Hannibal is the largest city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The community is best known as the boyhood home of author Mark Twain and as the setting of his book "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." This is greatly celebrated in the city and there are many tributes to Twain including the Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse erected during the Great Depression and a number of statues dotted throughout the area

The Quad Cities is a region of four counties in northwest Illinois and Southeastern Iowa. The center cities of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area are Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline in Illinois.

La Crosse is a city in Wisconsin, United States. Lying alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin's western border. It was a town that was originally settled in by French fur traders who would travel up the Mississippi River, Hence the French name, which has remained since the late 17th century. Recognized as a regional technology and medical hub, La Crosse frequently acquires top rankings in health, well-being, quality of life, and education.

Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city. Known as the "Twin Cities," the two form the core of Minneapolis–Saint Paul. Founded near historic Native American settlements as a trading and transportation center, the city rose to prominence when it was named the capital of the Minnesota Territory in 1849.