengers were able to walk just a few hundred steps from our spot on the river to explore the Rosemary Clooney Museum. This is the former home of actress, singer, and aunt to superstar George Clooney. Highlights of this charming town also include Bates Garden, the 1811 Jail, and Baker-Bird Winery.
There was another railroad museum to see in Madison, Indiana, and the town also lists the Schroeder Saddletree Factory, the Broadway Fountain, and Lanier Mansion as top attractions for visitors to check out.
While each port stop features a variety of things for cruisers to explore, this fancy riverboat offers a daily program with a mix of musical performances, trivia competitions, movies, bingo, and variety shows.
Music, trivia, and enrichment talks are held in American Queen’s majestic Grand Saloon theater space. During our cruise, we saw Phil Westbrook several times, as the singer and piano man performed a tribute to Frank Sinatra as well as entertained passengers at the intimate Captain’s Bar just outside the main J.M. White Dining Room.
We also dropped by the theater for shows by guitarist Logan Reeves and a song and dance variety production on TV theme songs from the American Queen Ensemble and the Steamboat Syncopators house band. The shows draw on plenty of nostalgia but definitely favor an era more familiar to cruisers 70 and older. However, the overall mood is quite fun.
A hip vibe can be found nightly at the Engine Room Bar, where the ship’s musicians get the crowd dancing with a great mix of blues and rock tunes.
The American Queen chefs kept us well-fed. Meals are served in the main dining room and in the casual eatery called the Front Porch, which offers wonderful views as you cruise on the river. When the weather is nice, it’s worth having at least one dinner outside there to enjoy the sunset and sailing.
The menu includes items like chicken fried steak, frog legs, and a variety of steak and fish preparations. The cuisine is more hearty than healthy, but you can find some fresh fruits and salads in the mix at the lunch buffets. We were always tempted by the mouth-watering selection of homemade pies and slices of chocolate cake set out each day at lunch. There always is a delicious soup, gumbo, or chili available, too.
If you need a snack, you can swing by the Front Porch for a bag of fresh popcorn, a couple of cookies, or a soft-serve ice cream cone or dish.
As a person who loves his daily workouts, I’m happy that a river cruise on American Queen makes it easy. Not only is there a well-equipped gym, but the ship carries a fleet of bikes. Colleen and I started several days with a run along the riverside trails through small towns or by grabbing a couple of bikes to go exploring independently.
In general, river cruising allows travelers the chance to explore on their own in a hassle-free way. It’s so easy to stroll onto and off of the ship at your leisure, and the towns and cities are mere steps away. You can go set your own schedule for the day if you’re not interested in rigorously following the ship excursion program.
Pro Tip: Ask crew members for their insight on nice places to eat or go shopping — or for their favorite places to get a coffee or craft brew. We received great insight from lead butler Adam, who is a coffee connoisseur and loves to find and frequent local cafes along all the river towns he visits.
American Queen Voyages provides a wonderful service in its hop-on, hop-off bus routes in each city and on each river itinerary that it operates. Passengers walk off the ship and straight onto waiting buses with clear signage at each stop along the route at the attractions in town.
Cruisers love being able to have peace of mind that they will see a nice mix of highlights in each port without worrying about transportation. You can get off at each spot or pick and choose what you are interested in on the loop.
American Queen itself is an attraction. Built in 2012 and carrying up to 417 passengers, this is the largest steamship ever built. The décor takes you back in time to a golden era of steamship travel. The Grand Saloon resembles a 19th-century opera house with private boxes wrapped around the theater and hanging over the main level and the stage adorned with a large red curtain.
Chandeliers fill the main restaurant, rocking chairs line the railings on the front porch, and gingerbread ornamentation accents the staircases and stateroom patios of the bright white ship. The signature big red paddlewheel churns at the stern of the ship helping to power the voyage along the river.
American Queen features a large Mark Twain Gallery that serves as a reading room (with a small computer area). It’s outfitted with vintage lamps and antique chairs and all kinds of mementos of a bygone time, including river ship models, paintings, books, vases, and other collectibles.
There are two parlors at the very front of the ship ahead of the Main Twain Gallery, and these spots also are carefully decorated and ideal for working on puzzles, reading, or enjoying the river views while relaxing with friends.
I found the periods of sailing from town to town one of the most relaxing and satisfying parts of this river cruise. It was fabulous to watch the world floating by, with the pretty evening sunsets, flowing waters, and subtle bends in the river. We would pass under a variety of bridge styles and see trains on adjacent tracks and tugboats pushing coal barges.
Cruisers also enjoyed the process of watching our big riverboat pass through the locks along the way.
Pro Tip: Make sure to head up to the top deck for sail aways each day. Crowds gather along the banks of the river to wave you off and wish you well on the journey. And one of the musicians will come out to play some tunes on the boat’s steam calliope. It’s a fun spectacle!
