Things to do & places to visit in Nebraska, United States

Nebraska has something for everyone. From cowboys to wine industry, you’ll find many attractions when you visit this Great Plains state. If you are planning a family vacation to Nebraska, you won’t want to miss the Lincoln Children's Zoo in the state capital. Featuring more than 400 animals, you and the kids can see Amur leopards, Bactrian camels, river otters, eagles, crocodiles, reindeer, and more. At the zoo’s Butterfly Pavilion you can watch as butterflies emerge from their cocoon. The Aquacourt Family Water Park in Hastings features a wave pool, climbing wall and waterslides. In Omaha, Nebraska’s largest city, you won’t want to miss the Omaha Children's Museum. For history buffs, Lincoln is your place. This city is home to the Nebraska History Museum, with permanent exhibits that interpret more than 12,000 years of human experience on the Plains. You can make history personal in Lincoln with a visit to the Nebraska State Historical Society Headquarters, where you can research your family history. Omaha is also home to The Durham Museum, featuring restored train cars, 1940's storefronts and other historical artifacts. For a bit of Nebraska heritage, make sure you visit Front Street and Cowboy Museum in Ogallala and the Tri-State Old Time Cowboys Memorial Museum in Gordon. Learn about the area’s wine industry and history on a Nebraska Cork & Bottle Tour through Raymond, Pawnee City, Lexington and St. Paul, sampling fine wines and taking in the scenic views.

Nebraska #49 destination in United States 2023. The average rating score is 4.47 based on 38.6k traveler reviews, of 779 attractions. Timezone: America/Chicago, current date and time: Friday, April 26, 2024, 4:23.

Top things to do (30)

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Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Museum of American Speed (525 reviews)
- Excellent museuyun Lincoln
Friday: 12:00 PM - 4:30 PM Spent 2-3 hours Speciality Museums

The museum is incredibly well layed out and speaks to the history of racing. The amount of engines on display along with the various speed equipment really helps you understand this aspect of history. The 3 floors are filled with a wonderful assortment of items and there’s something for everyone. Would absolutely recommend stopping as it tells the story of automotive history. See more..
5.0 Escape Room (240 reviews)
- Vesper #1 Game Master
Friday: 12:00 PM - 11:30 PM Spent 1-2 hours Escape Games

The Lincoln Escape Room is a physical adventure game in which people are locked in a room with friends, family, or complete strangers and have to use elements of the room to solve a series of puzzles, find clues, and escape the room within a set time limit. See more..
5.0 Classic Car Collection (208 reviews)
- We will be back
Friday: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums

This collection of over 200 cars represents one man's 41-year love affair with the automobile. It also represents America's love affair and fascination with automobiles and the evolution of our society around the world of wheels. You'll see a variety of body types and styles. You'll enjoy the incredible detail crafted into many of these vehicles - artistic hood ornaments, instrument gauge panels, wheel styles and headlights. Coordinated together to tell their own stories and help us track the evolution of the model and of the age of automobiles. IPads are provided free of charge to give you additional photographs of the vehicle's details - some not able to be seen by the public as well as more information about the vehicles. This attraction is more than just automobiles. It features artistic displays, interactive multi-media shows and models. See more..
5.0 Audubon Rowe Sanctuary (197 reviews)
- A Great Wildlife Experience
Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas

Conserving habitat along the Platte River focusing on Sandhill cranes, other wildlife and their habitats. Rowe sanctuary offers hiking trails, a visitor center, and gift shop. Seasonally, we offer viewing blinds which are strategically placed along the Platte River to provide excellent views of the Sandhill Cranes while they are on their river roost. See more..
5.0 TreeRush Adventures at Fontenelle Forest (192 reviews)
- Treerush Family Activity
Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Zipline & Aerial Adventure Parks

Our family had a wonderful time at Treerush. The courses had different challenges for different abilities and you had a guide to ask questions with. The course for the 4 to 6 year olds was a great way for beginners to learn how to climb and complete obstacles safely and build their confidence. See more..
4.5 Henry Doorly Zoo (5.942 reviews)
- What an experience!
Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Theaters • Zoos • Aquariums

This world-class zoo is famous for its involvement with breeding endangered species from around the world. See more..
4.5 Old Market (2.564 reviews)
- An Eclectic Delight!
Neighborhoods

Omaha preserves its historic place in time in this historic section of town where visitors can stroll along the cobbled streets and explore the many preserved buildings. See more..
4.5 Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge (1.465 reviews)
- Impressive structure
Bridges

