Explore Ashore

[HostDave]

Sep 5, 2012
By Christopher Kyte, President

The towns we visit along the river are the jewels in our crown and each is well worth exploring. One of the most popular features of an American Queen Steamboat Company journey is that a free shore excursion is included in every port of call. Best of all, they are designed to give you the freedom to create your own unique itinerary by getting on and off the motor coaches (which we own and call our Steamcoaches) at a variety of different locations in each city or town. And since we own the transportation, the drivers are the same from town to town which is a wonderful way to build rapport and feel like you’re going for a Sunday drive with the family every time you step aboard.

Included on every American Queen voyage, the Explore America Passport series of tours is your ticket to experience great river cities with selected admissions, narrated tours and our own dedicated fleet of hop-on hop-off Steamcoaches. With the Explore America Passport, you will enjoy hassle-free access to some of the most historically and culturally significant attractions in America’s Heartland.

The Explore America Passport is the best way to experience the freedom of choosing your own path in these great cities. Each passenger will receive a map with the hop-on hop-off route. On the map, you will see the route and its numbered stops. You may visit each attraction with a gold star, show your boat ID, and your admission is included. Some of these attractions do not require an admission fee, but they would love to know that you are traveling on the American Queen.

The key to your Explore America Passport experience is your exclusive access to the hop-on hop-off travel by Steamcoach. You will have the freedom to board deluxe Steamcoaches at the dock and enjoy a locally narrated tour throughout every port of call. We encourage you to hop off the Steamcoach whenever the urge catches you, because another one is on its way to pick you up and continue the historical narration of your river port city. Steamcoaches typically stop every 15 to 20 minutes. At each stop, you will have access to many attractions and historical sites together with plenty of unique places to find that perfect souvenir. For those attractions not included, you will find discount and reduced admission coupons on your city map.

What types of attractions are included in some of our river towns? Tomorrow, September 6, we’re in Brandenburg, KY which is situated along the Ohio River, 40 miles southwest of Louisville. Named for Colonel Solomon Brandenburg, it became the Meade County Seat in 1825. The hop-on hop-off Steamcoach will take guests to the General George Patton Museum of Leadership, one of the largest in the Army Museum System. Here guests will learn some of Patton’s proverbial philosophies as well as the history of military weaponry. The museum houses a vast assortment of equipment, artillery, and other memorabilia and artifacts from 1550 BC to modern machines of war.

For those guests looking for less of an overview but, instead, wish to focus on specific sites or themes in a port of call, we offer our Premium Choice Tours at a small charge. As an example of how these tours differ from our complimentary hop-on, hop-off tours, just look ahead a couple of days. This Friday, September 7, we’ll be docked in Louisville and we have a Premium Choice Tour which focuses on Louisville’s tradition of fast horses, food and fun. Guests will start their day at Lynn’s Paradise Café with Paradise Pancakes, a famous Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich or a fried green tomato BLT, and end with a bourbon ball milkshake. The zany décor always has our guests smiling almost as much as the fine Southern food!

Next, it’s off to the Kentucky Derby Museum and immersion in the history of Derby activities. For over 135 years, Louisville’s Churchill Downs has been home to the greatest two minutes in sports, the Kentucky Derby, and the Kentucky Derby Museum chronicles the colorful history of the race. The exhibits take visitors on a journey from the birth of a foal to the winner’s circle. Guests can walk on to the track, cross the finish line of the famed Kentucky Derby, and snap a picture of the grandstand’s beautiful twin spires.

There is so much to see and do in our destinations, even the smaller ones, it’s almost overwhelming. Through our shore excursions, we’re able to break each city or town into bite-size pieces our guests love to savor. America is full of so many delightful treasures, we truly feel privileged to have the chance to present some of the finest to our guests. Throw in friendly and knowledgeable guides and drivers and our own fleet of Steamcoaches and we feel we have a winning combination!