Our Cruise to Lansing,IA

Another beautiful day for a cruise down the Mississippi River and this time we made it to Lansing,Ia. Along the way just south of Brownsville,MN and before Genoa,WI we observed several large gatherings of pelicans perched on wingdams. They must be gathering to head south for the winter. There were also a large amount of seagulls also. It was a bird watchers paradise to watch some of the pelicans take flight and soar along the river's edge, land in the water, and scoop up a small fish. We locked through Lock and Dam #8 and watched a commercial barge filled with coal park to get unloaded at Genoa,WI's Dairyland Power Plant. It takes a good captain to maneuver such a large vessel with a heavy load to get perfectly aligned alongside the dock.
We arrived at Lansing,IA and pulled into the Lansing Marina which offers gas and dock slips for overnight stays, pumpouts, and some supplies. It has a long dock to park at so you can walk to town but it is about a 1/2 mile walk. Further south down the river there is a concrete levy that you can tie up to and it places you right at the edge of town. At the southern most edge of town is S&S Rentals that offers houseboat rentals, pontoons and fishing boats and they also have a full service marina with marine repair. We parked at the River's Edge Bar and Restaurant docks to have lunch and we walked to town from there. It is only a few blocks to town where you can shop at the famous Horsfalls and Lansing Variety stores that have over 1 million different kinds of items to shop for and there is also Bartels Hardware and Service that has antiques as well as hardware items. There are several restaurants to choose from to get a bite to eat. We had dinner at TJ Hunter's Pub and Grub, the food was great, also is the Safe House Saloon and Milty's Restaurant,Bar and Lodging. If you want to spend the night the Scenic Valley Motel offers boat parking, and there is the Historic Thorton House which is located a few blocks off of Main St. Lansing's festival is called Lansing Fish Days and always takes place the 2nd weekeknd in August, it features music, rides and entertainment for everyone.
Continue to follow Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley as we take you to another cruise destination and provide more information.

99 Steps to the Beer

It started out as a cruise to Lansing,IA but an unexpected turn of events took place and we ended up at a new stop called "The Top of the Rock". We borrowed a friend's pontoon boat for the day and we were cruising along coming up on the Lock and Dam #9 which is by Genoa,WI and we ran out of gas. The gauge still read full so apparently it doesn't work. We paddled our way to shore and luckily we were only an 1/8 of a mile from the nearest gas station. We bought a gas can and filled the tank several times until full and then restarted our cruise when we noticed a commercial barge locking through the dam and this can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. So we decided to had back home and when we got to Brownsville,MN we noticed a small dock with a boat and decided to investigate and noticed steps going straight up from the river. We made the journey up 99 steps to the street where we found a bar and grill called "The Top of the Rock". It is a very nice place and the food was good and the beer is cold. The bar has spectacular views of the Mississippi River Valley, they also have outdoor seating and a different featured DJ every night.
Brownsville,MN is also home to a place called "Wildcat Park" which offers camping of all types, and has a long sandbar for many boats to park and enjoy the activities.
A little north of Brownsville,MN on the east side of the Mississippi River is one of the largest sandbars in the area that everyone calls Crater Island. On a beautiful weekend day you will see up to as many as 50 boats parked at the sandbar in a small bay area. This is a popular spot for many large houseboats because the water is deep enough and the sandbar is large enough to set up camp for the whole family to enjoy. Another popular sandbar is a little more north and on the west side of the Mississippi River everyone calls Coney Island. This sandbar is popular for houseboats too because the water is deep enough and it is a great spot for boaters who like to come and set up tents and campout. The top of the sandbar is fairly level making it an ideal spot. There are many other sandbars in the area but require a little more caution when approaching.
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GRUMPY OLD MEN; Wabasha,MN

Remember the movie "Grumpy Old Men" and the sequel "Grumpier Old Men". Wabasha,MN is the featured city in the movie based on a story by a young man that had a grandfather that lived there and thought it was the perfect setting. Wabasha,MN is the oldest city on the Upper Mississippi River Valley. We cruised into Wabasha and found the Wabasha Marina. We then went under the Interstate Bridge and found the famous restaurant called Slippery's, which offers free boat docking and wonderful outdoor dining. We then went up the river further and into a small bay where the Mississippi Parkside Marina is located. We also discovered you can rent a houseboat from Great River Houseboats which has boats for anyone with or without any boating experience to drive. There are several parks on the Mississippi River that offer camping and nice beaches.
We decided to park at the Wabasha Marina and walk to see some of their historic buildings and shops. We came upon a hotel and restaurant called, The Historic Anderson House, it is the oldest operating hotel in the state of Minnesota. Out in front of the hotel they were offering Carriage Rides for about $10.00 a person and you called the American Inn at 651-565-5366 for reservations. We continued into downtown and found places like, Jewels on the River, The Old Triangle Pub, the Vinifera Restaurant, the Wabasha Treasure Chest, and the National Eagle Center.
Wabasha is a beautiful city to visit with plenty to offer the whole family from their own unique bowling alley, Riverboat Lanes, to a quiet night under the bridge in the Heritage Park for a free concert put on by the River Junctions Arts Council.
Continue to follow Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley as we take you to another Mississippi River Cruise stop and provide more information.