BELLE OF LOUISVILLE CRUISES

The Ohio River is a dream place for a cruise aboard one of the two boats of the Belle of Louisville company: the Belle of Louisville and the Spirit of Jefferson. The Belle of Louisville is an impressive boat built in 1914, under the name Idlewild, before becoming The Avalon in 1948 to finish its current name in 1962. Declared historic monument, it is the oldest of the five true steamboats (steam vessels) still active on American rivers and lakes. Every year since 1963, La Belle of Louisville is one of the main competitors of the Great Steamboat Race taking place on the Ohio River in Louisville at the beginning of May. The Spirit of Jefferson is a traditional boat that dates back to 1963. Although pleasant, it does not have the charm of the Belle of Louisville.