When thoughts turn to vacation destinations, you can pretty much count on any location that offers a significant expanse of water, like the ocean or a lake would be a fairly safe choice to go and relax in a vacation-type atmosphere. Not only is practically every body of water pretty to look at, but water—and especially the sounds associated with it, from waves breaking, flowing and trickling to associated wildlife—can be highly relaxing. Before amusement-based theme parks came into being, most vacations involved either mountains, canyons or bodies of water.

Lake Vacations Have Been Gaining in Popularity
Surely, you’ve had more than a few rounds of beachy vacations, and they are always fun. A vacationing surge to visit many of the nation’s incredible environments that are lakeside has been producing a lot of vacationing traffic to spots such as Lake Tahoe and Lake Huron, with thoroughly refreshed and satisfied families returning back home to life as usual, at their lake vacation’s end. There is another type of vacation theme emerging that seems to offer a lot more than a single destination, yet vacationers who chose this vacation venue can choose to see it all from a stationary, seated position—or if they prefer—they can spend the time as busy as they want to be. A riverboat cruise gives vacationers the best of both worlds—and actually, in fact, the best of many worlds can be explored, via a thrilling riverboat excursion.

Many Themes to Choose From
For anyone who has never considered a riverboat cruise, it may come as a surprise that there are untold numbers of scenic cruises via riverboat all around the world from which to choose. Romantic and exotic riverboat cruises are offered all over Europe, Southeast Asia, China, the Galapagos Islands, the Amazon and Egypt. For the more homebodies, there are a myriad of U.S. riverboat cruises, with some concentrating on the environment and some concentrating on specific themes. These Special Interest Cruises are the hottest thing—with themes like wine, culinary arts, music, art and impressionism, history, golf and wellness from which to choose. They offer narration and special presentations for all who prefer, filling everyone in with many rich details and facts pertinent to the theme. Here are a few, right here in the U.S.:

Steamboat Natchez
Steamboat Natchez Mini-Excursions offer visitors to New Orleans a fabulous evening cruise of the Mississippi on this authentically restored paddle-wheel steamboat, featuring full access to most of the boat’s museum-quality features. You’re served champagne, there’s an open bar, and you’re given a sumptuous dinner buffet, while being entertained by quality live jazz.

The Creole Queen
This 190 x 40 ft., 800 capacity paddlewheel takes passengers on a narrated cruise that includes a stop to disembark at the site where the 1815 Battle of New Orleans was waged. There, passengers are treated to a tour of the Chalmette Battlefield and Monument. The boat offers a cash bar and a delicious array from a creole buffet. Cruises depart twice daily, in the morning and at 2PM and last for two hours. Boarding takes place up to 30 minutes in advance of departure. 2.5 hour dinner tours are offered, replete with lively jazz music, soft lighting and Victorian-style ambiance. For the comfort of passengers, several modern amenities like air conditioning and heating have been added.

Tour the Nile
The 4,160 Nile river is the world’s longest river. Cruises take passengers to experience firsthand the lifeline of civilization beginning with ancient Egypt, and its mysteriously exotic sights, ancient temples, villages and tombs. Geographic sights include rainforests, savannas and swamps amid mountains and desert landscapes. When you take a riverboat cruise, you see and experience first-hand all the sights and wonder, devoid of the hustle and bustle of a rat race of modern influence.