gateway riverboat cruises in st. louis missouri

Rolling on the River: Gateway Arch Riverboat Cruises

No visit to the Gateway Arch in downtown St. Louis is complete without a riverboat tour of the Mississippi! Step back in time as you board the Becky Thatcher or Tom Sawyer and take a tranquil tour of the riverfront.

Before interstate highways crisscrossed the nation, people did their luxury traveling by train and steamboat. St. Louis was a bustling river town in the 1800’s with hundreds of steam powered paddlewheelers docked on riverfront! There’s a cool display of what St. Louis looked like back then at the Arch’s new museum –be sure to check it out on your next visit.

Riverboat Cruise at the Arch

The riverboats can take your family on a hour long tour of the riverfront –there’s a sightseeing cruise running every day from March to November.

But if you want to make it really special–book a dinner or brunch cruise! The Becky Thatcher is set up with a double decker dining room and takes visitors on a two-hour tour of the riverfront while you dine on a delicious buffet.

Brunch on the Riverboat Becky Thatcher

Sunday Brunch Cruises are a great way to celebrate Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Of course you don’t need a special occasion to enjoy a wonderful weekend at the Arch with your family! There’s one or two brunch cruises scheduled every month the boats operates. Check out their current schedule under “specialty cruises” here.   There’s also dinner cruises, dancing cruises, and a couple cruises up to see the lock and dam where the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers meet!

What’s included with my ticket?

Your brunch ticket includes a buffet full of scrambled eggs, blintzes, French toast, sausage, prime rib, stuffed chicken, veggies, pasta, dessert, and coffee, iced tea, orange juice, milk and chocolate milk. Soft drinks, beer and cocktails are available at the bar for an extra charge.

What to Expect on your Riverboat Brunch Cruise

First, you’ll want to reserve your spot early by getting tickets online . Tickets are $45 for adults, $18 for kids 3-12 and free for little ones under 2. 

The boats are docked at the foot of the Gateway Arch. Stop by the ticket office to pick up your tickets by 12:30 — the boat leaves promptly at 1pm!

Then you’ll come aboard and be directed to your seat. Unlike the sightseeing tours, the Brunch Cruise has reserved indoor seating with white linen table clothes. Tables are located by the windows, so you can enjoy the whole cruise from the comfort of the cabin, or pop upstairs to watch from the observation deck. 

The food might be served buffet style, but you’ll also get a friendly waiter to serve your drinks and clear the plates. Don’t worry about standing in line either, the serving staff dismisses diners by table so the buffet isn’t overwhelmed.

And while you wait, enjoy a little Dixieland music!

Where do I park?

Best Photos of the Arch are Here

If you’re looking to get a postcard photo of the Gateway Arch, a riverboat cruise is where to be! You can also get a pretty cool one from the Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park over on the East Side, but you don’t need to worry about pesky power lines messing up your shot here. ( Here’s a few more ideas for great photos with the Arch! )

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Riverboats at the Gateway Arch

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Gain a new perspective while cruising the Mighty Mississippi. With a variety of sightseeing, dinner, and specialty outings to choose from, a riverboat cruise makes a unique and relaxing way to experience the Gateway Arch and downtown St. Louis.

Available March through November. Cruise dates and times vary. Located on the St. Louis Riverfront below the Grand Staircase of the Gateway Arch.

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Gateway Arch Riverboat Cruises

Type: Family Friendly , Tours and Excursions

Last updated on June 29, 2015

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800 N 1st St St. Louis, MO 63102

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Visiting the Gateway Arch: Enter the monument through the Gateway Arch Visitor Center, which faces Fourth Street and the Old Courthouse. The Gateway Arch legs are exits only. Please allow at least 30 minutes to go through security. Tickets sell out early and often, advance reservations are strongly recommended. Pending availability, additional tickets may be available for same-day purchase beginning at 9am each day through our website, call center, and ticket center at the Gateway Arch. Same-day ticket availability is not guaranteed and sells out early and often.

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Tram Ride to the Top

Riverboat cruises, virtual reality theater, old courthouse.

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See Differently

Experience a destination where the stories are as incredible as the views.  Welcome to Gateway Arch National Park!

Great monuments inspire you to explore new heights. Precious few take you there. The unique tram will lift you 630 feet up to the top of the tallest monument in the United States.

The Museum at the Gateway Arch

Trace the story of the Native Americans, explorers, pioneers, and rebels who made America possible. Featuring six themed exhibit areas, this innovative and interactive museum celebrates America’s pioneering spirit.

