 Home / U.S. State Travel Guides / U.S. Vacations / U.S. National Parks / U.S. State Highpoints / U.S. Road Trip Planning  NEBRASKA TRAVEL GUIDE
Welcome to the bigroads.com travel guide to Nebraska! Hopefully this page and its information helps provide some inspiration and tips to help you plan your next trip to Nebraska. Take note that I build and maintain this website as both a hobby and public service. I take joy in performing travel research and sharing my experiences and adventures. I do not make any profit from this website, and you will see no ads on it. Your constructive feedback about this site and its content is encouraged. Please email me if you have any suggestions or ideas for improvement.  OVERVIEWTOP 10 ATTRACTIONS IN NEBRASKABigroads.com ✮ Wander the badlands and geologic features of Toadstool Geologic Park in the northwestern corner of the state ✮ Smile at the absurdity of Carhenge in Alliance ✮ Spend a few days exploring the fine museums and other attractions of Omaha and Lincoln ✮ Watch the famous sandhill crane migration on the Platte River (late February through early April) ✮ Take a canoe trip down the Niobrara River ✮ Visit the excellent Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, a top 5 zoo in the country ✮ See two of the famous Oregon Trail sites at Chimney Rock National Historic Site and Scotts Bluff National Monument ✮ Take a guided Jeep or stagecoach tour in Fort Robinston State Park ✮ Cycle the Cowboy Trail, the state's most famous rail trail ✮ See one of the best waterfalls in the Great Plains region at Smith Falls State Park If I could select only one place to visit in Nebraska, I would choose Omaha. There are many attractions in the city and you can also take day trips to nearby Lincoln as well (it is only a 1-hour drive between the two cities). For a list of 10 great attractions in each U.S. state, click here. 5-STAR ATTRACTIONS IN NEBRASKABigroads.com Western Nebraska ✮ Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Harrison - grass-covered plains of the Niobrara River valley; well-preserved fossils; short hikes ✮ Carhenge, Alliance - replica of Stonehenge; constructed out of old cars painted gray; arguably the top roadside attractions in the state ✮ Chimney Rock National Historic Site, West Bayard - famous Oregon Trail geologic formation ✮ Courthouse & Jail Rocks, Bridgeport - Nebraska's "little Monument Valley" feature two impressive rock formations; famous Oregon Trail spot ✮ Farmers Elevator, Chappell - features a giant painted flag that is 52ft tall by 100 feet wide ✮ Fort Robinson State Park, Crawford - historic buildings; scenic views of bluffs and badlands; stagecoach and jeep tours; tons of hiking trails ✮ Lake McConaughy ("Big Mac") - largest reservoir in Nebraska; great beaches and camping (including beach camping); excellent fishing ✮ Museum of the Fur Trade, Chadron - museum that focuses on the historical fur trade industry ✮ Panorama Point, Pine Bluffs - highpoint of Nebraska; there's a small monument to mark the spot ✮ Old West Balloon Fest, Mitchell - annual hot air ballooning event held in August; 80+ balloons usually take the skies ✮ Scotts Bluff National Monument, Gering - Oregon trail history, scenic views & impressive geology/rock formations ✮ Toadstool Geological Park, Harrison - Badlands National Park-level eroded rock scenery, but free and without the crowds; good camping spot  Central Nebraska ✮ Audubon Rowe Sanctuary, Gibbon - famous for its massive sandhill crane migration ✮ Cowboy Trail - 195-mile rail trail; the most famous rail trail in the state ✮ Fort Cody Trading Post, North Platte - famous gift shop that offers several photo-ops; a classic roadside attraction ✮ Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center, North Platte - the world's largest railroad yard ✮ Great Platte River Road Archway, Kearney - huge walkway over I-80 with a good history museum ✮ Nebraska Star Party - annual star-gazing event held at the Merritt Reservoir's Snake Campground ✮ Niobrara National Scenic River - one of the best