The Pearl Button Docked at Muscatine, Iowa

The Pearl Button is a modern day, old-time looking excursion boat located in Muscatine, Iowa. When visiting southeast Iowa I am on the lookout for the paddlewheeler cruising on the Mississippi River. While the boat seems to be always present at its dock, I did see a crew member preparing the boat with supplies for an excursion a few years ago. The Pearl Button's website indicates that the boat is available for river cruises but has no set schedule. For scheduled cruises, boats like the Riverboat Twilight can be accessed in LeClaire, Iowa, home of the History Channel's American Pickers on the Mississippi River. And for even longer cruises you can jump onboard other lines at St. Paul, St. Louis, Memphis, New Orleans and other ports on the great river.

The Pearl Button is docked at Muscatine's city dock landing. Attached to a floating dock which is anchored by three huge poles, gives the Pearl Button plenty of room to stay put should (and when) the river floods. On this day the Pearl Button remained docked while the Riverboat Twilight, sport boats and barges passed by on Old Man River.