Taking a Riverboat Cruise on the Mississippi River

Date: 1 Mar - Time: 4:43 am - Author: Amanda

Taking a Riverboat Cruise on the Mississippi River

What’s better than getting to take a riverboat cruise with beautiful views of the Gateway Arch and shoreline? Not much. Taking a riverboat cruise can be a fun activity to share with the whole family. There are many different types of cruises you can choose from to fit the adventure you are looking for, including holiday cruises. If you are planning on making this activity part of your day, you will want to grab your tickets first.

Tickets

There are a couple of different ways to get your tickets. If you want to grab tickets before you go you can pre-order them online. This can be a great option if you are going during weekends or holidays, so they don’t sell out. If you prefer to wait till you arrive, you can also purchase tickets in the gift shop at the dock. When we visited the riverboat, we arrived early, grabbed out tickets and then explored the area until it was time to board the boat. When buying tickets, make sure you also take advantage of the senior discounts if that applies to people in your group. See the different cruises available here – https://www.gatewayarch.com/riverfront/riverboat-cruises/?utm_term=&utm_campaign=Arch+-+Winter+Dec+2025+Perf+Max&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=2538120588&hsa_cam=23398241929&hsa_grp=&hsa_ad=&hsa_src=x&hsa_tgt=&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1

Parking

Parking at the riverfront can be an interesting experience itself. If you plan on parking along the bank, there will be a parking fee per vehicle. This will give you access to park near the riverboat itself. The parking is on the slanted shore close to the river. Because you are parking on an incline, it can make getting in and out of your car a little more difficult than if parking on a flat surface. This is something you want to consider when choosing where to park. On occasion, this parking area can be closed due to weather conditions. You can see an alternate place to park here in case that happens – https://www.gatewayarch.com/plan-your-visit/riverfront-parking-directions/. If you park along the bank, you will then have a short walk over to the riverboat and the Arch if you wish to explore this area as well.

Timing

The riverboat often has several sailing times throughout the day. These sailing times can be found on the riverboats website listed above. If you arrive early, there is plenty to do before your cruise sails away. After grabbing tickets, you can walk across the street and either climb the stairs or walk down to the ramp to go up to see the Gateway Arch.

Walking around the Arch will give you a beautiful sight of the Mississippi River as well as allow you an up-close view of the Gateway Arch. You can take a nice stroll while you wait for your cruise. There are also bathrooms inside the Gateway Arch welcome center as well as near the riverboat gift shop if needed. One thing I would recommend is making sure you are back at the dock early enough to get a good place in line and ensure you get the seat you want on the boat.

Seating

When you first board the riverboat, you will have the option to go up to decks 2 and 3 or stay on the bottom deck. It is a good idea to decide ahead of time where you want to start out your cruise. We made the mistake of sitting in the enclosed area of the lower deck at the beginning only to find out that when we did venture upstairs, most of the seats were taken. I suggest grabbing seats where you want them first and then changing later on if you want.

There is both indoor and outdoor seating available on the riverboat. If you prefer to be inside, there is an indoor seating area on the lowest deck with nice viewing windows so you can still enjoy the sights of the river. It is also air-conditioned which feels great on a hot and humid day in St. Louis.

If you have young children with you that need a stroller, you can easily leave your stroller on the lower deck while you and your family explore the boat. To get to each level, there are stairs located near the front and back of the boat. If you plan to be on one of the outside decks you will also want to make sure you dress for the weather.

History

One of the things I really enjoyed about our cruise was the history that was shared along the way. As you pass by different parts of the river, you can listen over the loud speaker to learn some neat facts about the city of St. Louis. There will also be great views of the Gateway Arch, making it a wonderful way to get it’s picture. Needless to say, you’re sure to learn or see something new along the way.