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John loves to explore the world while prioritizing fitness and active adventures. He specializes in cruise travel, with more than 100 sailings of all types under his belt. His passion is deep exploration and connection. He loves talking sports and craft beer with people in every destination he visits. John has been a writer and travel journalist for more than 20 years, regularly contributing to top travel magazines and websites.
Air Quality Alert for metro Cincinnati on Wednesday. Air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups. Limit outdoor exposure.
CINCINNATI (WKRC) - A circus group that performs on the river called Flotsam has come to Cincinnati.
A troupe of musicians, circus artists and puppeteers were traveling on a handmade raft performing in towns along the Ohio River.
The troupe will travel nearly 1,000 miles on the river across six states and perform in dozens of towns from Pittsburgh to Paducah.
Sunday night's stop was at Sawyer Point along the Serpentine Wall. The show started at 6 p.m. and ended at 7:30 p.m.
The troupe announced its next stop will be in Rising Sun on Tuesday and Vevay, Indiana on Wednesday.
The shows are kid-friendly and designed for all ages to enjoy. It's free, but donations are encouraged.
CINCINNATI (WXIX) - Ohio native and EGOT-winning artist John Legend performed with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at Riverbend Music Center on Tuesday night.
It was an unforgettable evening with the Legend himself as he made his Cincinnati Pops debut.
But this was more than just a harmonic performance, it was also an opportunity for fans to learn more about the artist and how he came to be through storytelling.
Legend was born in 1978 and grew up in Springfield - just a few miles away from the City of Dayton.
His family had deep roots within the Pentecostal Church - his grandfather being the pastor, his grandmother the organist, his mother the choir director and his dad playing the drums and being a chorus member.
At a young age, Legend joined his family members in being heavily involved on the musical side - joining the choir with his parents and learning to play the piano, like his grandma.
He added that the Pentecostal Church was pretty conservative, where women were required to wear knee-length dresses or skirts and no make up.
The church also held a conservative viewpoint on music. While joking with the crowd, Legend wondered what they would think of his music now.
Despite its conservativeness, it didn’t stop the Springfield boy from pursuing his dreams, thus Legend’s career was born within Holy walls in Ohio.
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CINCINNATI -- The Pitt Panthers made an incredible comeback to pull off the late 28-27 victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats in the River City Rivalry at Nippert Stadium.
The win keeps the Panthers undefeated on the season and their first win over the Bearcats since 2010, which was also in Cincinnati. The two teams won't play in the River City Rivalry for the foreseeable future, but the great play late from the Panthers is something their fans won't ever forget.
Quarterback Eli Holstein-72
Running Back Desmond Reid-52 Derrick Davis Jr.-20
Wide Receiver Raphael "Poppi" Williams Jr.-71 Konata Mumpfield-58 Kenny Johnson-43 Censere "C.J." Lee-29 Daejon Reynolds-14
Tight End Gavin Barthlomew-67 Jake Overman-6
Offensive Lineman Right Guard BJ Williams-72 Right Tackle Ryan Baer-72 Center Lyndon Cooper-72 Left Tackle Branson Taylor-72 Left Tackle Jason Collier Jr.-69 Center Terrence Moore-3
Defensive End Nate Matlack-67 Jimmy Scott-43 Sincere Edwards-27 Chief Borders-15
Defensive Tackle Nakhi Johnson-50 Nick James-40 Isaiah "Ghost" Neal-32 Elliot Donald-10 Francis Brewu-9
Linebacker Kyle Louis-74 Brandon George-54 Braylan Lovelace-42 Rasheem Biles-34 Keye Thompson-22 Jordan Bass-2
Cornerback Ryland Gandy-67 Rashad Battle-57 Tamon Lynum-30
Safety Donovan McMillon-68 Javon McIntyre-44 Phillip O'Brien Jr.-40 Cruce Brookins-11
Coverage Team/Defense Tamon Lynum-19 Rasheem Biles-18 Cruce Brookins-15 Kyle Louis-15 Dylan Bennett-15 Ryland Gandy-14 Nick Lapi-14 Jesse Anderson-13 Donovan McMillon-13 Daniel Carter-12 Javon McIntyre-11 Brandon George-10 Keye Thompson-10 Josh McCarty-9 Malachi Thomas-7 Braylan Lovelace-7 Nate Matlack-7 Derrick Davis Jr.-6 Chief Borders-6 Rashad Battle-6 Nakhi Johnson-5 Ryan Carretta-4 Jimmy Scott-4 Nick James-4 Ryan Baer-4 Terrence Moore-4 Terrence Enos Jr.-4 Jake Overman-4 Branson Taylor-4 Sincere Edwards-3 Isaiah "Ghost" Neal-3 Noah Biglow-3 Gavin Bartholomew-3 Jason Collier Jr.-3 Jordan Bass-2 Phillip O'Brien Jr.-2 Francis Brewu-1 Elliot Donald-1 Lyndon Cooper-1
Kick/Punt Return Kenny Johnson-6 Desmond Reid-2 Konata Mumpfield-2
Kicker/Punter/Long Snapper PK Ben Sauls-10 LS Nico Crawford-4 Holder Cam Guess-4 Punter Caleb Junko-3 LS Nilay Upadhyayula-3
The close game between Pitt and Cincinnati meant that the starters got most of the snaps, with less snaps for the backups.
