Nebraska travel guide: every place to visit

Overview

Nebraska is a state in the Great Plains region of the United States of America. Nebraska has a reputation of being a flat, monotonous region of farm and ranch land, but this stereotype has come from the many people who drive across Nebraska on the Interstate 80 corridor (the Platte River valley). Those who venture off this heavily traveled road discover that Nebraska does have a subtle, wide-open beauty that is all its own.

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 87°F; winter lows dip to about 13°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: May and Jun. (climate data from nearby Kearney)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
LBF North Platte Regional Airport Lee Bird Field, North Platte — 44 mi away. Directions
EAR Kearney Regional Airport, Kearney — 74 mi away. Directions
OMA Eppley Airfield, Omaha — 213 mi away (major hub). Directions

Nebraska's major national highway corridor is Interstate 80, which runs east-west across the state, Interstate 29 runs parallel to the state's Eastern border in Iowa and Missouri. Other major highways that enter Nebraska include Interstate 76 (from Colorado), US 81 (major north-south route), US 20 (northern east-west route), US 26 (from Wyoming), and US 385/Nebraska 71 (western north-south route).

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Sample 3-day trip

Day 1: Eastern Nebraska — explore the town.
Day 2: North Central Nebraska — explore the town.
Day 3: Nebraska Panhandle — explore the town.

Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.

Photos

Places in Nebraska

Eastern Nebraska

Region

North Central Nebraska

Region

Nebraska Panhandle

Region

South Central Nebraska

Region

Understand

Admitted to the Union in 1867, "the Cornhusker State" quickly became known for its cattle and its corn. The state has largely flown under the radar of the outside world and locals are just fine with that.

The name Nebraska comes from the Omaha word Ni Bathaska, meaning "flat water", after the Platte River which flows through the state.

Nebraska is the only triple landlocked state in the U.S., meaning that you'd have to drive through at least three other states (or two states and a Canadian province) to get to the ocean. The title "Nebraska Admiral" (formally, "Admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska") is the state's highest honorary title, bestowed on approval of the state governor; it is not a military rank and carries no duties, pay or other compensation.

Tourist information

Visit Nebraska website

Regions

Nebraska can be roughly characterized as having four regions

Nebraska Panhandle

North Central Nebraska

South Central Nebraska

Eastern Nebraska

Cities

Omaha – the largest city in the state and home of the College World Series
Bellevue - the oldest city in the state
Lincoln – the state capital and home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers
Norfolk
Grand Island
Hastings
Kearney
North Platte
Scottsbluff/Gering

Other destinations

Antelope County - rural county
Chimney Rock National Historic Site – a landmark stone spire surrounded by treeless prairie
Deuel County - rural county
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Headquarters – follow in the footsteps of the famous explorers on the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail.
Platte River State Park – a protected region of Nebraska's wetlands
Sand Hills – mixed grass prairie on grass stabilized sand dunes covering 19,000 square miles (49,000 square km) with dunes reaching 300 ft in height
Scotts Bluff National Monument – rugged landscape with bluffs that tower over the river
Toadstool Geologic Park – surreal landscape caused by erosion
Wildcat Hills

Get in

By car

By plane

The two major airports in Nebraska are located in Omaha and Lincoln. Omaha is served by all major airlines as well as Alaskan, Allegiant, and Frontier; Lincoln is served by Delta and United. There are no direct international flights to any Nebraska airport. Other airports with commercial service are in Alliance, Chadron, Grand Island, Kearney, McCook, North Platte and Scottsbluff. The Sioux City, Iowa airport serves the northeast corner of the state.

By train

Amtrak makes stops daily in Omaha, Lincoln, Hastings, Holdrege and McCook. The only train serving the state is the California Zephyr. It will bring you in from San Francisco (Emeryville), Salt Lake City, and Denver from the west and Chicago from the east. Amtrak's stops are generally in the middle of the night no matter what direction you come from.

By bus

Place Burlington Trailways

Travels along I-76 and 80 between Denver and Omaha via Ogalalla, North Platte, Lexington, Kearney, Grand Island and Lincoln in Nebraska. Another route along I-80 from Chicago, across Iowa via Davanport, Iowa City and Des Moines; to Omaha.

⚠ Last checked Aug 2015 — confirm before you go

Maps Website

Place Express Arrow (Black Hills Stage Lines)

Travels along I-76 and 80 between Denver and Omaha via Ogalalla, North Platte, Lexington, Kearney, Grand Island and Lincoln in Nebraska on one route. And along US-Hwy 81 & 30 from Norfolk via Madison, Humphrey, Columbus, North Bend & Fremont to Omaha on another route.

☎ +1 402 371-3850⚠ Last checked Jul 2015 — confirm before you go

Maps Website

Place Greyhound Lines

Serves only Omaha from Des Moines and Chicago along Interstate 80 and 88.

⚠ Last checked Jul 2015 — confirm before you go

Maps Website

Place Jefferson Lines

Travels primarily on Interstate 29 between Kansas City, MO and Sioux Falls, SD via Omaha and Sioux City. A variation of the route detours from St Joseph, MO up to Maryvile, MO and Clarinda, IA along US Hwy 71 and over towarads I-29 via Shenandoah, IA along SR-2

⚠ Last checked Jul 2015 — confirm before you go

Maps Website

By foot

The American Discovery Trail connects Nebraska with Colorado, Iowa, and both coasts.

Get around

Nebraska is a large, sparsely populated state; the vast majority of Nebraska is best seen by car. Intrastate bus service within the state is served only by Express Arrow and Burlington Trailways (see 'By bus' in the above under 'Get in'). Information on transit can be found here.

