RoadAtlas
Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States — Scenic
North America

Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights

United States

Point-to-point
Itasca State Park New Orleans

In short: Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights is a about 4,800 km / 3,000 mi scenic road trip in United States, typically driven over 14 days, best in spring to fall. Highlights: Itasca State Park, Grand Rapids, Minneapolis–Saint Paul.

Distance
about 4,800 km / 3,000 mi
Duration
14 days
Best Season
spring to fall
NotableEasyScenicEV-friendly

A fourteen-day highlights journey along the roughly 3,000-mile Great River Road system, touching all ten Mississippi River states from Lake Itasca to New Orleans. It prioritizes major river landscapes and cultural cities rather than pretending every signed alternate can fit one linear drive.

~8 refuels
~17 charges
Practical notes
Check each state DOT and Great River Road source for flood, ferry, levee-road, bridge, and construction changes. Avoid closed or industrial levee segments, plan city parking in advance, monitor severe heat, storms, fog, and winter ice, and reserve realistic overnights with fuel or charging buffers. The core trip ends in New Orleans; Venice is only an optional specialist delta or charter extension.

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Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1Itasca State Park / Grand Rapids, Minnesota

Itasca State Park Headwaters Trail · The Local Blend

Day 2Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota

St. Anthony Falls and Mill District · Owamni

Day 3La Crosse, Wisconsin

Grandad Bluff and La Crosse riverfront · The Charmant

Day 4Dubuque, Iowa

National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium · Brazen Open Kitchen

Day 5Quad Cities, Iowa and Illinois

Rock Island Arsenal Museum and riverfront · Lagomarcino's

Day 6Hannibal, Missouri

Mark Twain Boyhood Home and riverfront · LaBinnah Bistro

Day 7St. Louis, Missouri

Gateway Arch National Park · Pappy's Smokehouse

Day 8Cape Girardeau, Cairo, and Wickliffe, Kentucky

Mississippi–Ohio confluence at Cairo · Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site · Kirchhoff's Bakery & Deli

Day 9Memphis, Tennessee

National Civil Rights Museum · Beale Street and riverfront · Central BBQ

Day 10Helena, Arkansas to Clarksdale, Mississippi

Delta Cultural Center · Delta Blues Museum · Abe's Bar-B-Q

Day 11Vicksburg to Natchez, Mississippi

Vicksburg National Military Park · Natchez bluff and historic district · Magnolia Grill

Day 12Natchez to Baton Rouge via Louisiana River Road

Louisiana River Road · Whitney Plantation · Parrain's Seafood Restaurant

Day 13New Orleans, Louisiana

French Quarter and Mississippi riverfront · The Historic New Orleans Collection · Dooky Chase's Restaurant

Day 14New Orleans music and neighborhoods

Tremé and live-music history · Optional Venice delta extension planning · Cochon

Stops along the route

Itasca State Park — Departure — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Departure
Itasca State Park
Stand at the headwaters of the Mississippi and step across the first shallow stones. Pine forest and lake country set the tone for the route.
Hotels
Grand Rapids — City — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
City
Grand Rapids
A classic North Woods river town with mills, trails, and easy lake access. It is a good place to pause before the river widens.
Hotels
Minneapolis–Saint Paul — City — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
City
Minneapolis–Saint Paul
The river becomes an urban corridor of locks, falls, trails, and historic mill districts.
La Crosse, Wisconsin — City — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
City
La Crosse, Wisconsin
A classic Wisconsin bluff-country stop that restores the state to the ten-state route.
Dubuque — City — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
City
Dubuque
Bluffs rise over the river and the old downtown still feels tied to steamboat days. Museums and river views make this a strong Midwestern stop.
Hotels
Quad Cities — City — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
City
Quad Cities
Cross between Iowa and Illinois for locks, riverfront trails, and industrial river history.
Show 6 more
St. Louis — City — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
City
St. Louis
The riverfront turns urban here, with the Gateway Arch marking the meeting of history and skyline. It is one of the route's most iconic city stops.
Hotels
Memphis — City — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
City
Memphis
Music, barbecue, and river history give Memphis major road trip energy. The levee and downtown river views add a strong Mississippi feel.
Hotels
Helena, Arkansas — City — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
City
Helena, Arkansas
An Arkansas Delta anchor for blues, levee landscapes, and river culture.
Natchez — City — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
City
Natchez
Natchez sits high above the river with graceful old homes and long bluff views. It is one of the most scenic towns on the lower Mississippi.
Hotels
Baton Rouge — City — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
City
Baton Rouge
The riverfront grows more industrial and southern as you approach Louisiana's capital. Waterfront paths and historic streets keep the stop lively.
Hotels
New Orleans — Arrival — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Arrival
New Orleans
Finish with two days of music, food, architecture, and lower-river history; Venice remains an optional charter-focused extension.