rivers for canoeing in the U.S. ✮ Platte River - famous for its 600,000+ sandhill crane migration (late February through early April) ✮ Rowse's 1+1 Ranch, Burwell - awesome working ranch; horseback riding and overnight lodging; probably the best ranch vacation in the state ✮ Smith Falls State Park, Valentine - Smith Falls is the tallest & best waterfall in Nebraska ✮ World's Largest Overalls, Grand Island - roadside attraction of the world's largest overalls; a quick photo-op Eastern Nebraska (including Lincoln and Omaha) ✮ Arbor Day Farm / Tree Adventure, Nebraska City - hiking trails, interconnected treehouses to explore, interactive exhibits, and other family fun ✮ Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, Omaha - beautiful pedestrian bridge that connects Nebraska with Iowa ✮ Durham Museum, Omaha - part history museum, part railroad museum ✮ First National's Spirit of Nebraska's Wilderness and Pioneer Courage Park, Omaha - impressive pioneer sculptures/statues ✮ Go Ape Zipline & Adventure Park, Ashland - some of the best zip-lining in the state ✮ Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Omaha - one of the top 5 zoos in the U.S.; more than 900 different species ✮ Holy Family Shrine, Gretna - beautifully designed church in a peaceful setting ✮ International Quilt Museum, Lincoln - if you like quilts, this is your place ✮ Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha - best art museum in Nebraska ✮ Lauritzen Gardens, Omaha - excellent botanical gardens and arboretum ✮ Lee G. Simmons Conservation Park & Wildlife Safari, Ashland - one of the best drive-thru zoos in the U.S. ✮ Louisville State Recreation Area - Floating Playground, Louisville - kids love this floating obstacle course on the south bank of the Platte River ✮ Memorial Stadium, University of Nebraska, Lincoln - home of the Cornhuskers college football team; this is a huge stadium (90,000 capacity) ✮ Museum of American Speed, Lincoln - dozens of show, race, and production cars on display ✮ Nebraska State Capitol, Lincoln - a "jaw-dropping" state capitol building ✮ Old Market, Omaha - tourist center of Omaha ✮ Omaha Children's Museum, Omaha - one of the best children's museums in the Midwest ✮ Robber's Cave Tours, Lincoln - go underground in the city of Lincoln on guided tours ✮ Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum, Ashland - extensive collection of military aircraft ✮ Sunken Gardens, Lincoln - beautiful gardens; currently free! ✮ TreeRush Adventures at Fontenelle Forest, Bellevue - fun high-ropes course / aerial adventure park ✮ World's Largest Ball of Stamps, Omaha - one of Nebraska's best roadside attractions Are you aware of any other 5-star attractions in Nebraska? If so, please email me at gparsons66@hotmail.com. For a list of 5-star attractions in neighboring states, click on any of these links: CO | IA | KS | MO | SD | WY BEST TOWNS & CITIES TO VISIT IN NEBRASKAPlease let me know if you think there are any small towns that are noteworthy in Nebraska. I just haven't found one myself yet. Maybe Grand Island and/or Valentine? Click here if you'd like to see a complete list of towns and cities that I find interesting across the entire U.S. WHAT IS NEBRASKA FAMOUS FOR?✮ college football ✮ corn ✮ farms / farmlands ✮ Lewis & Clark history ✮ Oregon Trail history ✮ prairies ✮ rivers & streams ✮ sandhill cranes ✮ zoos Click here if you'd like to learn what other U.S. states are famous for. NATIONAL PARKS IN NEBRASKANational Monuments ✮ Agate Fossil Beds National Monument - grass-covered plains of the Niobrara River valley; well-preserved fossils; short hikes ✮ Scotts Bluff National Monument - Oregon trail history; impressive geology/rock formations and scenic views National Forests ✮ Nebraska National Forest ✮ Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest National Recreation Areas ✮ Pine Ridge National Recreation Area National Historical Parks / Other National Parks ✮ Buffalo Gap National Grassland ✮ California National Historic Trail ✮ Homestead National Historical Park ✮ Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail ✮ Missouri National Recreational River ✮ Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail ✮ Niobrara National Scenic River ✮ Oglala National Grassland ✮ Oregon National Historic Trail ✮ Pony Express National Historic Trail For more information on Nebraska's national parks, visit the Nebraska page of the National Park Service. For an overview of all U.S. national parks, click here. STATE PARKS IN NEBRASKAFlagship / Premier State Parks: ✮ Chadron State Park - some of the best hiking and mountain biking in Nebraska; camping and cabin rentals ✮ Fort Robinson State Park - surviving and reconstructed buildings from the Old West; excellent hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails; stagecoach rides, horse-drawn tours, and jeep tours; lodging and camping; scenic views; this is Nebraska's best state park ✮ Indian Cave State Park - 22 miles of hiking and biking trails bordering the Missouri River; horseback riding; interesting geology; campground Other Notable State Parks: ✮ Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park ✮ Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area ✮ Niobrara State Park ✮ Platte River State Park ✮ Ponca State Park ✮ Smith Falls State Park My favorite state park in Nebraska is Fort Robinson State Park. It has a great mix of historical attractions and outdoor activities. There are more than 60 miles of hiking trails, 20 miles of mountain biking trails, and 20 miles of horseback riding trails. To see my list of the top 100 state parks in the country, click here. BEST WATERFALLS IN NEBRASKA✮ Berry Falls - visible from the Niobrara National Scenic River ✮ Fort Falls in Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge ✮ Smith Falls in Smith Falls State Park, Valentine ✮ Snake River Falls near Valentine ✮ Stair Step Falls in Niobrara Valley Preserve, Johnstown ✮ Waterfall in Platte River State Park, Louisville The tallest and best waterfall in Nebraska is Smith Falls, located in Smith Falls State Park. BEST SCENIC DRIVES IN NEBRASKA✮ Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway/NE-2 - a 272-mile paved route from Grand Island to Alliance ✮ Summit Road, Scotts Bluff National Monument - a 1.6-mile paved route to a scenic overlook at the top of the national monument For a list of great scenic drives in each U.S. state, click here. BEST RAIL TRAILS IN NEBRASKA✮ Chief Standing Bear Trail - 23 unpaved miles from Beatric to the Nebraska/Kansas line in southeastern Nebraska ✮ MoPac Trail East - 21.7 unpaved miles from Lincoln to Wabash in southeastern Nebraska For detailed information on all known rail trails in Nebraska, visit the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy website. BEST AMUSEMENT PARKS / THEME PARKS IN NEBRASKA✮ Fun Plex, Omaha ✮ Island Oasis Water Park, Grand Island ✮ Pawnee Plunge Water Park, Columbus BEST MUSEUMS IN NEBRASKAWestern Nebraska ✮ Legacy of the Plains Museum, Gering ✮ Museum of the Fur Trade, Chadron Central Nebraska ✮ Classic Car Collection, Kearney ✮ Great Platte River Road Archway Monument, Kearney ✮ Hastings Museum of Natural and Cultural History, Hastings ✮ Pioneer Village, Minden ✮ Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, Grand Island Eastern Nebraska (including Lincoln and Omaha) ✮ Dunham Museum, Omaha ✮ International Quilt Museum, Lincoln ✮ Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha ✮ Museum of American Speed, Lincoln ✮ National Museum of Roller Skating, Lincoln ✮ Omaha Children's Museum, Omaha ✮ University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln BEST DAY HIKES IN NEBRASKAWestern Nebraska ✮ Chadron State Park trails ✮ Fort Robinson State Park trails (e.g. Turtle Rock, Lover's Leap, etc.) ✮ Saddle Rock Trail, Scotts Bluff National Monument ✮ Toadstool Geological Park Trail - 0.8 mile loop trail with Badlands National Park-like scenery; arguably the best hiking trail in the state Central Nebraska ✮ Smith Falls Trail, Smith Falls State Park, Valentine - short walk to Nebraska's best waterfall