BEST OF THE RIVER 2019 

Best of the River is focused on the best attractions, accommodations,  food & drink, and trails & tours along the Great River Road from northern Minnesota down to the Gulf of Mexico.

Best Monument

1.Gateway Arch (St. Louis, MO)

An iconic, elegant arc 63 stories high. The Gateway Arch celebrates the westward expansion of the United States and the pioneers who made it possible.

2.Effigy Mounds National Monument (Harpers Ferry, IA)

The monument covers over 2,500 acres and protects more than 200 American Indian mounds created by the Woodland people between 3,000 and 800 years ago.

3.Elijah P. Lovejoy Monument (Alton, IL)

This monument memorializes Elijah P. Lovejoy, whose work, anti-slavery editorials, and death in Alton gave him a place in the history of the abolition of slavery.

4.Scott County Freedom Rock (Le Claire, IA)

The Freedom Rock is a large boulder that is repainted every year with a different Thank You for our nation’s Veterans to honor their service to our country. 

5.Soldiers Walk Memorial Park (Arcadia, WI)

As you start Soldier’s Walk you will be greeted with an imposing statue of the Angel of Mercy. The statue weighs 26 tons, is 30 feet high and sits on a 53,000lb black marble.

See results for Best of the River 2019

In 2019, thousands submitted their Best of The River choices in categories ranging from best cultural trail, best monument, best public art, best river boat tour, best brewery and more.