Dubuque River Ride

Dubuque, Iowa is an old river town, with a recent rebirth.

Memories of Dubuque involve my occasional drives from Janesville, Wisconsin to Des Moines where I went to Drake University.

Just getting through Dubuque in the early 80's felt like an accomplishment.


It seemed like a tired community, with its best days behind it. Highway 151 meandered through city streets until climbing the big hill out of town on the city's south side.

Light years might more appropriately mark the changes since then to the city core.  The Port of Dubuque is a hub of activity for locals and tourists.  There was a dance competition in town and lots of visitors lured to the shore of the mighty Mississippi.

You can't go wrong on a beautiful summer day with a ride on the Spirit of Dubuque.  We enjoyed a mid-day two hour cruise and with a modest upgrade had a fresh deli lunch as we paddled up and down the river.

A huge section of a busy railroad line swung open so we could go north toward the lock and dam and remained open for our return trip.  After we cleared the bridge, it gently closed like a garden gate.

Yesterday was perfect for a ride on the river.  Sunshine, big puffy clouds, the only breeze was generated by the boat as it moved through the water.

There's more about the adventure I hope to share with you during the week including some of the history of the river.

Thanks to plenty of SPF 5,000 I seemed to come off the river no redder than when I started, but filled with new memories from a relaxing experience in what seems to be a hidden gem when it comes to great tourist experiences in the upper Midwest.

Who knew?

You can find it in Dubuque.