Eastern Nebraska (including Lincoln and Omaha) ✮ Indian Cave State Park trails The highpoint of Nebraska is Panorama Point (5,429'). The highpoint is surrounded by private property, and the owners request that you drive all the way to the highpoint due to free-range buffalo. No hiking allowed! To find more hikes in Nebraska or to learn more about the hikes I've listed above, I recommend purchasing hiking guidebooks on Amazon (or from your local retailer). Another option is using alltrails.com, but you have to be very careful when using that website as its information is often wrong or incomplete. Published hiking guidebooks will likely always be significantly better than the information you find online. BEST BACKPACKING TRIPS IN NEBRASKA✮ Indian Cave State Park - several Adirondack-style shelters are available for use ✮ Niobrara State Park ✮ Pine Ridge Trail, Nebraska National Forest ✮ Ponca State Park ✮ Soldier Creek Wilderness If you know of any other areas where you can backpack in Nebraska, please email me at gparsons66@hotmail.com. CLASSIC OUTDOOR ADVENTURES IN NEBRASKA✮ Air-boat tours on the Platte River (e.g. Bryson's Air-boat Tours) ✮ Backpacking the Pine Ridge Trail in Nebraska National Forest ✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Dismal River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Niobrara River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Platte River ✮ Cycling the Chief Standing Bear Trail ✮ Cycling the Cowboy Recreation & Nature Trail ✮ Cycling the MoPac Trail East ✮ Exploring Toadstool Geological Park ✮ Horseback riding in one of Nebraska's state parks (e.g. Buffalo Bill, Chadron, Fort Robinson, Indian Cave, Niobrara, Platte River, Ponca, etc.) ✮ Mountain biking Chadron State Park ✮ Mountain biking Indian Cave State Park ✮ Mountain biking Platte River State Park ✮ Mountain biking Potter's Pasture ✮ Skydiving in Crete (near Lincoln) ✮ Tubing the Elkhorn River ✮ Tubing the Niobrara River ✮ Tubing the Platte River NEBRASKA TRAVEL TIPSUNIQUE / SPECIALTY FOODS TO TRY IN NEBRASKA✮ chili with cinnamon rolls ✮ meat pies ✮ pork tenderloin ✮ reuben sandwich ✮ runza sandwich / bierock ✮ tin roof sundae For a list of unique foods and mom-and-pop type eateries and restaurants in Nebraska (or any other U.S. state), visit the Roadfood.com website. For a list of unique foods to try in each of the 50 U.S. states, click here. For a list of the top-rated beers to try in Nebraska (or any other U.S. state), visit the Beer Advocate website. OTHER KEY NEBRASKA INFORMATIONLincoln Major Airports: Omaha Airport (OMA) aka "Eppley Airfield" Largest Cities: Omaha (501,469), Lincoln (297,622), Bellevue (66,984), Grand Island (54,053), Kearney (34,390), Fremont (27,289), Papillion (25,211) Primary U.S. Interstates: I-76, I-80 State Highpoint: Panorama Point (5,429') in Bushnell in southwestern Nebraska; you can drive to it on dirt roads; hiking is prohibited by landowner (due to free-range bison) Professional Sports Teams: None Funny or Unique Town/City Names: Funk and Wahoo Take note that in general this travel guide intentionally excluded restaurants, lodging/hotels, breweries, wineries/vineyards, and certain other types of attractions (like arcades, ax-throwing, bowling alleys, and escape rooms). These types of places tend to come and go, and keeping up with that would be too challenging. I encourage you to use Google Maps, Tripadvisor, Yelp, and other travel sites that have reader reviews to find the latest and greatest places that I haven't covered here. Scotts Bluff National Monument, Nebraska  Nebraska sign Toadstool Geological Park, northwestern Nebraska  Toadstool Geological Park, northwestern Nebraska Carhenge in Alliance, Nebraska  Chimney Rock National Historic Site, Nebraska ROAD TRIP GUIDEBOOKSIn addition to the information found on my website, I personally recommend purchasing these road trip/travel-related guidebooks. Click on any book cover to read reviews and/or purchase these books on Amazon.com.  
 
 
 
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