We took an RV tour with Fantasy RV Tours to see if we would like such an organized trip.  This was way different than our normal go it alone trips.  They planned all of the stops and made reservations at RV parks along the way.  They also planned activities such as boat trips, museums and restaurants along the way.  We enjoyed the trip and even managed to learn stuff.

The Mississippi river starts as the outlet of lake Itaska near Bemidji Minnesota.

Next stop was the Minneapolis area.   Longfellow's 1855 epic poem The Song of Hiawatha referred to Minnehaha falls, The name, often said to mean "laughing water".   We also stopped at St Paul cathedral, took a riverboat ride and toured an old government building called The Landmark.  Then on to Hannibal and St Louis.