Mini Field Trips
Boys Town Visitor Center, Hall of
History and Stamp Ball
(call ahead for museum hours)
137th Street and West
Dodge Road
498-1300
www.boystown.org
Chance Ridge Event Center (horse events, team-sorting of
cattle, etc.)
508 N. Skyline Rd.
289-4400
www.chanceridge.com
The Old Market (Omaha's melting pot of cultural and
architectural style)
10th to 13th, Harney to Jackson
Streets
www.oldmarket.com
Mural, 13th Street between Cass and Webster
Streets
"Fertile Ground" by Philadelphia artist Meg Saligman
Largest ever painted in Omaha; one of the largest in the
country
Longer than a football field; 22,000 square feet
Shows notable people, places and landscapes from Omaha's
past and present
Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters (don't miss
the gingerbread structures show in December)
3215 State St.
453-9372
www.lds.org/placestovisit/location/0,10634,1837-1-1-1,00.html
Pedestrian Bridge over Missouri River (or other major
construction project; arrange in advance with the owner or contractor to meet
with an engineer familiar with the job)
Backstage at the Rose Theatre
(arrange a tour and watch a play)
2001 Farnam
345-4849
www.rosetheater.org
Fort Atkinson, 8 miles north of Fort
Calhoun, Neb., on Hwy. 75
First U.S. military post west of the
Missouri River
www.ngpc.state.ne.us/nebland/articles/parks/atkinson.asp
www.fortatkinsononline.org
Mallory Kountze Planetarium
Durham Science Center, Room 135
University of Nebraska at Omaha
554-2219
www.physics.unomaha.edu/planet
Fremont Dinner Train
Melodramas, murder mysteries
650 North H St., Fremont, Neb.
727-8321
www.dinnertrain.net
Douglas County Historical Society
Public events, talks, tours
Fort Omaha, 30th & Fort
455-9990
www.omahahistory.org
Mahoney State Park
Platte River State Park
Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium
Along Interstate 80 between Omaha and Lincoln
332-3901
Search the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission website:
www.ngpc.state.ne.us
Danish Immigrant Museum and Windmill
Elk Horn, Iowa, one hour east of Omaha on I-80
(712) 764-7472
www.danishwindmill.com
Squirrel Cage Jail
1885 jail with cells in a rotating three-story cylinder
226 Pearl St., Council Bluffs
(712) 323-2509
Nature:
Henry Doorly Zoo (bring a camera and make a scrapbook with
interesting animal facts; many youth programs and workshops)
I-80 Exit 454
3701 S. 10th St.
733-8401
www.omahazoo.com
Fontenelle Forest, 1111 Bellevue Blvd., Bellevue (Youth
Naturalist Program and many educational programs; hike through and then write a
story from the point of view of an animal or tree you saw there; in inclement
weather, don't miss Habitat Hollow)
1111 Bellevue Blvd. North, Bellevue
731-3140
www.fontenelleforest.org
Neale Woods Nature Center
14323 Edith Marie Ave.
2.7 miles north of the Mormon Bridge
Part of the Fontenelle Forest Association
453-5615
Nebraska State Parks System
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
www.ngpc.state.ne.us
Nebraska Pheasants Forever
Free, statewide youth-mentor hunts
67 outings last year
http://www.nebraskapf.com/programs/youth_mentor.shtml
Nebraska Ducks Unlimited
"Greenwing" program, events for kids
120 acres of land near Clay Center, Neb., for youth hunts
http://www.ducks.org/states/51/index.html
DeSoto Bend National Wildlife Refuge & Boyer Chute NWR
Missouri Valley, IA
Fishing and outdoor festival for kids in June
(712) 642-4121
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/desoto/
www.fws.gov/boyerchute
National Park Service
Nebraska: http://usparks.about.com/blpkneb.htm
Iowa: http://usparks.about.com/blpkia.htm
Family activities and ranger-led programs near Omaha at:
Homestead National Monument near Beatrice, Neb.;
Missouri National Recreational River near Ponca, Neb.;
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail headquarters in
downtown Omaha;
Effigy Mounds National Monument at Harpers Ferry, Iowa
Wildlife Safari Park
Interstate 80, Exit 426, near Ashland
(402) 944-WILD or 733-8401
www.omahazoo.com
Sightseeing excursion on the Missouri River
River City Star
151 Freedom Park Rd.
342-7827
www.rivercitystar.com
Arbor Day Farm and Arbor Lodge
Nebraska City, Neb,
Tree Adventure: (402) 873-8717
www.ArborDayFarm.org
Lauritzen Gardens (100-acre botanical center has lots of
interesting classes and events)
100 Bancroft St.
346-4002
www.omahabotanicalgardens.org
Metro area walking/biking trails: www.omahatrails.com
Wabash Trace (63 miles, with trailhead from Historic U.S.