We had a little time to kill so checked out the Pedestrian Bridge as a potential place to take family in the future. It was beastly hot so not as enjoyable as it could be. The bridge is impressive, even during the daylight. We will try it at night sometime to see the lights. From the bridge we saw an assortment of animal tracks as well as some birds (including the Green Heron). It was a leisurely walk, pausing to take pictures of the grandkids sitting half in Iowa and half in Nebraska. The bridge actually moves and the cables visibly vibrate in the wind. The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Headquarters and Visitor Center, at the base of the bridge in Omaha, is also excellent. See more..
4.5 The Durham Museum (1.213 reviews)
- Totally worth it!
Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours History Museums

Beautiful architecture blends with memories of a time gone by at the historic Durham Museum. Opened in 1931, Union Station was built by Union Pacific Railroad as the showpiece to the city of its headquarters. Considered one of Omaha’s most unique treasures, and now an official National Historic Landmark, the station is one of the best examples of art deco architecture in the country. The Durham Museum offers unique, hands-on learning for people of all ages. Enjoy an extraordinary array of permanent exhibits including restored train cars, 1940’s storefronts, HO Model trains, numerous artifacts showing the history of the region and the Byron Reed collection, which includes some of the world’s rarest coins and documents. During your stay be sure to stop by the authentic soda fountain and enjoy a phosphate or malt. See more..
4.5 Lauritzen Gardens Omaha's Botanical Center (1.137 reviews)
- Several Gardens to enjoy
Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Gardens

We were in town for a wedding and decided to visit these gardens as they came highly recommended to us. Luckily, we went early, as it was very hot the day we were there. There is a lot of construction happening at the gardens, so they have decided to offer the shuttle as a free service as it is the only way to actually get to the center gardens. There were quite a variety of gardens to enjoy, my favorite being the Railroad Gardens: six hobby train lines nestled among the trees. Quite unique. But they only run the trains in the summer, I was told. The Conservatory is filled with some unique plants and beautiful fountains, and well worth walking through. There is a reasonably priced cafe inside the visitor center. See more..
4.5 Joslyn Art Museum (900 reviews)
- Beautiful, fun for little ones
Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Art Museums

Beautiful and fun, from the outdoor space to inside. Our kids (1 and 5) as well as s enjoyed it very mischievous. Our favorite is the lower level art interactive room, very thoughtful and fun activities, some even 1 yr-old can engage, made us very happy. Also very good in preventing COVID, such as requiring hand-sanitizer before entering the room of interaction and having a staff sanitizing there all the time See more..
4.5 Nebraska State Capitol (864 reviews)
- Magnificent State Capitol
Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Government Buildings

Beautiful mosaic ceilings and floors, paintings and sculptures inside the 400-foot high capitol building are as impressive as its marble, bronze and gold leaf exterior and white tower topped by a bronze statue. Free guided tours are available. See more..
4.5 Great Platte River Road Archway Monument (822 reviews) from $15.00
- Unique history museum
Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Observation Decks & Towers • Monuments & Statues • History Museums

Spanning I-80 at Exit 275 in Kearney, NE, the Archway's unique, family-friendly experience tells the story of the adventurers who followed the Great Platte River Road across Nebraska and helped to build America. Spend about an hour or more in our historical exhibit. Our personal audio guide lets you set the pace. Walk with the pioneers on the Oregon Trail. Watch a rider make a stop at a Pony Express Station. Hear Mark Twain's account of a cross-country stagecoach trip. Relive the creation the nation's first Transcontinental Railroad. Hear stories of early auto travel on the Lincoln Highway. Watch traffic pass below you on I-80. Then, see the replica sod house. Stretch your legs on our hike/bike trail. Picnic on the Archway grounds. Discover unique souvenirs at the Archway Mining Company. Make the Archway part of your family's travel adventure. See more..
4.5 Sunken Gardens (757 reviews)
- Very Nice Gardens!
Friday: 6:00 AM - 11:00 PM Gardens

We (myself and my grandparents) visited the garden at the end of September. It was a really great stop on our road trip especially since it was free! We wandered the gardens for 30-45 minutes. There’s so much to look at! We also really enjoyed the two koi ponds. If you have some time or need a quick stop on your road trip this is a great place to stretch your legs. Although this might not be the best stop if you’re bringing small kids as there are some nude statues in the garden. See more..
4.5 Carhenge (648 reviews)
- A fun stop
Friday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent < 1 hour Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues

Replica of Stonehenge that is created from old automobiles. Pit Stop Gift Shop is open during the summer, merchandise available in town at the Knight Museum in the winter. See more..
4.5 Scotts Bluff National Monument (627 reviews)
- Worth the short drive.
Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours National Parks