Things to Do

Cairo — Nature — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Nature
Cairo
At the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio, the landscape feels broad and watery. Levees and low floodplain views define this quiet river junction.
Wickliffe, Kentucky — Landmark — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Landmark
Wickliffe, Kentucky
A compact Kentucky stop for Indigenous mound history near the Ohio–Mississippi confluence.
Vicksburg National Military Park — Landmark — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Landmark
Vicksburg National Military Park
This hilltop battlefield overlooks the river bends and tells one of the route's deepest history stories. Monuments, roads, and earthworks spread across the park.
Itasca State Park Headwaters Trail — Nature walk — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Nature walk
Itasca State Park Headwaters Trail
Walk the short trail to the Mississippi headwaters and cross the river on stepping stones. It is the most symbolic stop on the whole route.
National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium — Museum — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Museum
National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium
Explore river ecology, boats, and the history of life on the Mississippi. The exhibits give useful context for the entire drive.
Gateway Arch — Landmark — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Landmark
Gateway Arch
Ride to the top for sweeping views over St. Louis and the river. The monument is a must-see symbol of the route.
Show 3 more
Vicksburg National Military Park — Historic site — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Historic site
Vicksburg National Military Park
Drive the battlefield loop and stop at the overlooks and monuments. The park pairs Civil War history with dramatic river scenery.
Scenic drive
Old River Road Drive
Follow a levee road or riverfront stretch for classic floodplain views and big skies. This is where the Great River Road feels most open and unhurried.
New Orleans music and river culture — Cultural District — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Cultural District
New Orleans music and river culture
Give the route a major cultural finale in the French Quarter, Tremé, and along the working river.

Where to Eat

The Local Blend — Cafe — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Cafe
The Local Blend
A reliable stop for coffee, sandwiches, and a relaxed small-town break in the North Woods. Good for an easy meal before or after Itasca.
Mullarkey's Irish Pub — Pub food — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Pub food
Mullarkey's Irish Pub
A casual downtown option with hearty plates and a river-town atmosphere. It works well for a simple dinner in Dubuque.
Pappy's Smokehouse — Barbecue — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Barbecue
Pappy's Smokehouse
A famous St. Louis barbecue stop for ribs and smoked meat. Expect a line, but the payoff is a classic roadside-worthy meal.
Central BBQ — Barbecue — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Barbecue
Central BBQ
A Memphis staple for pulled pork, ribs, and dry-rub flavor. It is a strong lunch stop while exploring the city's music district.
Dooky Chase’s Restaurant — Creole — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Creole
Dooky Chase’s Restaurant
A landmark New Orleans dining room for Creole food and civil-rights history; reserve and confirm current hours.
Cochon — Cajun — Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights — United States
Cajun
Cochon
A verified New Orleans Warehouse District restaurant emphasizing Louisiana ingredients; reserve ahead.

Nearby and similar drives

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights drive?

The Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights covers about 4,800 km / 3,000 mi from start to finish.

How long does the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights take to drive?

Most travellers spend 14 days on the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights, depending on stops and pace.

When is the best time to drive the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights?

The recommended season for the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights is spring to fall.

Where does the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights start and end?

The Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights runs from Itasca State Park to New Orleans.

What are the main stops on the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights?

The Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights passes through Itasca State Park, Grand Rapids, Minneapolis–Saint Paul.

How difficult is the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights to drive?

The Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights is rated easy and is best handled with any vehicle.

Can I drive the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights in a regular car?

Yes — the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights is paved end-to-end and a regular car is fine in normal conditions.

How many fuel stops are needed on the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights?

Plan around 8 refuels (or about 17 EV charges) along the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights, based on its about 4,800 km / 3,000 mi length.

Is the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights EV friendly?

Yes — the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights has charger coverage along the route and works as an EV road trip.

Is the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights safe to drive?

Check each state DOT and Great River Road source for flood, ferry, levee-road, bridge, and construction changes. Avoid closed or industrial levee segments, plan city parking in advance, monitor severe heat, storms, fog, and winter ice, and reserve realistic overnights with fuel or charging buffers. The core trip ends in New Orleans; Venice is only an optional specialist delta or charter extension.

What scenic tier is the Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights?

The Great River Road: Ten-State Highlights is a notable drive — Notable scenic drives — strong character routes that locals know well and that reward travellers willing to step beyond the most-photographed roads.