Belle of Louisville Riverboats provides community access to the river and to Louisville’s history by presenting fun, meaningful and engaging experiences on the water like no one else can. Passengers are encouraged to explore history, the arts and cultural heritage in a way that represents diverse stories and honest experiences. Whether aboard one of our two passenger vessels—the Belle of Louisville or Mary M. Miller—or visiting the Gift Shop aboard our historic wharf boat, the Mayor Andrew Broaddus, you’ll learn about our two National Historic Landmarks, as well as Louisville and the river that made it.
BELLE OF LOUISVILLE
Built
1914, James Reese & Sons Company, Pittsburgh, PA, named Idlewild
Comfort Passenger Capacity
650 – 180 Dining
Specifications
Fully heated and air conditioned • Concession stand and bar • Dance floor • Stage • Full on-board sound system • Indoor and outdoor seating • Non-smoking
MARY M. MILLER
Built
1985 by Marine Builders, Inc. Utica, IN. Originally named Missouri River Queen.
Year-Round Passenger Capacity
350
Specifications
Fully heated and air conditioned • Concession stand and bar • Bandstand • On-board sound system • Non-smoking • 95 gross tons • 90’ length • 30’ breadth • 6.1’ depth
Mayor Andrew Broaddus
Belle of Louisville riverboats to join america’s 250th anniversary event
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (August 29, 2025) – The Belle of Louisville will end her 2025 cruise season by participating in a historic celebration upriver in Cincinnati, OH. The iconic steamboat along with her sister vessel, the Mary M. Miller, will journey 133 river miles north in early October to participate in one of the first official…
The Belle of Louisville’s Place in Science Fiction
My name is Woods Martin and I am currently a college student. I was born in Louisville, Kentucky in July of 2004. I am currently studying history and political science at Bellarmine University. I am going into my junior year and am also currently interning with the Belle of Louisville Riverboats. Did you know that…
The Belle’s Latest Ghost Story
As told to Heather Funk Gotlib, Outreach Manager If you’re here, you probably know about the steam calliope. It’s a REALLY loud organ-type instrument that steamboats would have back in the day in order to announce their presence before the Internet. They’d start playing when they got close to a destination, and you can hear…
A Letter from the Collection of Chester “Chet” Foster
Photos of Chet from his collection. Courtesy of the family of Chester Foster. At the end of June, Belle of Louisville Riverboats was gifted an album belonging to one of the first engineers of the Belle era, Chester “Chet” Foster. We were so excited to get the chance to digitize this collection, which spanned fifty…
The Belle is back!
The Belle is Back in Time to Beat the Heat! Louisville’s beloved steamboat returns to the water June 26 for her first cruise of the 2025 season LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 25, 2025) – As temperatures soar across the region, the Belle of Louisville is cruising back just in time to offer a breezy escape on…