Explore a Stellar Zoo, Playful Dining and Reimagined Waterfront in Omaha

My Perfect Day

I don't mind the wait for a table at Saddle Creek Breakfast Club. Their peanut butter and banana pancakes (and spiked iced coffee!) are so worth it!

Browse the historic Little Bohemia neighborhood for beauty products and vintage glassware at Dusk Goods and Gifts, or pick up some new plant babies at The Green House.

Catch a matinee at the Dundee Theater, Omaha's oldest operating cinema. They're known for screening new indie flicks as well as cult classics.

End the evening with a cocktail at The Berry and Rye in The Old Market. I love its speakeasy vibe and retro furniture, perfect for an intimate date night.

Bucket List

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

A Skyfari ski lift ride allows for aerial animal views across one of the nation's top zoos, which also features the world's largest indoor desert, an interactive stingray habitat and a room filled with butterflies.

The Old Market

The city's warehouse district covers around 20 square blocks of brick streets lined with local eateries and dozens of small shops. Special events include a Saturday morning farmers market.

Lauritzen Gardens

Two miles of walkable paths wind through more than 20 themed gardens and natural areas along the Missouri River. Lauritzen Gardens' 17,500-square-foot conservatory bursts with tropical and temperate plants.

The Durham Museum

A restored Art Deco train station celebrates the state's history and railroading legacy with a streetcar, passenger train and authentic soda fountain serving sundaes and phosphates.

Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge

The curved cable bridge connects Omaha and Council Bluffs, Iowa. Walkers, runners and bikers score great views of the skyline and the Missouri River below.

Free and Fab

Get cultured at Kaneko, three turn-of-the-century downtown warehouses filled with free art exhibits, performances and speaking engagements.

Where to Eat

Breakfast

Order a stack of Cereal Killer Pancakes topped with sprinkles of your favorite cereal or chow down on Tater Tots breakfast nachos at Early Bird Brunch.

Lunch

Grab a booth beneath a boat skeleton suspended from the ceiling at Plank Seafood Provisions. Their freshly flown-in oysters are a steal during happy hour.

Dinner

Indulge in an Alton Brown-approved burger and fries with unconventional toppings like crushed Doritos and fortune cookies at Block 16.

Family Hits

Eat

Perfect your custom pasta order at Spaghetti Works, then swing by Ted and Wally's Ultra-Premium Ice Cream for a high-butterfat scoop of one of their 3,000 rotating flavors.

Play

At Omaha Children's Museum, little ones play pretend in a grocery store, barn, bank and hospital at the ever-popular Imagination Playground.

Budget Pick

Enjoy priceless family time at the recently revamped Gene Leahy Mall. The fresh green space offers numerous picnic areas and climbing-friendly structures.

Where to Stay

Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel is a modern incarnation of the Blackstone Hotel, an early 20th-century landmark. The 205-room hotel has been restored with lavish touches like a grand marble staircase and a garden lounge with pool views.