| Rollin' on the River ... Belle of Louisville Style! |
By: By Barbara Littner David - July 2008
|
Posted: Monday, June 30, 2008 4:47 pm
|
The music plays, the engine churns and away you go on this historic river boat. Calliope music floated in our ears from the Ohio River below. “That’s it!” I pointed to the Belle of Louisville with its towering smoke stacks and charming paddlewheel. “That’s where we’re going.”
The kids whistled with the music as we parked in the riverfront garage for $5. We were in Louisville for the weekend, enjoying a stay at the Executive Suite with comfortable adjoining rooms and a great pool, and now a buffet lunch and cruise down the Ohio River.
I picked up our tickets for the excursion and wrist bands for the buffet. (Some opt to forego the buffet; there is a concession area for snacks, soft drinks, beer and wine.) We fastened our paper neon bracelets to our wrists while we boarded, stopping to pose for a family souvenir photo.
We found our reserved table, and while my kids and husband took their seats, I took a look around the boat. Like me, a few people were walking the decks and seeing the sights, but most were busy staking out their spots, some choosing front row views, others settling in the shade.
I joined my gang as the boat steamed away from the dock. Safety directions followed, with personnel assuring us there were plenty of lifejackets for everyone on board. Then the bluegrass music began, complimenting our riverboat experience.
My picky eaters bunch found food they liked. They declared the fried chicken “the best ever,” and my youngest loved the ham. Dessert options were lemon meringue or pecan pie — delicious! Servers cleared our plates and encouraged us to enjoy seconds, so the kids enjoyed multiple lemonade refills.
Feeling satisfied, we strolled the deck as the paddlewheel’s rhythmic turning mesmerized us. The pistons at work and the blazing fire in the engine room fascinated us, too.
For the last 20 minutes or so of our cruise, we relaxed. My husband and I sat contentedly by the boat railing, holding hands and watching the river roll by. As the Belle of Louisville chugged down the river, we daydreamed about the riverfront homes and private boat docks. We wondered about life on the coal barges, waved at the boaters, remembered our youthful days on jet skis, and listened to the steamboat whistle. Through my daydream I heard a voice. “Are we almost there?” one of my kids pleaded.
For me, we were “there” too soon, with the captain skill¬fully docking along the Louisville shore of the Ohio River. The kids ran down the gangplank and gave a hearty wave to the beautiful Belle of Louisville.
Barbara Littner David is a freelance writer.
Belle of Louisville
401 W. River Road
Louisville, KY 40202
502-574-2992
http://belleoflouisville.org
Excursion Only Ticket
(Available on any Lunch or Dinner Cruise)
Adult $16
Senior (60+) $15
Child (3 - 12) $8
2 and under Free
Luncheon Ticket & Cruise
Adult $27
Senior (60+) $26
Child (3 - 12) $18
2 and under Free
|
|
Printer-friendly format
|
Login and voice your opinion!
|