Gain a new perspective on this magnificent monument while cruising the Mighty Mississippi. With a variety of sightseeing, dinner, and specialty outings to choose from, a riverboat cruise is a fun and relaxing addition to your Gateway Arch experience.

Take a seat in our Virtual Reality Theater, put on a 3D headset and be transported to a 360° depiction of the St. Louis riverfront in the 1850s. You’ll be immersed in the sights and sounds of the bustling levee, and will learn the stories of some of the diverse people who crossed paths there.

Stand in the footsteps of American heroes at this beautifully restored federal courthouse. The site of several pivotal cases, the Old Courthouse is where the enslaved Dred and Harriet Scott sued for their freedom and Virginia Minor fought for women’s right to vote.

From stargazing workshops and yoga under the Arch to concerts, cruises, and holiday celebrations, there’s always something new to learn and do at the Gateway Arch.

Make a Monumental Impact

Members of Gateway Arch Park Foundation play a vital role in providing critical support for Gateway Arch National Park. Become a steward of an international icon and enjoy special member benefits throughout the year.

Gateway Arch Park Foundation is the official philanthropic partner of Gateway Arch National Park.

Travel Happy with Drury Hotels!

At Drury Hotels, you’ll always receive a warm welcome, cozy accommodations and award-winning service at a reasonable price. Enjoy Free Hot Breakfast, Free Wi-Fi and Free 5:30 Kickback with hot food and cold beverages.

Click below to reserve the Drury Hotels Gateway Arch Package and receive a $34 credit at the Gateway Arch.

Submit Your Photos

Be a part of our history.

Do you have a photo from a time you visited the Gateway Arch? We’re in search of visitor photos of the Gateway Arch from the past 50 years and beyond. Submit your photo below for a chance to have it displayed in an exhibit inside of the Gateway Arch tram loading areas.

Photos of the Arch’s construction, visits with family and friends, unique views of the amazing monument – we want them all!

#SeeDifferently at the  @GatewayArchSTL .

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Dog friendly riverboat!! - Riverboats at the Gateway Arch

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• Riverboats at the Gateway Arch

As of December, 2023, the directions on how to get to parking area were confusing. They say don’t... read more

It's a nice way to spend an hour, but it's not a must do if you're visiting the area. The... read more

Dog friendly riverboat!!

We took the hour long riverboat tour with our dog. You can only sit on the first inside level with pets, do since mostly everyone else was on the upper floors, we had the whole inside level to ourselves with air conditioning! It was perfect. Great view of the Arch and a nice history lesson on the waterfront.

We were pleasantly surprised by the quality and quantity of the food on the dinner cruise. The salad had been sitting for a bit and was soggy, but the rest of the food was top notch, including a great slice of cheesecake for dessert. While its true that the section of river the boat cruises isn't the most scenic, we got some great photos with the Arch in the background on our return to the dock.

They always have the captain on the intercom and it drive me crazy it was so loud. The only view are some bridges, an abandoned building and some flood wall.

Having just been to the top of the Gateway Arch, we decided to take an hour-long sightseeing cruise along the mighty Mississippi. The boats are docked pretty much right in front of the arch, so they were nice and easy to find and the boarding was very smooth, even if it was a bit of a bun-fight to bag the best seats. The tour was pretty uneventful, with the guide and captain taking turns to narrate various points of interest, which included a few old riverside buildings now in disrepair, the various bridges we passed beneath (although the cruise doesn't make it as far as the Chain of Rocks Bridge unfortunately) and the Gateway Geyser, which was in full force as we set sail. Perhaps the most interesting things we saw were the huge Mississippi river barges which are plentiful along this stretch of the river, whilst the only real photo opportunity was of the arch itself. It was nice to be out on the Mississippi, but I think if I had my time again, I'd do a cruise along a more picturesque part of the river.

I love traveling on these riverboats. They have the best views & the best part is that you arrive back at the Arch.

The whole process from getting tickets to getting on the boat and off the boat was well organized and flowed smoothly. We enjoyed the informative narration and learning about the Mississippi river both commercially and historically. We felt it was well worth the money and the time we spent going on the riverboat cruise. There were people of all ages on the riverboat and from observation I would say that young children found it rather boring.

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How to Connect with St. Louis’ Great Rivers

Monday March 11, 2024

By Rachel Huffman

St. Louis is located just south of the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Majestic and steadfast, they’re the two largest moving bodies of water on the continent.

