Best Things to Do in Omaha, Nebraska

Omaha, Nebraska is synonymous with middle-America, cornfields, and Cornhusker Football. It is also one of the most pleasant and surprising cities in the United States. In this article we’ll discuss all the fun and interesting things to do in Omaha, Nebraska.

When you think of Omaha you might think of… hell, what do you think of? Corn. Steak. Warren Buffett? What you might not think about is the clean and inviting city full of parks and historical districts that makes Omaha, Nebraska so amazing.

The city of Omaha is super accessible and endlessly walkable, so when you come to town put on your street hikers. The majority of the things we’ll mention in this article can be safely accessed on foot from a downtown hotel, which is a truly remarkable for a city.

There are enough fun things to see and do in Omaha, Nebraska to keep yourselves busy for a week or longer.

We think you’re gonna love Omaha if you give it a chance.

Fun Facts About Omaha

Omaha, Nebraska is found 220 miles from the geographic center of the United States. The geographic center of the United States is in north-central Kansas right next to nothing whatsoever.

Omaha is the birthplace of the reuben sandwich, the TV dinner, Marlon Brando, and Malcolm X.

Four Fortune-500 Companies are found in Omaha: Berkshire Hathaway, Mutual of Omaha Insurance, the Union Pacific Railroad, and the Kiewit Company.

The best zoo in the country is found here in Omaha. More on that later.

One of the worlds wealthiest men, Warren Buffet, lives here. Mr. Buffett owns 400M shares of Coca-Cola stock, 300M shares of Apple, and over 700M shares of Bank of America. Most of us are blessed if we own our own car.

The College World Series is held in Omaha every June.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is Omaha, Nebraska worth visiting?

Absolutely. Nothing here will change your life, yet you’ll quickly find there are an abundance of fun and pleasant things to do in Omaha and the city is clean and uncrowded.

How Long Should You Plan on Visiting Omaha, Nebraska?

We think 4-5 days would be enough time to see the highlights. Obviously if you’re a baseball fan you could stay much longer for the College World Series.

Is Omaha, Nebraska affordable to visit?

Yes, very affordable. Hotels are reasonably priced. Restaurants are less expensive than large US cities. Attractions aren’t out to gouge you. This is the mid-west — It’s good out here.

The 14 Best Things to Do in Omaha, Nebraska

The following are what we believe to be the best things to do in Omaha, Nebraska. We hope you enjoy and are inspired to visit this classic American town.

Must Do: Fun Things to Do in Omaha, Nebraska

Must-Do attractions are typically the reason we’ve decided to visit.

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium

Many consider Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium to be the best zoo in the United States. This is no small accomplishment for beef and corn country.

“The Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo is not the largest zoo in terms of land area. However, it is among the most comprehensive and renowned zoos globally due to its extensive and diverse animal exhibits and world-class facilities.” That is according to their website.

According to this guy and his family, the zoo stacks up favorably to the San Diego Zoo, which was our favorite zoo in the country up until now. It really is an awesome zoo. Several of their exhibits were the by far the best we’ve ever seen, and therefore we see no reason to dispute them on their claim to be America’s Best Zoo.

The Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is also home to the world’s largest desert dome, an 84,000 sq. ft. biosphere with two levels of exhibits. Impressively, it is open year-round, and maintained at a comfortable 75-degrees during Omaha’s winter months.

Highlights of the Henry Doorly Zoo: The Lied Jungle; Hubbard Gorilla Valley; the Giraffe Complex; Expedition Madagascar; Simmons Aviary; and the Desert Dome. Each of these sections are superlative by comparison to other zoo’s around the United States.

One Small Piece of Advice: Don’t waste your time or money on the train ride. It is short in duration, the views aren’t good, and we could barely hear the conductor’s spiel.

Zoo Admission is reasonable: $20 for adults; $19 for seniors; $14 for kids. A two-day adult pass is $30 and $21 for kids. You could absolutely spend two days at the Doorly Zoo in Omaha.

Related Article: Best things to do in Kansas City

Old Town

Omaha’s Old Town is registered as a Historic District on the National Registrar. The buildings served a variety of purposes and were built primarily during the late-1800’s and early 1900’s.

