Nebraska Staycation Ideas – Things to do around Omaha

This post may contain affiliate links. Privacy policy.

Facebook
Twitter
Email
Pinterest

For the past couple of years a large group of blog­gers have teamed up to bring you great budget-friendly, fam­ily fun ideas for things to do around cities across the nation! With high gas prices, many people stay close to home, looking for summer fun to be had in (or near) their hometown over the summer. I’ve cov­ered both Arizona &  Omaha in the Stay­ca­tion series for the past two years & am thrilled to do it again! staycation-2012-omaha

A little background…

If you didn’t know from read­ing Mom Endeav­ors pre­vi­ously or from all my col­lege foot­ball posts, Mr.“Mr. Mom Endeav­ors” and I are col­lege sweethearts–we met at the Uni­ver­sity of Nebraska. Yes, we’re HUGE Husker fans! Huskers Family CollageHe grew up in Omaha and his par­ents still live there. So, although we live in the Phoenix area now, we’re rather famil­iar with (and quite fond of) the largest city in Nebraska! We go back at least once each year & now espe­cially with the lit­tle guys, we always enjoy find­ing budget-friendly, fam­ily fun things to do! So, whether you’re local to the Omaha area (or will be vis­it­ing some­time in the near future, like us), here’s a high­light of some of the great things to check out this summer:

Favorite Places & Spe­cial Exhibits:

The Durham Museum — The newest exhibit is “A T-Rex Named Sue“,  run­ning from May 25th to Sep­tem­ber 8th.  Talk about a fun thing for dinosaur-loving kiddos! To add to the experience, the “Excavation Station” opens June 8th, where little ones can dig in the “dig pit” and learn more about paleontology!

The Joslyn Museum — Omaha’s fab­u­lous Art Museum! And, the BIG news is that free general museum admission to ALL, everyday, begins May 25th!!!

Strategic Air & Space Museum  We have yet to take the boys here, but I think they would love it. Located between Omaha & Lincoln, it’s not a far drive at all. For the summer, they have some special fun going on: Hops, Props, & Wings.  Starting Thursday, May 30, they’ll remain open until 9pm every Thursday evening. Each week will feature a different local beer to sample and a different themed chicken wing to eat, plus live music!

Henry Doorly Zoo – This is our per­sonal Omaha favorite. If we lived there, we would definitely be members! It’s WELL worth the cost of admis­sion! Henry Doorly ZooCurrently, there is a special exhibit at the zoo which is another great option for those with little dinosaur lovers…Dinosaurs Alive! The Lost Valley. The exhibit runs April 12 – October 13, 2013, featuring fifteen animatronic, life-size dinosaurs, a fossil dig site and unique dinosaur gift shop! I think the boys would love this!

Kountze Planetarium at UNOThere are public shows (usually the 1st weekend of each month) at the planetarium. Would be a a great inexpensive & educational summer family night out!

Outdoor Activities:

Shakespeare on the Green – Shows run from June 20, 2013 – July 07, 2013 (Recurring daily). This year’s lineup features Titus Andronicus & Twelfth Night!

Omaha Farmer’s Markets:

Splashpads & Playgrounds – There are a number around the city, including 5 run by the City of Omaha. Click the link for locations & full details.

Downtown/Old Market – On days that aren’t too hot & humid, there are so many fun things to downtown and in the Old Mar­ket.  And, while you’re down in that gen­eral area, you can have some fun at Heart­land of Amer­ica Park, Lewis & Clark Land­ing, or take a stroll along Gene Leahy Mall and slide down the slides. Our boys LOVE the slides!!

College World Series –  Probably Omaha’s most well-known summer activity! For sports fans, this one is a summer must! Be sure to check out the College World Series site for details on schedules, times, tickets, etc!

Omaha Adventure Card!!

This year, Omaha visitors can request an Omaha Adventure coupon card (for free) at www.omahaadventure.com. There is more than $50 in savings in the Omaha Adventure coupon card.  Each coupon is good for up to 6 people!! 

Attraction discounts include:

  • Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo – $2 off Admission
  • Omaha Children’s Museum – $2 off Admission
  • The Durham Museum – $2 off Admission
  • Lauritzen Gardens – $2 off Admission/Tram Combo
  • Joslyn Art Museum – $2 off $10 @ the gift shop

Shopping & Restaurant coupons include:

  • Amazing Pizza Machine – $5 off RiVT90 buffet & pack
  • Omaha Visitors Center – $2 off Smoothie at the Visitors Center
  • Coupon card holders can visit Sheels in Village Pointe Shopping Center for Village Pointe shopping coupon book good for $300 in coupons

All coupons are good until October 31, 2013 and are good for up to 6 people! Omaha Adventure Card

If you’re not already a fan, be sure to like Mom Endeav­ors & Visit Omaha on Facebook!

What are YOUR favorite summer activities/places around Omaha?

Explore More

welcome!

I’m Sara, a mom to three adorable boys living in the Arizona desert. As a former teacher, I love sharing my passions with others. So, have a look around for creative inspiration about cooking, creating, celebrating, traveling with kids, and more everyday mom endeavors!

DON'T MISS A THING!

Get freebies, new recipes, and fun ideas sent right to your inbox!

Looking for Something?

Search

7 Responses

  1. Omaha is close enough for us to make a long wekend trip. Thanks for the tips. I may look into getting the card.

    1. Thanks, Carol! We’re getting a card for our trip back there this summer! Can’t wait! The boys are going to love all the dinosaur stuff!!

  2. I just realized I’ve never been to Nebraska! My parents would drive for all their trips when I was a little girl, but this is one of the few states I haven’t been to. Sounds like a lot of lovely ideas!

    1. There are indeed a lot of fun things there!! The zoo really is one of the very best in the country! Sounds like you need to make a trip there sometime! 😉

  3. We are in KC and love to make a weekend trip to Omaha. The zoo is awesome and we also enjoy the Children’s Museum. Thank you for the other recommendations!

    1. Fun, Ashley! We have two sets of VERY good friends that live in KC! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the list!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *