Top Things to Do with Kids in Omaha

Durham Museum

Get on board for railroad fun at the hands-on Durham Museum in Omaha's Art Deco Union Station. Soaring 65-foot ceilings enclose restored train cars you can climb in and out of, life-size passenger sculptures and other exhibits. Stop by the straight-out-of-the-1930s soda fountain for an old-fashioned shake, malt or phosphate. And watch for fun temporary exhibits, like Towers of Tomorrow with Lego Bricks (through September 3, 2023).

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

It's easy to see why this zoo consistently receives high marks. First, it's huge. Second, its design lets you commune with gorillas, sharks, snakes, red pandas and all sorts of other creatures. It's home to the largest indoor desert habitat in the world, capped off with a stunning three-story dome, as well as immersive habitats such as the African Grasslands, ocean, rainforest, nocturnal and butterfly exhibits.

Gene Leahy Mall

Enjoy family time at the recently revamped Gene Leahy Mall downtown, part of a $300 million revitalization called The RiverFront. Fresh green space offers climbing areas, places to picnic, a new playground, a sculpture garden, and a performance pavilion for live music.

Fontanelle Forest

Adventurers can climb, zip and soar through the tree canopy on an aerial course. Rehabbed eagles and owls enjoy their digs at the raptor refuge, while 19 miles of trails wind through the urban forest.

Omaha Children's Museum

Beyond the bright, candy-color entrance, exhibits and pretend-play areas focus mainly on art and science, but as one of the largest children's museums in the Midwest, it also includes a pint-size fire station, grocery store and auto center. The main attraction is feeding balls into the Super Gravitron Machine, but the bubble station and the interactive Fantastic Future Me display get plenty of action as well.

Hollywood Candy

Just browsing this Old Market retro candy store is enough to send you into sugar shock. The vibe is Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory meets mercantile. Old-fashioned favorites you probably haven't seen since childhood stock aisles, along with homemade chocolates and sweet-treat memorabilia. Check out the extensive Pez collection.

Spaghetti Works

This family-friendly spot cooks up all-you-can-eat pastas and familiar Italian fare in a nostalgic Old Market warehouse atmosphere. The salad bar is in the back of an old Model-T truck, quite possibly enticing the kids to eat some veggies. To wash it down, Italian sodas come in 20 different flavors. When the weather's nice, grab a seat on the shady terrace that was once a loading dock.

Lauritzen Gardens

The formal English, Japanese and rose gardens at Lauritzen Gardens appeal to grown-up green thumbs; a children's garden, hands-on activities and intricate model railroad garden (open May through October) hold kids' interest. You might even see wild turkeys strutting through the arboretum and bird sanctuary on these 100 acres in the middle of Omaha. Kids will also enjoy seeing the tropical and temperate plants inside the conservatory.

Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge

Named for a former Nebraska senator, this curved cable bridge connects Omaha and Council Bluffs, Iowa. Walkers, runners and bikers get stunning views of the downtown skyline and the Missouri River that flows 60 feet beneath (bring your camera for a photo op). If the 3,000 feet across aren't enough for you and the kids, the bridge also links to 150 miles of trails on dry land.

Eugene T. Mahoney State Park

With an aquatic center, miniature golf, paddle boats, toboggan runs, hiking trails, an ice rink and other outdoor recreation, Nebraska's premiere park (in Ashland, 27 miles southwest of Omaha) offers fresh-air fun to keep the whole family busy no matter what time of year you visit. If you want to spend the night, or a few days, rent a cabin or a room in the rustic motel-style lodge.

Wildlife Safari Park

Also in Ashland, here's where the wild things are; at least, those of the North American variety. The 4-mile drive provides peeks at elk, deer, wolves, bears and bison (try to go in the morning when the animals are most active). A hiking trail gives visitors a chance to stretch their legs and observe other animals. Open seasonally.