For today’s citizen the Old Town provides an eclectic marketplace of shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues.

Even if you don’t spend a penny, the Omaha Old Town offers a pleasing atmosphere highlighted by brick-paved streets, historic buildings, flower arrangements, curious storefronts, and an assortment of people to watch. Old Town is the beating heart of Omaha.

Riverfront Heartland of America Park

Perfectly placed between Old Town and the Missouri River, the Riverfront Heartland of America Park is another fabulous installment in the city of Omaha.

Here you’ll find everything from skating rinks to sculptures, river views and train yards, fabulous fountains, gardens and playgrounds, and a multitude of lounger-lined pathways for both the athletic and the apathetic. We cannot imagine a trip to Omaha that didn’t include this 31-acre park.

If you love to travel, we have something we would like to give you. It is our professionally designed e-book and it is FREE of charge. We think it’s pretty great, and we’re hopeful you’ll like it, too. It’s called, “Cultivating a Lifetime of Travel”. Click HERE. and we’ll send it on over!

Should Do: Fun Things to Do in Omaha

Should-Do attractions receive a strong recommend.

Joslyn Art Museum

The Joslyn Art Museum is another beautiful, world-class facility in Omaha, Nebraska, playing host to a pleasing collection of works from Ancient Egypt to Modern Art.

Artwork notwithstanding, the museum is further embellished with architectural touches that exceed regional peers in Kansas City and Saint Louis, which is no small feat, which makes Joslyn Art Museum one of the most lovely and interesting art museums in the mid-western United States.

Lauritzen Gardens

What started as a series of five small gardens in 1995 has grown over the past two decades to more than 20-themed gardens in the now expansive 100-acre public botanic in the heart of downtown Omaha, Nebraska.

Lauritzen Gardens is still young, yet growing fast, with three-miles of trails and opportunity for new gardens to be added all throughout the striking facility. The gardens are open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM, but are open until 8 PM during Garden Twilight from May to September. Admission is $15 for adults and $9 for children ages 3-12.

Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge

This funky foot-bridge on the north side of downtown connects Omaha with the cross-state rival of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Built in 2006, the bridge was named after Senator Bob Kerrey who secured 18M in federal funding to cover most of the 22M construction cost.

Locals have integrated the 3,000′ span into their exercise routines, and tourists gleefully stroll back and forth across the state line because the bridge looks so interesting people want to put their feet on it. Or it could be the casino on the other side.

Durham Museum

For anyone who wants to educate themselves on the history of Omaha, Nebraska, the best place in town to do so is the Durham Museum. The facility is based in the refurbished Omaha Union Station, which as you can see, is a beautiful venue.

At the Durham Museum you can learn about and walk through the old trains that were the lifeblood of old-time Omaha. Also featured are early Omaha industries like the stockyards, the personalities that built Omaha into a powerful city, an invaluable coin collection, natural and scientific regional artifacts, and the forgotten worlds fair of 1898, known as the trans-Mississippi Exposition.

Pioneer Courage Park

Amidst the skyscrapers in downtown Omaha is a picturesque art-installation that spans several city blocks known as Pioneer Courage Park. The statues begin around 14th and Capitol Avenue, but you’ll need to peel your eyes to follow them around town.

While it doesn’t specifically state the Mormon Pioneer westward migration is the subject of the larger-than-life bronze statues, two of the artists are from Salt Lake City. Otherwise it is a tribute to the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail that runs through Omaha.

An easy way to spend an hour of your visit to Omaha is to follow the wagon train and handcart companies as they endure river crossings, encounter native Americans, and ultimately find bison and other beasties lounging around the business parks of central downtown.

Related Article: Complete guide to Topeka, Kansas

Gene Leahy Mall at the Riverfront

In the mix with Downtown Omaha, Old Town, and the Riverside Heartland Park is the the Gene Leahy Mall (not to be confused with the shopping sort of mall).

The Gene Leahy Mall is a downtown park featuring a pavilion, a sculpture garden, a dog park, and a crowd-pleasing playground with epic slides and interactive water features. This is an easy place to spend some time with the kids or unpack a lunch.