I definitely recommend visiting here if you're near. The short drive from I80 or from the routes north to the Black Hills are well worth it, and the park itself is beautiful and easy to enjoy. It's also free. You can see/do a lot in a relatively short amount of time. Super nice visitor center with great museum and very nice staff. The drive to the top on the narrow road provides ever changing views of the surrounding landscapes. At the top, there is a parking area with nice views and two short trails if you wish to stretch your legs: South View (1/8 mile), North View (1/2 mile). Both trails are paved with great views and info exhibits. You can also take the trail down to the visitor center from here (1.6 miles). Views from the top are spectacular. Look down on the town of Gering and follow in your mind the old Oregon Trail all the way to Chimney Rock over 20 miles away. We were here late in the day so the colors were awesome. See more..
4.5 Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center (573 reviews)
- Glad we stopped!
Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Visitor Centers

We weren’t going to stop here but after seeing a brochure that had pictures of the tower we decided to make a stop. I’m glad we did. The visitor center had a short film that you could watch as well as coffee and snacks for visitors. Once you’re done with the film you can then take the elevators to the top. We went to the 8th floor that’s fully enclosed first. On that floor there was a lot of information and items that were related to the towers history, the history of trains, and the history of the railroad. It was very interesting, even for people who aren’t train fanatics. There were also view finders in the tower but you can only use them if you have some quarters. The top floor is also staffed with volunteers that will discuss the railroad yard, there experiences working here or working on trains, or other related topics. Next we went to the 7th floor which is an open air deck. From here you can see the yard and also hear what’s going on. There were also view finders on this deck as well as picnic tables. Another highlight of this stop was the exhibits and film related to the orphan trains that traveled through the area. If you’re in the area this is a pretty great place to stop. You can stay for a while or for 30-45 minutes. See more..
4.5 Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum (540 reviews)
- A must see for aircraft lovers
Friday: 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Speciality Museums

The Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum is home to one of the largest collections of Cold War aircraft and artifacts in the U.S. The Museum preserves and displays historic aircraft, missiles, and space vehicles and provides STEM education. The Museum is a 300,000-square-foot facility that features a glass atrium, two aircraft display hangars, a traveling exhibit area, a children's interactive gallery, a 200-seat theater, a museum store, an aircraft restoration gallery, and a cafe. The glass atrium is constructed of 525 glass panels that encase a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. The Museum hosts regular exhibitions and several special events throughout the year. The Museum's Education Department is committed to fueling the curiosity of children across the Midwest and to educating them in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Regular STEM sessions, workshops and camp programs are available at the Museum. See more..
4.5 Memorial Stadium (520 reviews)
- Game day
Friday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM Arenas & Stadiums

I love the attitude at the stadium. Everyone is so proud of their Nebraska Cornhusker Football! They keep the crowd involved in the game especially when we get a touchdown. The red balloons float into the sky with the first touchdown. The crowd chants for the Husker team. We sat in club seating. It was so much more comfortable than the regular bleacher seats. We had a stadium seat to sit in. We could go inside to get food, use the restroom and stay out of the sun. See more..
4.5 Omaha Children's Museum (495 reviews)
- Little Kids loved it
Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Children's Museums

Omaha Children's Museum is a hands-on museum that provides an ever-changing series of interactive traveling and permanent exhibits, science shows, and special events. It's Nebraska most-visited museum, and serves families with children primarily ages 8 and younger. Permanent exhibits include the Imagination Playground, a science center, Arts Smart Center, Zooland, Susie's Station, and the Grass Patch. Omaha Children's Museum is a member of the Association of Science -Technology Centers. Parking is free in the two lots south of the museum building. Parking on the weekends is free at the elementary school across St. Mary Avenue. There is also meter parking along the street. See more..
4.5 Lincoln Children's Zoo (360 reviews)
- Fantastic little zoo!
Zoos

Lincoln Children's Zoo is rated among the best zoos for children by Parent Magazine and is home to over 400 animals, including the world's smallest monkeys (pygmy marmosets), ring-tailed lemurs, dromedary camels, red pandas, meerkats, and more!. Over 40 of our animals are endangered, including the Humboldt Penguin, Amur leopard and Matschie's tree kangaroo. Featuring interactive Zoofari stations with Larry the Cable Guy, up-close animal encounters and the historic ZO&O Railroad, the Zoo is the perfect destination for the entire family. Lincoln Children's Zoo's mission is "to enrich lives through firsthand interaction with living things." See more..
4.5 CHI Health Center (356 reviews)
- great sports venue
Friday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Convention Centers

