Nebraska is a mostly rural state in the Great Plains region of the United States. Corn fields and cattle farms dominate much of the state's 93 counties. The state's two metropolises are within an hour of each other on the state's eastern border. Those two cities, Lincoln and Omaha, are home to the best vacation spots in Nebraska.
Nebraska's largest city, Omaha, has many amenities to offer vacationers. The city has a vibrant arts community, and is home to an array of art galleries downtown, including the Kaneko Studio, the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts and the Joslyn Art Museum. Omaha's downtown Old Market offers vintage thrift stores, independent high-fashion outlets and several fine and casual dining restaurants in converted warehouse lofts. Horse and carriage rides carry tourists through the Old Market's cobblestone streets.
The Durham Western Heritage Museum and the Omaha Children's Museum are popular destinations for Omaha visitors. The Orpheum Theater and Holland Performing Arts Center bring Broadway productions to the city, and the nearby Qwest Center provides big-box live entertainment. The city also features a world-class zoo, which draws millions of tourists each year.
Omaha Convention & Visitors Bureau
1001 Farnam St.
Omaha, NE 68102
402-444-4660
Lincoln is Nebraska's state capital, and is home to the state's flagship University of Nebraska campus. A bustling college town, Lincoln offers an array of restaurants and bars in its downtown Haymarket district, and a number of art galleries, including the Lux Center for the Arts and the Sheldon Museum of Art. The city also features the world-class Lied Center for Performing Arts and the Johnny Carson Theater, named for the famed comic, a Nebraska native. Lincoln is also home to several museums, including the Frank H. Woods Telephone Pioneer Museum, a collection of antique wooden wall telephones and 1960s retro devices; the National Museum of Roller Skating, the largest collection of roller skates in the country; and the International Quilt Study Center & Museum, the largest quilt collection in the world.
Visitors who travel to Lincoln in the fall should be prepared for a sea of red on Husker game day. The city practically shuts down for Nebraska football.
Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau
1135 M St., Suite 300
Lincoln, NE 68501
402-434-5335
lincoln.org
Situated between the two cities of Lincoln and Omaha, Mahoney State Park is one of Nebraska's best vacation spots. A half hour from either city, Mahoney Park is a scenic locale with secluded log cabins along the Platte River.
Water slides, miniature golf, tennis and basketball courts, fishing lakes, horseback trail rides, a 70-foot observation tower and nature conservatory are provided in the park.
Nearby, the Strategic Air and Space Museum features aircraft and space exhibits, and the Quarry Oaks and Iron Horse Golf Clubs provide luxurious golf facilities.
Eugene T. Mahoney State Park
28500 W. Park Hwy.
Ashland, NE 68003
402-944-2523
www.ngpc.state.ne.us
