AGRITOURISM Forty-four thousand farms and ranches stretch across Nebraska. That’s a lot of cornstalks. And wheat fields. Not to mention acres of wide-open spaces. What does it mean for you as a visitor? U-pick farms, festivals, wineries, breweries, animal encounters and even more immersive agritourism experiences. Nebraska City’s Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Mansion is the home of Arbor Day. Learn more about Arbor Day and its founder, J. Sterling Morton, by touring the 72-acre park. Then, explore the 260-acre Arbor Day Farm . Crisscross your way through the treetops at Tree Adventure . The kids will love exploring the treehouses of Treetop Village . Shop souvenirs and tasty treats at Apple House Market . Then, enhance your experience by booking a stay at Lied Lodge , located onsite amid the trees. Book a two-hour tour to encounter bison grazing the prairie and learn about the Great Plains at Golden Prairie Bison ranch outside of Valentine. The ranch also welcomes campers to stay the night and fully immerse themselves in the beauty of the Sandhills. In Grand Island, get an interactive picture of Nebraska agriculture at Raising Nebraska . This 55,000-square-foot attraction features a collection of hands-on exhibits and displays, like the Grain Bin Theater, Living Soils and Drive a Combine, to showcase every aspect of the state’s agriculture industry. Celebrate this year’s apple harvest at the annual AppleJack Festival in Nebraska City. Along with a parade, flea market and the Apple Jamboree, you can visit area orchards — Kimmel Orchard and Vineyard , Union Orchard and Arbor Day Farm — for hayrack rides, U-pick experiences, vendors, food trucks, crafts and homemade apple treats. Looking for more U-pick experiences? Beginning in late summer, Fanny’s Fruit Farm in Gurley offers fresh strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and apples. Then, come fall, the farm features a three-acre pumpkin patch. Stay awhile for seasonal activities and a fresh-cooked meal from The Carriage House . With a pumpkin patch, corn maze, barn slides, jumping pillows and more, Oakland’s Harvest Moon Pumpkin Patch is the perfect spot to celebrate the fall season. Martin’s Hillside Orchard in Ceresco is another fall fun zone. Pick your own apples, pumpkins, flowers and more. The kids will love all the farm games and activities, like the corn maze, tire swing and gourd cave. Stop by the Test Kitchen to learn new apple-inspired recipes before you leave. In Papillion, visit Bellevue Berry & Pumpkin Ranch for hayrides, tree houses, playgrounds and U-pick crops. If you’re in the mood for a fright, come for the state’s longest (duration) haunted attraction, the Ranch of Terror and Haunted Hayride, during the Halloween season. The Official 2025 Nebraska State Travel Guide 23
Nebraska Official State Travel Guide The Official 2025 Not-At-All What You Thought State Travel Guide: Page 23
