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Experience northeastern Nebraska at its finest, from its urban centers of Lincoln and Omaha with their many dining, shopping, and lodging opportunities to its small-town charm and down-home hospitality. Enjoy first-class wines, scenic vistas and overlooks, colorful flowers, working farms, and a train excursion through a spectacular country setting. Day 1 Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo offers a number of impressive attractions, such as the world’s largest indoor rainforest, the Desert Dome (including a sand waterfall), Kingdoms of the Night, Hubbard Gorilla Valley, Orangutan Forest, an impressive aquarium, an outstanding big cat collection, an open-air aviary, and a Lozier IMAX Theater. Enjoy a ride high above the zoo on the Skyfari. The historic Old Market District is an eclectic shopping and dining district that features dozens of boutiques, lodging properties, nightclubs, bars, cafés, and upscale restaurants. The arts are alive all through Omaha. The Durham Museum is located in a restored art deco train station and showcases the history of Omaha and the Union Pacific Railroad. Hot Shops Art Center is a 92,000-square-foot facility that houses 44 art studios, three art galleries, exhibition spaces, and a café/coffee shop. Loves Jazz & Arts Center showcases the wonderful history and culture that African Americans have achieved in the arts, music, and humanities through exciting exhibits, workshops, performances, and educational programs. The Joslyn Art Museum is a world-class museum of exquisite works of art from antiquity to the present and features European, American, Western American, American Indian, and Asian art. The museum is especially noted for its collection of American West art and its collection of watercolors and prints by Swiss artist Karl Bodmer. El Museo Latino highlights the important contribution that the Hispanic population has had on the history, culture, and development of Omaha. The 100-acre Lauritzen Gardens includes an arboretum, bird sanctuary, rose and herb gardens, spring flower walk, Victorian and festival gardens, and a woodland trail. The 5,000-square-foot visitor center offers year-round floral displays. Cruise up the scenic Missouri River on the River City Star Riverboat and enjoy live jazz at Rick’s Café Boatyard. The Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters chronicles the hardships the Mormon pioneers who camped in the area faced during the winter of 1846–47. The interpretive center offers films and state-of-the-art exhibits about the Mormons and their trek west. Florence Mill was founded in 1846 as the Mormon Winter Quarters gristmill. The former mill and grain elevator are home to the Winter Quarters Mill Museum and Loft Gallery. West Omaha is home to Father Flanagan’s world-famous Boys Town. Take a tour of the place that Spencer Tracey made famous for portraying Father Flanagan. Stroll through the garden inspired by the Bible and see the world’s largest ball of stamps in the gift shop. A fun activity is Dinner With Father Flanagan, where you can enjoy a traditional family-style dinner while portraying one of the children who lived at Boys Town. Afterward, see the outcome of your child’s life at the Wall of History. The Fontenelle Forest Nature Center in Bellevue shows evidence of diverse American Indian cultures with 70 known sites of Indian lodges and mounds. The forest also boasts more than 1,400 acres of woods, wetlands and waterways, deep ravines, and loess ridges and 17 miles of walking paths. Delicious chuck wagon dinners, year-round events, and picking your own fruit are some of the fun activities you’ll find at the Bellevue Berry Farm and Pumpkin Patch in Papillion. Day 2 Fremont has a great selection of antique shops in its historic downtown district. Climb aboard the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad for a picturesque 16-mile ride through northeast Nebraska in a diesel-powered train. The Fremont Dinner Train provides a full dining and riding experience. Special events include murder mysteries, USO shows, dinner theatre, wine tastings, and seasonal shows. Good times will be had by all as you view eagles while speeding down the Platte River with Bryson’s Airboat Tours. The Apple Barn at Fontenelle Orchard in Nickerson features tree-ripe fruit and homemade pies. Located near Blair, the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge is a great place to view Missouri River wildlife. A premier archaeological display of more than one million artifacts from the steamboat Bertrand, which sank in the Missouri River in 1865, is in the visitor center. Enjoy a glass of full-bodied Nebraska wine and a tour at Tekamah’s two wineries, Silver Hills Vineyards & Winery and Big Cottonwood Vineyards & Winery. Visit Master’s Hand Candle Company for hand-poured, soy candles. Bancroft’s John G. Neihardt State Historical Site provides a fascinating look at an individual who dedicated his entire life to understanding and helping the American Indians. Neihardt’s book, Black Elk Speaks, chronicles many years of interviews with this famous Indian chief. The Winnebago Cultural Center and Museum tells the story of the Winnebago Tribe and its rich cultural and historical heritage. View a majestic bison herd. Spend quality time shopping for handcrafted American