Burlington is a Mississippi River port town with a rich Native American, German pioneer, and transportation history. Downtown Burlington is home to two National Historic Districts, Heritage Hill and West Jefferson Street. For outdoor recreation, area parks offer camping, hiking, and caving. The city has two public golf courses. Bowling, go-karts, laser tag, restaurants, and a climbing wall supply hours of entertainment at Fun City, an amusement and water park.

This historic Mississippi River town is the medical, educational and commercial headquarters for southeastern Missouri. Visitors come to explore the history of Cape and enjoy shopping opportunities.

Davenport and Bettendorf are Iowa's part of the Quad Cities region. Along with East Moline, Moline, and Rock Island, Illinois, they form a metropolitan area with a population of more than 400,000. The Quad Cities have a rich Native American and Mississippi River heritage. Many of the things to see and do in Davenport and Bettendorf are on or along the Mississippi. Visitors can take a riverboat cruise or ferry boat ride or enjoy riverboat gaming at one of the area's casinos. Islands in the Mississippi River between Iowa and Illinois provide a variety of recreational and historical attractions.

Dubuque, population 57,546, is an industrial Mississippi River port in eastern Iowa near the Wisconsin and Illinois border. Sightseeing and dining tours of the Mississippi are available by riverboats, paddle wheelers, and yachts. Dubuque is also the setting for many outdoor activities. Bird watching is popular because a variety of birds, including bald eagles, make the river valley their home.

Famous for its hometown writer, Mark Twain, Hannibal is a tourist destination for the literary minded.

Iowa City is home to the University of Iowa. The University of Iowa resides on the state's original capital grounds. Along with Big Ten basketball and other sports, the university houses medical, art, and natural history museums. Coralville Lake's Devonian Fossil Gorge is Iowa City's most popular outdoor destination. Fossils cover the 15-foot-deep gorge's bedrock surface. The 5,400-acre lake provides fishing, boating, and swimming access.

The Gateway to the West is a Mississippi River city with a history of westward expansion, distinctive neighborhoods and a love of sports. The 630-foot tall Gateway Arch, a tribute to the city's role in the Lewis and Clark expedition and westward expansion, dominates the downtown landscape.