275 and East South Omaha Bridge Road): http://wabashtrace.connection.net
Hitchcock Nature Center
Loess Hills Wildlife Preserve
27792 Ski Hill Loop, 5 miles north of Crescent, Iowa, on Old
Lincoln Highway
(712) 545-3283
Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail Visitor Center
601 Riverfront Dr.
661-1804
www.nps.gov/lecl
OPPD Arboretum
27-acre park with hundreds of species of trees and shrubs,
showingshows what to plant near power lines and what NOT to
plant
106th and Blondo Streets
Allwine Prairie Preserve
14810 State St., Bennington
160-acre grassland research area
To arrange tours: lmmartin@maiol.unomaha.edu
Riverside Acres
13703 Elbow Bend Rd.
Bellevue
Equine, agricultural experiences, animal menagerie, special
events, camps
(402) 932-9955
(402) 917-5268
www.riversideacres.info
Seasonal Events and Excursions:
College
World Series
Rosenblatt Stadium, near-South Omaha
http://www.cwsomaha.com/history/history.html
Summer Arts Festival
Third weekend in June
Gene Leahy Mall, Downtown Omaha
www.summerarts.org
Riverfront Jazz &
Blues Festival
Lewis and Clark Landing, Missouri Riverfront
1st Saturday in July
884-1214
www.omahajazzandblues.com
Offutt Open House and
Air Show
Offutt Air Force Base, Bellevue
Check dates: www.offuttairshow.com
Jazz on the Green
Outdoor concerts, July and August
Joslyn Art Museum
2200 Dodge St.
Check website for dates:
www.joslyn.org
River City Roundup
Qwest Center Omaha
Late September
www.rivercityroundup.org
Vala's Pumpkin Patch
12102 S. 180th St., Gretna
332-4200
www.valaspumpkinpatch.com
Bellevue Berry Farm
and Pumpkin Ranch
11001 S. 48th St., Papillion
331-5500
www.bellevueberryfarm.com
Big Red Barn and
Pumpkin Farm
132nd St. and Bennington Road
238-2696
Fontanelle Orchard
"The Apple Barn" tours by request
26982 NE Hwy 91
Nickerson, Neb.
(402) 727-5272
www.fontanelleorchards.com
Holiday Under Glass
Concerts
Joslyn Art Museum
2200 Dodge St.
www.joslyn.org
Tours (be sure to call ahead for an
appointment; not all are free):
The World-Herald
Federal Reserve Bank
Union Pacific Railroad
Western Heritage Museum
Joslyn Art Museum
Omaha Public Library
Nebraska Humane Society
Freedom Park Navy Museum
2497 Freedom Park Road
345-1959
General Crook House
5730 N. 30th St.
455-9990
www.omahahistory.org/museum.htm
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite
32nd Street and Woolworth
Ave.
444-5955
General Dodge House
605 Third St., Council Bluffs
322-2406
Joslyn Castle
3902 Davenport St.
595-2199
www.joslyncaqstle.com
Performing Arts:
Omaha Community Playhouse
Nation's largest community theater
6915 Cass St.
553-0800
www.omahaplayhouse.com
Blue Barn Theatre
(Parental Guidance: check ahead for
age appropriateness)
614 S. 11th St.
345-1576
www.bluebarn.org
Holland Performing Arts Center
Student matinees, arts exploration
projects, Creativity Conversations,
Artist Encounters
13th & Douglas
345-0606
www.omahaperformingarts.org
Omaha Symphony Association
Tremendous amount of educational
opportunities offered here
1605 Howard St.
342-3836
www.omahasymphony.org
Opera Omaha
Educational programs, Opera for
Everyone, Opera Insights
1625 Farnam St., Suite 100
346-7372
www.operaomaha.org
Orpheum Theater
Club Orpheum is an innovative youth
program
409 S. 16th St.
Info: 345-0606 Tickets: 345-0202
History of the Orpheum:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orpheum_Theater_(Omaha)
