Fast Facts
- Population
- 486,051 (2020 census); 488,797 (2025 est.)
- Elevation
- 1,060 ft
- Best Season
- May–June or September–October; June for the College World Series
- Nearest Interstate
- I-80 and I-29, which meet just south of the city
- National Scenic Byway
- Loess Hills National Scenic Byway, 220 miles — 4.5 miles away
What to Know Before You Arrive
The railroad is the reason Omaha is the size it is. In 1862 Congress allowed the Union Pacific Railroad to begin building westward railways; Union Pacific broke ground in Omaha in December 1863, which provided what the record calls an essential developmental boom for the city, and its first rails were laid in July 1865. Union Pacific Corporation is still headquartered here, one of four Fortune 500 companies based in the city.
The founding story is characteristically plain. The city was informally established on 4 July 1854 at a picnic on Capitol Hill, which is a modest beginning for a city where Union Pacific later broke ground on its railroad in December 1863.
Two things draw visitors who are not here for business. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is the city's best-known institution, and the College World Series is held here each year at the downtown ballpark — an event, in the record's words, “tourists flock to each year.” If your dates fall in June, check the series schedule before booking anything.
The Road Trip Stop
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium at 3701 S 10th Street is the anchor, open year-round except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Parking is free. The pricing, however, needs reading before you go.
Three price seasons, two hours seasons, and they do not line up
- Admission runs on three seasons. Adults aged 12 and over pay $33.95* in summer (1 May to 30 September), $28.95* in spring and autumn, and $21.95* in winter (1 December to 28 February). Ages 3 to 11 pay $25.95*, $20.95* and $14.95* across the same seasons; ages 2 and under are free.
- The hours run on different seasons from the prices. Opening is 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from 1 April to 1 November and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from 2 November to 31 March — boundaries that do not match the pricing changes on 1 May, 1 October and 1 December. A late-October visit is on autumn prices but summer hours.
- Individual buildings close before the zoo does. Most stay open an hour past the gate time, but the Butterfly and Insect Pavilion closes at 4:00 p.m. year-round, and the Lied Jungle closes in stages in summer and at 3:00 p.m. in winter. Do the jungle first in winter.
- Winter is roughly a third cheaper than summer for the same zoo, at the cost of shorter hours and earlier building closures. For an indoor-heavy zoo, that trade is worth doing the arithmetic on.
*Fees subject to change, please check omahazoo.com for updated information.
Neighborhoods
The Old Market
A historic downtown entertainment district of cobblestone streets, restaurants, boutiques, galleries and nightlife, in historic brick buildings. The City of Omaha's preservation office describes the area as developing in the 1880s as a wholesale district, and Visit Omaha describes the neighbourhood as walkable, stretching roughly from 10th to 13th streets between Farnam and Leavenworth streets.
The riverfront
Along the Missouri River, where the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge crosses to Iowa; the National Park Service says the walk from Nebraska to Iowa takes 15 minutes.
North 24th Street
The North 24th and Lake Streets Historic District, which the National Park Service describes as the heart of Omaha's Black community and lists on the National Register of Historic Places. Omaha Public Schools' history materials say jazz played an important part in North Omaha's history, with the Dreamland Ballroom at 24th and Grant streets a popular destination for jazz lovers in Omaha. We were unable to confirm historic markers along the street; the National Park Service page for the district names the buildings individually listed on the National Register.
South 10th and the zoo
South of downtown, where the zoo sits on the bluffs above the river.
The Food Stop
Visit Omaha describes the Old Market downtown as a district with a high concentration of restaurants, set in historic brick buildings on cobblestone streets. Britannica says several people are credited with inventing the Reuben sandwich, including Bernard Schimmel and Reuben Kulakofsky in Omaha and Arnold Reuben in New York City, so the origin is contested. We were unable to confirm a specific long-standing Omaha restaurant for this guide, and this guide does not name a business without checking that business's own site.
Been here a while
Places that have been serving a long time. All were still trading when we last checked. Each name links to its source.
- 1922Johnny's CafeStockyards-area steakhouse founded by Polish immigrant Frank Kawa; James Beard America's Classic 2026
13 breweries within 10 miles of Omaha, 6 of them brewpubs with a kitchen.
See all 13
- Benson Brewery6059 Maple St, Omaha
- Farnam House Brewing Company3558 Farnam St, Omaha
- Granite City Food & Brewery (#16)1001 N 102nd St, Omaha
- Jaipur Restaurant and Brewpub10922 Elm St, Omaha
- Upstream Brewing Co (#1)514 S 11th St, Omaha
- Vis Major Brewing Co3501 Center St, Omaha
- Brickway Brewery and Distillery1116 Jackson St, Omahaproduction site*
- Infusion Brewing Company - Benson6115 Maple St, Omahaproduction site*
- Infusion Brewing Company - Southwest6271 S 118th St, Omahaproduction site*
- Kros Strain Brewing Company10411 Portal Rd, LaVistaproduction site*
- Nebraska Brewing Co - La Vista6950 S 108th St, La Vistaproduction site*
- Pint 9 Brewing Co10411 Portal Rd, La Vistaproduction site*
- Scriptown Brewing Company3922 Farnam St Blackstone District, Omahaproduction site*
*Check before you go. This list says what the source records as open and where it is — nothing more. Opening hours, whether a kitchen is serving, and whether anywhere suits your family are not in this data and change without notice. A production site may have no public room at all. Please confirm with the venue.
