2018-12-19 00:37:49
PLAY LIKE PIONEERS, WITHOUT ALL THE HARDSHIPS.
Bring the kids to experience pioneer life, wildlife, state parks, water parks, fossil beds or the joy of floating down a river in a livestock tank. Finding fun was never so easy.
PLAY PIONEER
Discover adventure on the wide-open plains.
Start at Scotts Bluff National Monument in Gering by becoming a Junior Ranger. To earn a Junior Ranger badge, kids are challenged to explore the site’s prairies and bluffs like early pioneers, complete an activity booklet and take an oath to protect our country’s parks.
Want to keep their pioneering spirits high? Visit the Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters in Omaha to learn the story of the Latter-day Saint pioneers’ Western migration. Consider a free guided tour as you watch films, enjoy interactive exhibits and view a primitive log cabin and covered wagon. Explore more of the historic pioneer settlement by visiting the Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple or Mormon Pioneer Cemetery.
In Kearney, a giant arch spanning Interstate 80 tells the story of adventurers who traveled the Great Platte River Road through Nebraska. The Archway is filled with displays and dioramas so life-like, you’ll feel transported back in time. Watch a Pony Express rider switch horses, a buffalo stampede, ’49ers on their way to the California gold fields and more at the attraction’s interactive exhibits.
You can almost feel the fire and grit of the pioneering spirit at Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer in Grand Island. Explore this complex of buildings to discover collections of Native American and Old West memorabilia, teepee replicas, bison that lived and grazed on the land, train cars from the 1800s and more. History buffs will be pleased and kids and adults alike will enjoy the opportunities to get hands-on.
Step up to the bar at the Crystal Palace Saloon and order a drink—pink lemonade and milkshakes for the kids; maybe something stronger for the adults. You’re in for an Old West shootout and show resurrecting the days when Ogallala was a rough-andtumble town full of cowhands, cattle barons and drifters—and the Crystal Palace was at the center of it all.
GO ON SAFARI
Ready to take a family walk on the wild side?
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is a top stop. The “world’s best zoo,” as awarded by TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice, invites visitors to dip their hands into a touch tank, meet keepers and observe sea lion training and penguin feedings.
More than 400 animals live at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, from red pandas and blue death-feigning beetles to endangered species, including snow leopards and the tree kangaroo. Experiences are hands-on and designed with kids in mind, though adults are in for smiles too (especially when feeding designated animals). Take home a masterpiece painted by one of the zoo’s inhabitants using its paws, claws, hooves or beak—and non-toxic paint, naturally!
In North Platte, make new friends at Dusty Trails’ petting zoo, then ask about trail rides. The outfitter guides horseback trips through the Buffalo Bill Ranch State Recreation Area, winding through the historic ranch past shrubs, trees and the North Platte River.
MAKE A SPLASH IN THE CITY
When temperatures heat up, cool down poolside.
Island Oasis Waterpark in Grand Island is full of thrills. Hurtle down one of the six-story-tall slides or brave the wave pool. Those looking for a little relaxation can float the day away in the lazy river. Little ones can get in on the action in the children’s area.
Pawnee Plunge in Columbus packs a full day of water features into its park. Swim, dive and fly down huge water slides including a swirl bowl, tube and speed slide. Toddlers can play pirate on an interactive ship. And everyone loves surfing on the watery jets of the FlowRider.
Bring your towel and maybe a change of clothes when you visit the Omaha Children’s Museum: Kids love Sandy’s Splish-Splash Garden onsite. Anticipate giggles of delight as kids play in the gentle spouts of water.
MAKE A SPLASH IN NATURE
Just add splash to Nebraska’s lakes and rivers.
Start on the Niobrara National Scenic River, lined with trees and wildflowers. Just grab a tube from Little Outlaw in Valentine and float! The slow-flowing water and pretty scenery create an ideal setting for making family memories.
On the Platte River, check into Bryson’s Airboat Tours. These Fremont-based captains can seemingly fly over the water or chart a slow ride for maximum animal-viewing. On these rides, the boat gracefully glides over the waterways, sometimes bringing explorers face-to-face with river otters, beavers, eagles, deer and turkey. Ask about packages that allow time for swimming and additional activities on the water.
