River Cruises: 8 Scenic Trips Minus the Mega Ships

Cruising doesn't have to be all about a week in the Caribbean on a monster city at sea. Who really needs to play mini golf or go rock climbing while setting sail, anyway? For a less intense overwater getaway, turn to river cruises. With less-crowded waters and shore excursions to intimate places, it's no surprise passenger numbers are up 15 percent annually on river cruises.

But, with 165 major rivers in the world – and countless more minor ones – choosing the right one can be intimidating. From a tour of French canals on a converted cargo ship to an Amazonian adventure through the flooded forests of Brazil, we've narrowed down eight of the best river cruises on the water.

The Route: Sail on a 7-night cruise from Paris to Caudebec-en-Caux and back through the countryside of Northern France. Stops are made at charming French villages that were depicted by the Impressionists and at Giverney, Monet's home – Japanese bridge and water lilies included. Walk in the footsteps of the Allied forces along the beaches of Normandy, where WWII's D-Day Invasion took place, and see the site where Joan of Arc was martyred. Be sure to spend at least a day or two in Paris at either end of the trip.


The Ship: Named one of the world's "Top Small Cruise Ships" by Conde Nast Traveler's 2010 Reader's Poll, Uniworld's 120-passenger River Baroness was remodeled this year.

Moody Gardens

After extensive renovations, Moody Gardens' 40,000-square-foot Rainforest Pyramid reopened last spring. The conservatory houses over 1,000 species of exotic tropical plants from rainforest regions of Africa, the Americas and Asia. Unlike traditional botanical gardens, this is a family-oriented tourist attraction, complete with a 3-D theater, butterfly gardens, a white-sand beach and a water park. "We're seeing a lot more public gardens installing butterfly gardens on their grounds," says Donita Brannon, Moody Garden's horticultural exhibits manager. " Everyone loves to see colorful butterflies flitting among fragrant flowers. And they are very educational, to boot." Moody Gardens has had a butterfly garden for several years and it attracts butterflies to the grounds all year long.
Spring Blooms: In addition to orchids, violets and bromeliads, you'll also encounter macaws, an anaconda, turtles and fish inside the 10-story glass pyramid.

Missouri Botanical Garden

Founded in 1859, Missouri Botanical Garden is the oldest continuously operated botanical garden in the U.S. "We're widely considered one of the top three botanical gardens in the world, noted for our expansive science and conservation efforts around the globe and for our stunning horticultural displays," says Karen Hagenow, the garden's public information officer. Don't miss the Climatron conservatory, a 50-year-old geodesic dome that houses a tropical rainforest.
Spring blooms: 41,000 tulips representing 100 varieties; 2,640 daffodil bulbs representing 72 varieties; 12,000 corms and 7 varieties of crocus; and 1,850 bulbs and 17 varieties of hyacinth.

Americas Most Fascinating Public Gardens

With daffodils and lilacs in bloom, we're dreaming about visiting some of the prettiest public gardens in the country.

In compiling this list of some of America's best public gardens, we considered not only beauty but also factors such as outrageousness, scrappiness and willingness to try something completely different. Read on...