A Mississippi Cruise That Will Stay In Your Memory

by Anthony Herbert

If you feel like airfare to the embarkation port is impeding you to go on a Mississippi cruise, consider leaving from the Gulf of Mexico. The two main Gulf Coast cities are now increasingly offering cruise departures up the Mississippi. Galveston and New Orleans are not only close and Mississippi cruise vacationers; these are great but lesser-known American cities worth a visit in their own right.

Galveston, in Texas, is a great starting point for a Mississippi cruise. The city, which is built on an island, has a much higher proportion of German-Americans than the surrounding area due to immigration patterns, and is blessed with some wonderful and airy parks.

Galveston is blessed with several beaches, nice fishing spots in the surroundings, so before you go on that Mississippi cruise you can partake in local water sports. As for food, sea fare such as shrimp is very good, preferable to Tex Mex, which is more common in Texas’s landlocked areas. As for sights, don’t miss out on Moody Gardens, which includes a butterfly zoo, and extensive gardens.

Another, somewhat more common alternative, is to begin your Mississippi cruise in New Orleans. Don’t let the threat of hurricanes put you off, in season this is a fantastic place to explore.

In fact, the Mississippi cruise business is important for the city and those who want to help New Orleans get back on her feet can’t do better than by leaving for a Mississippi cruise from her port, after having spent a couple of days in the city.

The French Quarter is the most famous area, and it’s where most sights are, where the best restaurants congregate, and where you will spend most of your time. It’s also the best place to buy some necessities for your Mississippi cruise.

Food options are also wide-ranging and will enthrall you if you are of the gourmet type. You will find a wide range of options, from highbrow oysters to the more low-key local takeaway snack, the muffaletta, an Italian-originated sandwich on an olive bread base. Both may be also served during a Mississippi cruise lunch.

As for local specialties, Creole and Cajun cuisines are the staple in New Orleans and also common on a Mississippi cruise. You’ll notice that they are pretty different approaches to food. Creole food is Europeanized in taste, and uses lots of wine, butter, thick sauces, enjoy pastries and is the backbone of local fancy dining.

Cajun cuisine is more hearty and rural, with lots of hot food, and includes whatever animal that you can get without it eating you first! You can get alligator, and in fact you will see it on a lot of menus. Try these in the city, as not all Mississippi cruises will have them on their menu.

Make sure that you don’t forget about security during your town stay, too. Walking shoes are a must, and so is a hat, which you are well advised to wear outdoors during the Mississippi cruise too. And bring a light jacket, because even in the good season it can get windy.