This may sound unusual, but it’s common to see during a Nebraska summer: families bobbing down rivers in giant “drums” made of metal. It’s called tanking, and those drums are actually unused livestock watering tanks—the perfect vessel for lazy float trips, and guaranteed smiles, on Nebraska’s gentle rivers. Introduce the family to this local pastime at Glidden Canoe Rental in Mullen.
SPEED OFF
What’s your family’s speed?
If it’s missiles and rockets, zoom over to the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum in Ashland. This collection of restored military aircraft and spacecraft, including more than 25 planes and aerospace mockups, also features exhibits honoring World War II bombers, astronauts and more.
For hands-on learners, the Edgerton Explorit Center in Aurora is the place to go. Here, kids can pilot a jet simulator, create giant bubbles, build and craft. Bonus points to the first family member to uncover how the museum got its name (Harold Eugene Edgerton was the Nebraska-born scientist who invented the strobe light!).
Car enthusiasts, cruise to Lincoln for the Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed. View rare and even one-of-a-kind cars spanning decades. The museum’s three stories also hold related toys and memorabilia, creating a colorful trip through American automotive history.
GO PLAY OUTSIDE
Make the most of Nebraska’s natural playgrounds on these family-friendly adventures.
There’s almost no better way to get out there than on your own two feet, so hike the trail to Smith Falls State Park in Valentine. The path is easy enough for young hikers to follow and the sight and sound of the cascading falls, Nebraska’s tallest at 70 feet, make an impression at any age.
In summer, head to Niobrara State Park (located in Niobrara) for family adventures. Wranglers lead horseback rides through the trails of the park, where the Niobrara and Missouri rivers meet. In the evenings, the park hosts bison cookouts with cowboy poets, storytellers, sizzling buffalo burgers and frosty ice cream.
You’ve explored on foot and horseback—now pack the family into a Jeep. In summer, Fort Robinson State Park in Crawford will take you. It’s a thrill plunging through the park’s Pine Ridge scenery and surrounding buttes in the back of one of these vehicles engineered for off-roading.
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Harrison
Dominating a wide, empty landscape are craggy cliffs. Inside those cliffs are bones—one of the most complete Miocene mammal sites in the world, in fact. Welcome to the Agate Fossil Beds in Harrison. Hike the trails of the dramatic landscape to spot the fossils.
Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park, Royal
Where prehistoric animal skeletons are preserved in volcanic ash, watch experts at work and ask all the questions you want. Start with, “Unearthed anything lately?” and you might be surprised at the response—paleontologists have recently discovered rhinos and three-toed horses onsite.
Get Your Hands Dirty
Wessels Living History Farm, York
If you’ve ever wanted your kids to understand hard, rewarding work, let them roll up their sleeves at Wessels Living History Farm in York. While visitors shell corn, feed animals and gather eggs, the staff shares stories and demonstrates equipment depicting what it was like to farm in Nebraska a century ago.
Arbor Day Farm, Nebraska City
In the birthplace of Arbor Day, travel 50 feet up into the shady canopy of the Tree House Trail, visit the home of Arbor Day founder J. Sterling Morton and select your own seedling to plant at home.
Discover Two Quirky Museums
Hastings Museum, Hastings
You can catch a show in the planetarium or 3D digital theater here, but don’t miss exhibits on Hastings’ natural and cultural history—you’re in the birthplace of Kool-Aid! In the museum’s “Discover the Dream” exhibit, learn how local Edwin Perkins’ home experiments inspired the creation of one of America’s sweetest drinks.
National Museum of Roller Skating, Lincoln
Ever wonder what roller skates looked like 200 years ago? Find out at this museum, boasting the world’s largest collection of roller skates and related memorabilia. From antiques to pairs designed for artistic, inline and speed skating, plus roller derby and roller hockey, you’ll see it all—including spectacular costumes and trophies dating as far back as 1819.
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