Indian products at the Woodland Trails Art Center, a facility centered on the fine arts. Studios give artists settings to demonstrate works such as pottery, painting, drawing, quilting, and beading. Enjoy an impressive show by the Many Moccasins Dance Troupe and a delicious fry bread meal. AllNative.com specializes in American Indian-made and native-themed products such as jewelry, home décor, clothing, books, and videos. The Honoring-the-Clans Sculpture Garden and Cultural Plaza has 12 statues arranged in a circle that each represents one of the Winnebago Tribe’s clans. Day 3 Ponca State Park near Ponca features one of the state’s most comprehensive outdoor and environmental education programs. The park provides plenty of opportunities for you to commune with nature on more than 20 miles of recreational trails. Enjoy a fall hayrack ride or a haunted hayrack ride in October during Hallowfest. Buffalo burgers, Lewis and Clark stew, and fish fries are held in the summer and fall months, and the park comes alive with the sounds of migratory and native songbirds in the spring. The Missouri National Recreational River Resource and Education Center boasts a large interpretive display and exhibit area. Drive to the tri-state overlook along the Missouri River for a phenomenal view of the river and surrounding countryside. The Towers In Time sculpture features relief carvings of the flora and fauna of three time periods in northeast Nebraska. Horseback riding, nature watching, kayaking, and bird watching are some of the fun activities you’ll experience at Turkey Creek Ranch near Newcastle. St. James Marketplace near Wynot is located in a historical schoolhouse and is home to a wonderful farmers’ market, craft fair, and tearoom. A variety of historical exhibits also is on display. The Corps of Discovery Welcome Center in South Yankton affords you a gorgeous view of the Missouri River and the surrounding countryside from the scenic overlook. Interpretive panels recounting the story of Lewis and Clark, an art gallery, and a gift shop of Nebraska-made products are available. Crofton’s Historic Argo Hotel is a great place to spend an afternoon relaxing on the spacious front porch before partaking in a delicious homemade meal. Don’t forget to ask about the Argo Hotel ghost. Visit the Jolene Steffen Studio near Constance. The vividness and quality of Jolene’s art will delight you, and most pieces range from $30 to more than $500. One of Nebraska’s largest lakes, Lewis and Clark Lake is a prime bird-watching area, especially for bald eagles. The Corps of Engineers operates a power generation plant at Gavins Point Dam and the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center. Tours of the power plant are given Memorial Day through Labor Day. Niobrara State Park offers a wide variety of outdoor experiences, such as picnicking, swimming, boating, hiking, fishing, horseback trail riding, and wildlife watching. The J. Alan Cramer Interpretive Center offers an exceptional view of the park and highlights the history and people of the area. The Ponca Earthlodge and Ponca Tribal Museum display the rich culture and heritage of the Ponca Tribe and their influence on the region. The museum includes artifacts from Ponca history, American Indian artwork, tribal archive photographs, and a gift shop of American Indian artwork. The Kreycik Riverview Elk Ranch southwest of Niobrara State Park is a fun place to encounter wildlife close up. Load up into a covered wagon for an enjoyable ride around the picturesque ranch to see majestic elk and bison herds. Hand-feed giant bison as they clamor to the wagon for corn! A gift shop sells a variety of bison-related products, clothing, and food. Experience the history and natural wonders of the Missouri River and follow the same path Lewis and Clark forged more than 200 years ago on the Upper Missouri River Float Trip. Scientists claim that Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park near Royal is one of the richest fossil finds in the northern hemisphere. Millions of years ago, a giant volcano spewed volcanic ash into the area, suffocating thousands of camels, horses, and other prehistoric mammals. The ash encased the animals intact, and today visitors can go to the Rhino Barn to watch staff diligently uncover whole skeletons. Home to one of the few remaining water-powered mills in the state, Neligh Mills State Historical Site in Neligh takes you back to a time when the mill was the center of commerce for many towns. Visit Norfolk’s Elkhorn Valley Historical Museum, where you’ll see a great collection of historic artifacts relating to the area. Displays include memorabilia on Norfolk’s two famous sons, Tonight Show host Johnny Carson and Thural Ravenscroft, the voice of Kellogg’s Tony the Tiger. The Johnny Carson Exhibit includes a large collection of personal items donated to the museum, including videotapes, early boyhood photos, and vintage photos of his stage and radio days as well as many personal items. Carson’s special awards—six Emmy Awards, Kennedy Center Honors Medallion, Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Television Hall of Fame award—are on display. A “Best Of” home theater showing favorite Tonight Show episodes and monologues chosen by Johnny for the museum are part of the collection, including a full-sized, life-like Carson mannequin. The