Quarterback Eli Holstein and offensive linemen in left tackle Branson Taylor, center Lyndon Cooper, right guard BJ Williams and right tackle Ryan Baer played all 72 snaps on offense. Jason Collier Jr. took the place of Ryan Jacoby at left guard and played 69 snaps.
Raphael "Poppi" Williams Jr. and Gavin Bartholomew played almost every snap at wide receiver and tight end, respectively.
Nakhi Johnson led the defensive tackles in snaps, while Elliot Donald made his season debut with 10 snaps. Freshman Francis Brewu, who received plenty of plaudits from Pitt coaches over fall camp, made his collegiate debut against Cincinnati.
Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!
Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt
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BB Riverboats is the Official Riverboat Cruise Line of Cincinnati since 1979, offering premier sightseeing, dining, and private event cruises on the scenic Ohio River. Experience Cincinnati like never before aboard one our many themed event and dining cruises - one of Cincinnati's top things to do!'
Starting at $28.00. Experience Cincinnati and the Ohio River like never before and unwind on a day or evening cruise aboard one of the magnificent BB Riverboats. We aren't your typical cruise company. Choose from a wide variety of our signature cruises, all of which include a fully stocked bar and delicious food from our buffet.
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In Cincinnati, taking a riverboat cruise on the Ohio River is a fantastic way to connect with the city's history as an important river trading post, and to enjoy views of its beautiful skyline. You can pick from many types of cruises, like a relaxed sightseeing trip or a dinner cruise with live music. Each.
BB Riverboats is the Official Riverboat Cruise Line of Cincinnati since 1979, offering premier sightseeing, dining, and private event cruises on the scenic Ohio River. Experience Cincinnati like never before aboard one our many themed event and dining cruises - one of Cincinnati's top things to do!'
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As we move into our new Newport Landing dock facility & event center, our online reservation system will be temporality unavailable. Please call 1 (800) 261-8586 to book your reservation today. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to serving you in 2019! Home Cruises signature Cruises Historic Cincinnati Sightseeing Cruise.
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2. Enriching Entertainment. While each port stop features a variety of things for cruisers to explore, this fancy riverboat offers a daily program with a mix of musical performances, trivia competitions, movies, bingo, and variety shows. Music, trivia, and enrichment talks are held in American Queen's majestic Grand Saloon theater space.
Do something exciting with your Saturday night and spend an evening aboard a majestic riverboat while cruising and dining in style on this Riverboat Dinner Cruise in Cincinnati! Cruise with a top-rated tour provider and recipient of the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. Enjoy a freshly prepared gourmet dinner, served buffet style on board.
About this Cruise. Come join BB Riverboats' Belle of Cincinnati on its summer tour of river cities. We will be stopping in Huntington WV, Portsmouth OH, Gallipolis OH, Ashland KY, and Maysville KY offering lunch, brunch, dinner, and sightseeing cruises! Come ride the Read More boat and enjoy one of Cincinnati's top attractions during this ...
All the Cincinnati shows will be held along the Serpentine Wall starting at 6 p.m. The shows are family-friendly and free to attend, but Flotsam says donations help keep the show going. They ...
A circus group that performs on the river called Flotsam has come to Cincinnati. Thu, 12 Sep 2024 03:37:55 GMT (1726112275814) Story Infinite Scroll - News3 v1.0.0 (common) ...
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The EGOT-winning singer-songwriter performed on Sept. 10. John Legend made his Cincinnati Pops debut on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at Riverbend Music Center.
Cincinnati: Riverboat Cruise with Lunch and Entertainment. Climb aboard a riverboat and prepare for a scenic cruise down the Ohio River. Savor an expertly prepared 3-course lunch buffet at your table, then roam the decks as you take in the river views. Enjoy some music and have fun on this classic and memorable experience.
Signature Cruises. Experience Cincinnati and the Ohio River like never before and unwind on a day or evening cruise aboard one of the magnificent BB Riverboats. We aren't your typical cruise company. Choose from a wide variety of our signature cruises, Read More all of which include a fully stocked bar and delicious food from our buffet.
CINCINNATI -- The Pitt Panthers made an incredible comeback to pull off the late 28-27 victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats in the River City Rivalry at Nippert Stadium.
The First Deck of The River Queen has a seated capacity of 110 people and is a perfect smaller event venue in Cincinnati. Small but mighty, it features a spacious dining area as well as a dance floor, full bar, and restroom facilities. The first deck offers the perfect venue for company events, family gatherings, rehearsal dinners, and sorority ...
The Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G is switching venues in 2024. According to a press release Monday morning, the LPGA event which features 144 golfers competing for a $2 million ...