Winter Quarters

When the Mormon Pioneers headed west for the first time they reached the Council Bluffs area in the Autumn of 1846. Rather than push onward into winter, in the short span of a few months the company constructed 700 homes and hunkered down for some terribly cold weather. It was an instant city referred to as Winter Quarters.

Today the LDS Church has established a Temple and Visitor Center near the site of the old cemetery established so many winters ago. Take a few minutes, or hours, to peruse the Visitor Center and learn about this incredible chapter in US history. The story of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, AKA the Mormons, is a story that isn’t told nearly enough.

Could Do: Best Things to Do in Omaha, Nebraska

Could-Do attractions are worthwhile, but come without a strong recommend.

Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail Headquarters

The Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled, camped, hunted and fished, and held council with Indian Chiefs in this area of the middle Missouri. The Omaha Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Visitor Center commemorates this journey.

Visitors are welcome to meet with Park Rangers to learn more about Lewis and Clark history or to gather information for planning their next stop on their own journey along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Be sure to watch the movie as it can stir the soul (or something like that).

Related Article: How to Visit Toadstool Geologic Park, Nebraska

Clio — Fun Things to do in Omaha, Nebraska

If you’re looking to catch an unforgettable meal in the town of Omaha, Nebraska, we give a strong recommend to Clio, a modern Mediterranean restaurant in Old Town with delicious, unforgettable food and a lovely ambiance.

The offerings range from housemade spreads like Hummus with roasted garlic and olive oil, Muhammara with piquillo pepper, and walnut, to mezze such as Merquez Sausage Stuffed Dates and Turkish Dumplings. Here is a link to their MENU.

If you’re looking for a culinary adventure, here you go.

Fairmont Mercantile / Hollywood Candy

Old Town Omaha has a lot of interesting shops. Perhaps none more interesting than the Hollywood Candy / Fairmont Mercantile variety shop on the corner of 12th and Jackson.

We can’t really prepare you for what you’ll encounter inside, but you can safely expect a wide-assortment of cancy, cardboard cutouts of famous people, a variety of collections that span the imagination, and random Americana that can spellbind for hours.

Home of the NCAA Men’s College Baseball World Series

Since 1950, the College World Series has been played in Omaha, Nebraska every June. In this hallowed tournament the top 64 Division I College baseball teams compete for the coveted national championship. Charles Schwab Field is not just a one-trick pony — the Big Ten Conference holds their championship games here, as well as the National High School Championships.

Baseball nuts need apply. There are many activities and a large selection of souvenirs.

Other Fun Things to Do in Omaha, Nebraska

Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts: Another art museum in Omaha.

Joslyn Castle and Gardens: The home of a wealthy and influential Omaha family.

Kiewit Luminarium: A Science Museum for kids and adults alike.

An Honest Conclusion: Things to Do in Omaha, Nebraska

We’ve been to Omaha three times in the past six months and could stand to make another visit. There is something incredibly likable about the town — the vibe is good, the people seem friendly, there’s plenty to do, and everywhere looks clean and feels safe.

Some US cities surprise us and Omaha is a leader in that category. We’ve had similar impressions in mid-western cities like Kansas City, Saint Louis, Milwaukee, and Memphis.

There’s nothing flashy here. No National Parks or dramatic mountains. No perfect beaches or impossible neon skylines. The closest thing to a landmark would be the Henry Doorly Zoo, so…

A one-day trip would have to include the Henry Doorly Zoo followed by an Old Town and Waterfront Park walkabout. This would absolutely wipe you out due to all the walking, and absolutely would be best spent as two separate days (with perhaps a trip to the Joslyn or Durham museum in the mix).

With additional time we would recommend diving into another museum like the Joslyn, Durham, or Winter Quarters, a stroll across the Bob Kerrey Bridge, a visit to Lauritzen Gardens, or whatever else puts your bird in the sky.

You can’t go wrong here with the right set of expectations. We really hope you love Omaha as much as we do! If you don’t, well, put it in the comments. We’re always happy to debate you.

Thank you for stopping by our website! We are the Hoffmann family, a full-time RV family that has split residence in Seattle, Washington and San Antonio, Texas. We have special needs children that we homeschool, and work travel assignments for the Veteran Affairs Hospital. If you would like to learn more about us, check out our Start Here and Biography pages. In the meantime, God bless and travel happy!

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