Historic
Cultural and Culinary Traditions along America’s Waterways
There are many points of interest in the United States; we have
selected anchor locations from which you can best base your travel movements,
mindful that you are likely to visit three to four places in a compressed
period of time, typically 7 to 10 days, and experience multiple interests that
range from cultural to culinary, wellness and the environment. 
Northeast Atlantic
The
Hudson Valley extends 150 miles above the tip of Manhattan.
Designated as a National Heritage Area, the valley is steeped in history,
natural beauty, culture, food and farmers’ markets.
The Delaware rises in two branches and flows 419 miles – 674
Km – into Delaware Bay. Its watershed drains an area of 14,119 square miles - 36,570 km2
- in the five Atlantic Coast States of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
Delaware and Maryland.
The Hudson and
the Delaware were originally called the North and South Rivers
The Susquehanna River is 464
miles (747 km) long and is the longest river on the US East Coast. With
its watershed, it is the 16th-largest river in the United States, and the
longest river in the continental United States without commercial boat traffic
today. In the Canal Era, navigation improvements were made to enhance the river
for barge shipping by water on the Pennsylvania Canal.
The
Lower Potomac, Anacostia, Patuxent and Wicomico rivers are among the
major waterways in the region, but hundreds of smaller streams, creeks and
rivers abound providing numerous opportunities for recreational boating.
Mid America
The Upper Mississippi is the
portion of the river from Lake Itasca, Minnesota to Cairo, Illinois - 2000 km
(1250 mi) where it joins the Ohio River. In terms of geology and
hydrography, the Upper Mississippi River valley likely originated as an
ice-marginal stream during the Nebraskan glaciation.
The Missouri is the longest river in North America, rising in
the Rocky Mountains and flowing east and south for 2,341 miles - 3,767 km
- before connecting with the Mississippi north of St. Louis.
The First
Westward leg of the Pony Express was a Ferry across the Missouri River
American South
The Lower Mississippi River flows downstream from Cairo, Illinois and the
confluence with the Ohio River, for 1600 Kilometers – 1000 miles – to the Gulf
of Mexico. It is the most heavily traveled component of this river system. Unlike
on the upper rivers, there are no locks and dams on the Lower Mississippi. The
river is, however, constrained by levees and dams that control flooding and
secure the navigation channel for barge traffic.
The
Ohio River is formed by the
confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers in Pittsburgh. From there,
it flows northwest before making an abrupt turn to the southwest at the Ohio,
West Virginia and Pennsylvania border. The Ohio then follows a roughly
west-northwest course until Cincinnati, before bending southwest for the
remainder of its journey through the US Midwest and joining the Mississippi at
Cairo, Illinois.
Ohio means the
Good River in Iroquoian
The
Rio Grande rises from
south-central Colorado and flows to the Gulf of Mexico, acting as the border
between Mexico and the United States; it is the fourth longest river system in
North America.
The Rio Grande
Flows for much of its Length at High Elevation
US West
The Colorado River flows from the Rocky Mountains through the Grand
Canyon to the Gulf of California. With dramatic canyons and whitewater rapids,
the Colorado is a vital source of water for agricultural and urban areas.
The Imperial
Valley is the most Productive Winter Agricultural Region in the United States
The
Platte River originates in Nebraska
and is a tributary of the Missouri and Mississippi
Rivers
The South Platte
is the Principal Source of Water for Eastern Colorado
The American River runs from
the Sierra Nevada to the San Joaquin Valley, eventually emptying into San
Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
The
Willamette River Valley basin
contains two-thirds of Oregon's population and is one of the most fertile
agricultural regions in North America, hence the destination of many 19th century
pioneers traveling on the Oregon Trail. The river supports 60 fish species,
including salmon and trout.
The
Columbia is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest; its
watershed extends into seven US states and a Canadian province. The river's
heavy flow gives it tremendous potential for the generation of electricity with
14 Hydroelectric Dams.
The Best Way to Travel is in the Company of People that Live and Work in the Places You Visit