Nebraska
When the Gold Rush of 1848 beckoned travelers to “strike it rich,” they stopped in Nebraska for supplies before the grueling travels westward. Those who stayed behind found riches of a different kind with the fertile agricultural areas, great for growing corn and raising Nebraskan corn-fed beef.
Visit Omaha, home of Omaha Steaks, for all the amenities of a modern city: the Durham Museum and Joslyn Art Museum, fine dining, performing arts, boutique shopping and a beautiful botanical center at Lauritzen Gardens. While here explore Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo to see opposite habitats: an indoor desert under a geodesic dome with wildlife from three arid areas around the world and the Lied Jungle with plants and animals in a rainforest environment. Attend the NCAA College World Series for exciting baseball competition every June.
In the state capital of Lincoln, ride to the top of the 400-foot-tall (122-meter) Capitol Building for panoramic views of the city and flat lands stretching off to the horizon. Stroll across the grounds of the University of Nebraska and watch the Cornhuskers play Big Ten college football in Memorial Stadium. Visit Pioneers Park Nature Center to see raptors and bison, hike miles of trails or let the kids experience some environmental education of outdoor play time. Find more for the kids at Lincoln Children’s Museum, Lincoln Children’s Zoo and the unique National Museum of Roller Skating.
Be in Kearney in March to see sandhill cranes on the Platte River, an annual stop on their migration path northward. Register for Audubon's Nebraska Crane Festival to participate in seminars and guided field trips. See more cranes at Buffalo Bill Historical Park. Learn about Bill Cody, the colorful character who created Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West carnival show that became a global sensation.
Finish your trip to Nebraska with a bit of relaxation with 17 friends in perhaps the World’s Largest Porch Swing in Hebron.