www.omahaperformingarts.org
The Rose
Performing Arts for Children and
Families
2001 Farnam St.
Tickets: 345-4849
www.rosetheater.org
Business Visits:
Orchard: Agritourism (set up a tour through
the phone book, and pre-teach students so that they come ready to taste-test
and ask questions about the business)
Service Station: What's Your PSI? (that's short for
"pounds per square inch," a term about pressure; use this excursion to teach about
science, engineering and technology; ask about all the practical uses of
science and technology in car repair and maintenance)
Interior Design Firm: Math is Beautiful! (ask how the
designers use math in their work)
Bait Shop: Predator and Prey (the place for
grossouts! sniff "stinkbait" and ask how water creatures find their food, and
why that's important for fishermen to know; how to make your own simple cane
pole; how to find places where they're biting, and when)
Beauty Shop: The Science of Beauty (ask about
chemistry and other science applications)
Landscaping: Lanoha Nurseries, 19111 W. Center
Road, call ahead (289-4103) to see if an employee can show you the $200,000
entrance display completed in 2009 with 460,000 pounds of boulders, 3,000 individual
plants and two manmade waterfalls with streams.
Museums:
Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha
2200 Dodge St.
342-3300
www.joslyn.org
Durham Western Heritage Museum
Art Deco railway station; regional history; Byron Reed Coin
Collection
801 S. 10th St.
444-5071
www.dwhm.org
Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts
724 S. 12th St.
341-7130
www.bemiscenter.org
Freedom Park Navy Museum
USS Hazard
2497
Freedom Park Road
345-01959
Sarpy County Historical Museum
2402 Clay St, Bellevue
292-1880
Strategic Air and Space Museum
I-80, Exhit 426 near Ashland
(402) 944-3100
www.strategicairandspace.com
Omaha Childrens Museum
500 S. 20th St.
342-6164
www.ocm.org
Nebraska Jewish Historical Society
Jewish Community Center
333 S. 132nd St.
334-6442
www.jewishomaha.org
Union Pacific Railroad Museum
200 Pearl St., Council Bluffs
(712) 329-8307
www.uprr.com
RailsWest Railroad Museum
16th Avenue and South Main Street, Council
Bluffs, I-80 Exit 3
(71) 323-5182
www.thehistoricalsociety.org/depot.htm
Kenefick Park
Big Boy, the largest steam engine ever built and operated
Centennial, largest diesel locomotive ever made
Operated by Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St.
346-4002
www.omahabotanicalgardens.org
Loves Jazz and Arts Center (African-American and Caribbean)
2510 N. 24th St.
502-5291
El Museo Latino (Latino art, dance and culture)
4701 S. 25th St.
731-1137
www.elmuseolatino.org
Cathedral Cultural Center
St. Cecilia Cathedral art gallery
with historic Omaha photos
701 N. 40th St.
558-3100, ext. 243
www.cathedralartsproject.org
Day Trips:
Crane Meadows, east of Kearney (when the sandhill cranes are
there in the spring)
Great Platte River Road Archway,
Kearney, www.archway.org
Edgerton Explorit Center, Aurora (a great science museum for
all ages!)
Ashfall Fossil Beds, Royal (prehistoric creatures minding
their own business at the waterhole when suddenly. . . .)
Stuhr Museum, Grand Island
(excellent history and pioneer artifacts)
www.stuhrmuseum.org
Homestead National Monument and
Museum, Beatrice (ditto)
Arbor Lodge, Nebraska City
Service Projects
(Caution: Always Have Parent/Adult
Supervision For Your Safety):
Pick up litter along a roadside (make sure to have adult
supervision for safety reasons)
Visit elderly people who might be lonely in a veterans home
or nursing home
Help build a house for a deserving person through Habitat
For Humanity, www.habitatomaha.org
Collect new and gently-used children's books to give to
needy children
Collect new and gently-used clothing for the homeless and
the disadvantaged
Volunteer to help disabled children benefit in many ways
from horseback riding at Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy (www.hetra.org) in Omaha and Valley, Neb.
Read the paper to a blind neighbor (and learn from his or
her insights and wisdom)
Shovel someone's snow, mow the lawn or rake leaves for free (how
about a single mother?)
Babysit in a church nursery (it's still service, even though
babies are adorable!)
Make dinner once a week for someone else (maybe someone you
know is caring for an elderly parent or sick family member and would appreciate
a "night off"; bring the groceries and cook at their place, or cook ahead and
bring it in just before dinnertime)
Deliver flowers for a florist for Mother's Day (call ahead
and offer your services, and donate your earnings to programs for kids with no
parents)
By Susan Darst Williams