See

Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium in Omaha is Nebraska's number one paid attraction. It features an expansive aquarium, "Kingdoms of the Night" (world's largest nocturnal exhibit and indoor swamp), the Lied Jungle (world's largest indoor rainforest), and the "Desert Dome" (world's largest indoor desert).
Ashfalls Fossil Bed State Historical Park in Antelope County. Discovered in 1971, this fossil site captures a snapshot of the area 10-12 million years ago. Over 360 acres (150 hectares) are available for hiking and picnicking.
The Great Platte River Road Archway in Kearney spans I-80. The archway explains the settling of the west by the pioneers on the Oregon Trail and the construction of the Lincoln Highway.
Carhenge in Alliance was constructed in 1987 by Jim Reinders as a memorial to his father. A replica of England's Stonehenge, constructed out of vintage American automobiles painted gray. The site also hosts a number of other art pieces by Reinders and other artists.
Spade Ranch near Ellsworth at one time encompassed almost 500,000 acres (2,000 km2) and 60,000 head of cattle. The Spade is one of Nebraska's oldest and most expansive ranches. The ranch continues to operate as a traditional open grazing ranch.

Do

Attend a Nebraska football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln
Watch a College World Series game in Omaha.
Canoe, kayak or tube the Niobrara River in the Sand Hills
Enjoy a cheap beer in one of the many bars south of the University of Nebraska campus in Lincoln
Eat a piece of real Nebraska beef at one of Omaha's many steakhouses.
Bird watch during the spring Sandhill Crane migration in Kearney.
Take a tour of historic Bellevue.
See Nebraska's Largest flagpole in Sidney, home of Cabela's.
Before the dust bowl and drought of the 1930s, Nebraska had many thriving wineries. That era is returning, and there are now nearly 30 wineries across the state.
View the world's largest rail yard Bailey Yard from the Golden Spike Tower 8 stories high in North Platte.
Visit Omaha's Old Market for great bars and shops
Order a Runza at the fast food restaurant of the same name

Eat

A past Nebraska slogan was The Beef State, and much of Nebraska's cuisine can still be best described as "meat and potatoes". Stop in any Nebraska city or town and you'll be likely to find low-cost, high-quality, home-cooked dining options. Nebraska's cuisine has been influenced by the numerous immigrant groups that have settled in the state; for example, you'll find German and Scandinavian dishes in the northeast, Czech meals in some areas, and numerous Italian restaurants in Omaha.
Nebraska's rural entrepreneurs have made products from family farms across the state available at GrowNebraska.org.

Drink

Alcohol

Bars are plentiful, and most restaurants will serve beer and wine. Bars are open until 1 am, except in Omaha where they are permitted to stay open until 2. Beer, wine, and hard liquor can be sold in grocery and convenience stores. The legal drinking age is 21, and there are no dry counties in Nebraska.

Local brands:

Kros Strain - Craft brewery famous for their Fairy Nectar IPA. Widely available at local stores, or from their brewery in La Vista.
Glacial Till Vineyard and Craft Cider - Tasing room in Ashland, and a winery in Palmyra(open June-August).
Zipline - Wide range of beers avialable in stores, taproom and restaurant in Lincoln.

Non-alcohol

Kool Aid is the official drink of Nebraska. It was invented in Hastings where there is also a museum dedicated to the drink.

Stay safe

Crime

In the cities of Omaha and Lincoln crime rates have begun to rise due to the increase in population these two cities have experienced over the past several years. These crime rates do vary considerably among neighborhoods, however, it is important to take proper precautions and use the same degrees of common sense you would ordinarily implement while visiting a mid-size American city. If an area appears decrepit and/or seedy, then you probably do not want to remain there for any length of time.

These two cities have also experienced an increase in gang activity. This should is something to be aware of, but generally crime of this nature is inter-gang related and does not affect the ordinary citizen. Nevertheless, don't put yourself in a position that could lead you to becoming caught in the crossfire of rival gangs.

Severe weather

Tornadoes

Nebraska is located within the country's "tornado alley". Throughout the spring and summer seasons, the state often experiences very violent thunderstorms which contain hail squalls and spawn tornadoes of various strengths. It is important to keep yourself informed of the current weather conditions while traveling through or visiting the state during these seasons as conditions can change very rapidly. Television and radio stations provide excellent severe weather coverage.

Refer to the Tornado safety page for more information about this matter.

Winter storms

During the winter, blizzards and ice storms do occur, and dangerous wind chills are a possibility. High winds can take even a limited amount of snowfall and form very large drifts; beautiful to look at, but dangerous if you are stuck far from help. It is important to find a local weather forecast whenever you plan to travel through the more sparsely populated areas of the state.

Go next

Iowa - Rural Iowa lies along Nebraska's eastern border and provides further opportunities to explore America's agricultural heartland.
Missouri - The state's southeastern neighbor has much to see, from the natural beauty of the Ozarks to the major metropolitan areas of Kansas City and St. Louis.
Kansas - Located south of Nebraska, Kansas is generally considered the center of the country, at least in geographical terms, and is nicknamed "the Heart of America."
Colorado - The Rocky Mountain state borders Nebraska to the southwest and offers a mind-boggling array of outdoor activities.
Wyoming - Home to Yellowstone National Park, the cowboy state borders Nebraska to the west and provides opportunities to experience life on the range in addition to rugged wilderness.
South Dakota - Home to such natural and cultural wonders as Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park and Mount Rushmore, Nebraska's neighbor to the north offers a surprising amount for travelers to see and do.