Norfolk Arts Center showcases works by local and regional artists and offers an ever-changing traveling exhibit gallery. Day 4 Clarkson’s world-renowned Bluebird Nursery is one of the largest in the Midwest and ships seeds and plants around the world. The Andrew Jackson Higgins Memorial offers a life-size replica of the Higgins landing craft that he designed and built to help win WWII. Sand samples collected from invasion beaches around the world are mixed with sand surrounding the craft. A bronze eagle statue with a seven-foot wingspan sits atop a steel structure made from material from the 2001 World Trade Center disaster. Columbus boasts one of the best restaurants in Nebraska, Dusters and the Gottberg Brew Pub, which serves delicious, homemade dishes. The Genoa Indian School Museum in Genoa is the site of the former Indian Industrial School, where American Indian youth were housed and educated for assimilation into white society. Tours of the Manual Training Building are available throughout the year. York is best known for Chances “R” Restaurant and Lounge. The “R,” as it is known locally, offers huge portions at reasonable rates and good food made from scratch. If you happen to be in York on a Sunday morning, the “R” offers an outstanding Sunday brunch. Visit Lee’s Legendary Marbles and Collectables, where more than a half-million marbles are on display, including some very rare ones. Browse the shelves of Four Winds Indian Books, the world’s largest American Indian bookstore, where you can learn everything about American Indian arts and crafts, languages, culture, history, lifestyle, tribes, cooking, and clothing. Take a guided tour of Lincoln’s impressive State Capitol building, home of the nation’s only one-house legislative body. It’s Nebraska’s pride and joy and features many outstanding works of art depicting the state’s political and cultural development. Walk through the adjacent Nebraska Governor’s Mansion. Guided tours are available Thursday afternoons. While away some time in Lincoln’s exciting Haymarket District. This historic downtown district offers a wide variety of galleries, restaurants, antique stores, shops, bars, and coffee houses in turn-of-the-century buildings in what was once Lincoln’s warehouse and farmers’ market district. The state’s largest farmers’ market is held there Saturday mornings from May through October. Search for Nebraska-made products at From Nebraska. The University of Nebraska’s two campuses house a number of quality museums. Designed by internationally famous architect Philip Johnson, the Sheldon Museum of Art is an excellent modern art gallery that houses 20th century American art. The Great Plains Art Museum features changing exhibits and collections of Western art. The University of Nebraska State Museum of Natural History features a world-class collection of fossils, American Indian art, folk art, dinosaur exhibits, wildlife dioramas, a hands-on discovery center, and a planetarium. The International Quilt Study Center features 950 quilts from the Ardis and Robert James Collection. It also is home to more than 1,600 quilts from the Robert Cargo Collection of African American Quilts, the Jonathan Holstein Collection, and the Sara Miller Collection of Amish Crib Quilts. Asian culture and history come alive through beautiful exhibitions at the Lentz Center for Asian Culture. The American Historical Society of Germans from Russia Museum preserves the history and culture of Germans who first immigrated to Russia and then to America. The Heritage Center’s exhibits include a summer kitchen, chapel, general store, blacksmith, railroad caboose, and residences. The Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center south of Lincoln includes more than 350 plant species and 170 bird species on more than 600 acres of rare, native tallgrass prairie, springs, wetlands, and ponds. Enjoy a relaxing time sipping a variety of delicious wines at Prime Country Vineyard southwest of Lincoln in Denton. A short drive north of Lincoln takes you to James Arthur Vineyards in Raymond. The winery features a wine tasting room, gift shop, and peaceful hiking trails. Experience life at a certified organic farm at Branched Oak Farm. An on-farm store sells food and products grown on the farm. Route Directions Day 1 Spend the day in Omaha Day 2 From Omaha, 36 miles west on US-275 to Fremont 9 miles north on US-77 to Nickerson 19 miles east on NE-91 to Blair 18 miles north on US-75 to Tekamah 33 miles west on NE-32, north on US-77, west on NE-51 to Bancroft 22 miles east on NE-51, north on US-77 to Winnebago 18 miles north on US-77 to South Sioux City Day 3 From South Sioux City, 21 miles west on NE-12 to Ponca 11 miles west on NE-12 to Newcastle 18 miles west on NE-12 to Wynot 21 miles west on NE-12, north on US-81 to South Yankton 13 miles south on US-81, west on NE-12 to Crofton 28 miles west on NE-12 to Niobrara 35 miles south on NE-14, west on US-20 to Royal 21 miles east on US-20, south on NE-14 to Neligh 35 miles east on US-275 to Norfolk Day 4 From Norfolk, 44 miles east on NE-24, south on NE-15, west on NE-91 to Clarkson 41 miles west on NE-91, south on US-81 to Columbus 22 miles north on US-81, west on NE-22 to Genoa 46 miles south on NE-39, south on US-81 to York 54 miles south on US-81, east on I-80 to Lincoln |
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