The river valley is bordered mainly by river bluffs or to some Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa mountain peaks and summits. The views are breathtaking. There’s late spring when everything is turning green, the warm summers, and the colors of fall. You can see wildlife of all kinds from a small turtle to a large black bear. The fishing is always great and so are the stories about the big one that got away.
The best house-boating, in our opinion, is located between the cities of Prairie Du Chien, WI to the south, and Red Wing, MN to the north. This part of the river valley has many cities and towns located along it that offer access to tourism, entertainment, and restaurants. Some of them only have docks that are large enough to tie up to so you can venture into town. All of the cities and towns have their own festivals and fairs throughout the house-boating season.
The Mississippi River valley has an abundance of sandbars for everyone to have such pleasures as campfires, swimming, camping with tents, fishing, or just anchoring to it and relax.
House-boating the Mississippi River valley is easy to navigate with red and green markers, called buoys, that show where the main channel is so there is little risk of hitting any obstructions under water. Houseboating on the river offers an unique experience of being able to go through a Mississippi Lock and Dam which was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers starting in 1930. You can even watch a large commercial barge go through the locks and get an understanding of how the navigation system works on the Mississippi River.
House-boating the Mississippi River valley is an unique and enjoyable experience for the whole family and friends.