FAMILY HORSEBACK RIDING WITH DUSTY TRAILS IS A MUST WHEN IN NORTH PLATTE! —@1STMIMSEY, TWITTER “ SPLASHING ENCOURAGED Lincoln Children’s Zoo, Lincoln FOR ANIMAL-LOVERS Zoos, aquariums and animal parks // 4 favorite stops // Oodles of species Ready to walk on the wild side? Head to Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium , consistently ranked as one of the world’s top zoos. Spy pygmy hippos in America’s largest indoor rain forest. Creep through a 70-foot-long shark tunnel in the Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium, the largest aquarium inside a zoo. Depending on the season and your budget, add on unforgettable experiences, from touching stingrays and feeding giraffes to hanging out with a zookeeper. At family-owned Horn T Zoo in Monroe, you might snuggle a hedgehog, pet a camel or watch ring-tailed lemurs put on an acrobatic show. Hit Riverside Discovery Center in Scottsbluff year ’round to view majestic tigers, grizzly bears and bison, then hang out at the petting zoo and meet Bonnie the bobcat. 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. CREDIT: ERIC FRANCIS/OMAHA’S HENRY DOORLY ZOO & AQUARIUM NEW AT OUR ZOOS Endangered red pandas, sporting white muzzles and ringed tails, perform acrobatics as you journey through Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium’s new Asian Highlands habitat. Thanks to Lincoln Children’s Zoo’s expansion, kids can hand-feed giraff es year ’round and climb alongside spider monkeys. Cool off at any of these family-friendly water parks! Slip down the 310-foot-long raft slide at Aquaventure Water Park in Norfolk. Then, check out the wave pool and water cannons or simply get drenched under dumping buckets. The new Ord Aquatic Center and Splash Pad features a zero-depth entry pool, slide, kids’ area and renovated bathhouse. The Fremont Splash Station features an interactive train slide, hydro-storm water tower and wave pool. Asian Highlands Habitat, Omaha VisitNebraska.com 25
Nebraska Official State Travel Guide The Official 2020 Not-At-All What You Thought State Travel Guide: Page 25