From the Missouri’s role in Lewis and Clark’s 18th-century expedition to the Mississippi’s history as America’s blues highway, our region’s rivers have been instrumental in the nation’s development.

While you’re in St. Louis, connect with our historic rivers – they’re a wellspring of natural beauty and outdoor recreation. Let’s dive in!

Forward Paddle

Paradise is a paddle away, and Big Muddy Adventures can prove it. The world-class St. Louis-based adventure company provides access to the wild wonders of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers with its full fleet of canoes and kayaks. Whether you want to do a microadventure at the base of the Gateway Arch, embark on a full moon float to an uninhabited river island or add a bike ride along the Katy Trail to your aquatic adventure, river trips with Big Muddy Adventures are always memorable.

The Riverboats at the Gateway Arch provide unparalleled views of St. Louis’ working riverfront from the waters of the Mighty Mississippi. Tom Sawyer, a replica 19th-century paddle steamer, transports riders back to a time when steamboats ruled the river. Onboard adventures include the one-hour St. Louis Riverfront Cruise, which highlights the important role of the Mississippi River in our past, present and future, and the two-hour Skyline Dinner Cruise, which features a chef-driven menu, live music and illuminated views of the St. Louis skyline.

Go with the Flow

Working to make the St. Louis region a more vibrant place to live, work and play, Great Rivers Greenway has constructed 128 miles (and counting) of greenways that make it easy – and fun – to spend time outside. The 15-mile Riverfront Trail, which you can access via Washington Avenue or Chestnut Avenue through Gateway Arch National Park, rewards amblers with unique views of the industrial landscape along the Mississippi River. Welcoming people of all ages and abilities, the paved path is mostly flat and entirely sunny. Make sure to bring water and your camera, so you can document your journey along the greenway, which ends at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge.

River Crossing

Spanning the Mighty Mississippi on the north edge of St. Louis, the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was the original Mississippi River crossing on Route 66. Although cars no longer run across it, you can! The one-mile-long pedestrian bridge has a dramatic 22-degree bend at the middle of the crossing, making it possible to spot wintering bald eagles if you’re in town at the right time.

The Audubon Center at Riverlands aims to connect people to the beauty of the Great Rivers confluence and inspire conservation of the rivers’ rich diversity of birds, other wildlife and natural resources. While you’re here, take a guided tour of the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, which is part of the Mississippi Flyway, a migration route used by 60 percent of all North American bird species, including 40 percent of all waterfowl. The area includes more than eight miles of trails traversing prairies, marshes and bottomland forests, where you might spot an American goldfinch, bald eagle, hairy woodpecker, peregrine falcon, red-winged blackbird, ruby-throated hummingbird, snowy egret, spotted sandpiper, trumpeter swan or turkey vulture in flight. To make Riverlands even more friendly to native birds and insects, St. Louis Audubon Society members maintain a native plant garden at the Audubon Center, which visitors can enjoy, as well.

Ride in Style

During a day trip to Augusta, make time for a river cruise aboard Miss Augusta , a 105-foot Skipperliner yacht. Touted as the most elegant luxury yacht in Missouri, Miss Augusta departs from Klondike Park, guiding passengers through Missouri wine country in style. The boat has three stories, including two enclosed, climate-controlled levels and a sun deck, where you can enjoy the breeze, photograph fall foliage, search for bald eagles or watch the sunset. The daily public cruises will give you a new perspective of the Missouri River. On the narrated sightseeing cruises, you’ll be treated to a first-class experience, but if you want to further indulge, look into the lunch or dinner cruises. Miss Augusta also offers private charters for a variety of events – think memorable company outings, large family reunions or intimate marriage proposals.

Sprawling across almost 300 acres of pristine farmland, nestled among rolling hills and situated on the banks of the Big and Meramec rivers, Brookdale Farms offers an abundance of outdoor adventures no matter the season. During warm weather, rent canoes, kayaks, rafts or inner tubes and experience the magic of Missouri’s storied rivers on a float trip – a summer rite of passage for locals and visitors alike. Daily float trips are offered from May through September, and they take you down a calm stretch of the Meramec River, where you’ll encounter sparkling swimming holes, gorgeous bluffs, gravel beaches and fascinating wildlife. Don’t miss this chance to spend a carefree day on the water. In cooler months, enjoy hayrides, corn mazes and ice skating.

For more outdoorsy fun, check out our guide to hiking, biking, swimming, skating, climbing and more in the St. Louis area.

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