Attended the 2022 NCAA Women's Volleyball Final Four. State of the art arena and facility: a great venue in a small city. Plenty of parking, downtown location, not far from hotels, restaurants. The center itself is commodious, modern, neat as can be. Arena seats are actually comfortable, important to me since I have a bad back. Concessions and restrooms are close-by: the latter are very clean. I can't speak to the food, but the popcorn was good. The staff is friendly and helpful, taking the initiative and asking if they can be of assistance. I'd been there a couple times before for a show, but this was the first time for a sports event. The only thing I didn't like was all the techno-pop music between every serve. Ear-shatteringly loud & unnecessary. Let the school bands play. Isn't that why they are there? But overall a great experience for any college volleyball fan! See more..
4.5 Pioneer Village (304 reviews)
- Impressive collection in a small town
Friday: 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM Spent More than 3 hours Speciality Museums • History Museums

One of Nebraska's leading attractions, the Harold Warp Pioneer Village is a short 10-minute drive south of I-80 exit 279. The Pioneer Village is often described as the "Smithsonian of the Plains". Visitors from around the world use "Fantastic" "A wonderful American Treasure" "Amazing" and "Remarkable" to describe the 50,000 items in 26 buildings within the 20 acre museum. Exhibits are arranged in chronological order of development to vividly portray how America grew from the open hearth and grease lamps to supersonic speed and cell phones. You will find wagons, buggies, guns, trains, 350 antique automobiles, 100 tractors, 20 historic aircraft, Rogers' Statuary, clothing, glass and china, Historic Buildings and more. It is a great family destination and includes a motel and campground. If you stay with us in our motel or campground, we will give you one complementary adult admission to the museum with each room or campsite rented. The museum is open year round. See more..
4.5 Charles Schwab Field Omaha (298 reviews)
- Gorgeous Ballpark
Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Arenas & Stadiums

We attended the 2021 College World Series and sat on the Club Level, section 211. The outdoor seats were wide and comfy. For a day game in Club 211 try to sit in the last two rows if you want to be in the shade by 2 pm. The bar and air conditioning in the Club were very good. A modest cup of Kendall Jackson was $9 and an enormous Diet Pepsi in a CWS cup was $4.50. We shared a taco bowl salad with smoked (pulled) chicken for $14, and it was very good except for the pasty-tasting shell itself. The staff was unfailingly polite and helpful. The ballpark, about 10 years old now, is a beauty. Great venue. See more..
4.5 Heartland of America Park (289 reviews)
- Awesome park, cool fountain, nice views!
Parks

This 31-acre park runs through the heart of Omaha along the Missouri River. See more..
4.5 Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center (279 reviews)
- Fabulous Place - Please Support!
Friday: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Visitor Centers

Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center is the public face of the Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust. We are a nonprofit whose mission is to protect and maintain the physical, hydrological and biological integrity of the Big Bend area of the Platte River so that it continues to function as a life support system for whooping cranes, sandhill cranes and other migratory bird species. The Nature & Visitor Center has over 10 miles of walking trails, a 35-foot observation tower, a bison herd, art gallery, gift shop, and informational exhibits. We also offer tourism information for the state of Nebraska. During the spring crane migration, we offer viewing blind tours to see cranes up close on their river roosts and driving maps of the area so visitors can see the cranes while they are in the fields feeding. See more..
4.5 Union Pacific Railroad Bailey Yard (278 reviews)
- Worth the trip
Historic Sites

So much information about the trains and the yard itself. The intricate dance to form multiple outbound trains from the inbound trains is mind blowing. I work in transportation and to see this is in action from up high is fun. Worth the trip. See more..
4.5 Fort Robinson State Park (275 reviews)
- A Great Stop on the Prairie
State Parks

This is an excellent state park with plenty of Western history, especially of the US cavalry and the native American tribes of the region. Markers note the location of the original fort and many buildings of the later installation remain, some being used as museums or cabins. There are some good trails on the edge of the park; we hiked up the ridges to the north for great views of the fort. Its in the middle of nowhere but a great stop to seek out. See more..
4.5 Lincoln Children's Museum (266 reviews)
- Love this place.
Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Children's Museums

The Lincoln Children's Museum invites families to create, discover and learn through the power of play. Offering three floors and 23,300 square feet of hands-on exhibits and imaginative programs that allow children and adults to discover the adventure of learning through play together. See more..
4.5 Lee G. Simmons Conservation Park and Wildlife Safari (265 reviews)
- Native animals up close
Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas • Zoos

Drive-through adventure zoo's road leads visitors through several different 'lands' featuring Sandhill Cranes, antelope, deer and a large buffalo herd. Most of the animals freely roam this corner of the county. All can be seen from visitors' cars, but Wolf Woods section requires a short walk. The interactive nature exhibits can be explored hile out of the car. See more..