Brewpub locations from Open Brewery DB (MIT)
The Home Teams
Omaha Storm Chasers
Triple-A baseballTriple-A baseball at Werner Park, a stadium built in 2011 and owned by Sarpy County. The team's site describes the Storm Chasers as the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals.
Creighton Bluejays
NCAA Division ICreighton men's basketball plays at CHI Health Center Omaha, which describes itself as a venue in the heart of Omaha and as the home of Creighton men's basketball.
Union Omaha
USL League OneThe club plays at Morrison Stadium on California Street, which it shares with Creighton University's soccer teams — downtown rather than out at the ballpark complex.
The College World Series
NCAA baseballNot a team but an annual fixture: the series is held in Omaha each June and transforms the city while it runs. The games are played at Charles Schwab Field Omaha, whose own site describes it as the home of the Men's College World Series.
Day Trips
| Destination | Time | Distance | How we got it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council Bluffs, Iowa | 12 min | 5 mi | routed |
| Across the Missouri River in Iowa. Union Pacific says President Lincoln named Council Bluffs as the railroad's eastern terminus in 1863, and the Durham Museum says construction started in Omaha because there was no bridge across the Missouri at that time. | |||
| Lincolnguide | 1 hr 5 min | 59 mi | routed |
| The Nebraska state capital, home of the Nebraska State Capitol, a National Historic Landmark whose own site describes a 400-foot domed tower. The Capitol's site currently lists the tower and observation decks as closed for HVAC construction and offers free guided tours. | |||
| Boys Town | 22 min | 14 mi | routed |
| The Boys Town village. Boys Town says it opened in 1917 to welcome young people in need, and describes the village as a national historic landmark district. Its Hall of History museum is open to the public Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. | |||
| The Loess Hills | 28 min | 22 mi | routed |
| Western Iowa, along the Missouri River: a ridge of wind-deposited soil. The Iowa DNR says the Loess Hills formed 20,000 to 10,000 years ago from windblown silt, and the Council Bluffs tourism bureau describes the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway as spanning 220 miles across seven counties along the Missouri River. | |||
| Nebraska City | 1 hr | 51 mi | routed |
| Nebraska City, which the Arbor Day Foundation calls the official birthplace of the Arbor Day holiday. Arbor Day Farm lists apple picking and cider tasting among its fall activities. | |||
1 of these is a place the Hub has its own guide to — marked guide and linked from the name.
Routed figures are computed over map data at free-flowing speeds, between map points rather than street addresses, so a real drive runs longer.
Distances routed by OSRM and places geocoded by Nominatim, over map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
Worth a Weekend
6 more Highway Heads places lie within about 180 miles of Omaha in a straight line — far enough that most are a night away rather than an afternoon.
- Des MoinesIowaabout 120 mi
- TopekaKansasabout 150 mi
- Sioux FallsSouth Dakotaabout 160 mi
- Kansas CityMissouriabout 170 mi
- KearneyNebraskaabout 170 mi
- AbileneKansasabout 180 mi
Zoos Nearby
Within 60 miles of Omaha, nearest first.
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and AquariumAZA-accreditedOmaha
- Hours
- Gates 9am-5pm; grounds close 6pm
- Season
- year-round
- Admission
- Adult from $28.95 (ages 12+) · Child $20.95 (ages 3-11)
- Reservations
- Not required
Site noted phone/online ticketing outage at time of check
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. Each of these carries an accreditation we confirmed against the accrediting body’s own register. Where there is no badge we did not confirm one — that is not a judgement on the place, and a good many municipal, state and university sites belong to no register we check. Opening times, prices and seasons change without notice, so check the operator’s own site — every name above links to it.
Annual Events Nearby
Within 60 miles of Omaha, nearest first.
What is on, and when
Men's College World Seriessports-motorsportOmaha
- Usually
- June, over several days
- Held at
- Charles Schwab Field Omaha
- Since
- First held 1947; in Omaha since 1950
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. Events are listed by the month they usually fall in, because that is what we hold — we do not publish dates, and a month is not a promise. Check the organiser before you plan around one. Opening times, line-ups and ticketing change without notice, so check the venue’s or organiser’s own site — every name above links to it.
Amusement and Water Parks Nearby
Within 60 miles of Omaha, nearest first.
Fun-PlexSeasonalamusement park and water parkOmaha
summer-only rides and water park
The Amazing Pizza Machinefamily entertainment centerOmaha
indoor family entertainment center with buffet
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. 1 of these runs a season rather than opening year round. Opening and closing dates move every year and we hold none of them, so check the park’s own calendar before you build a day around it. Prices, hours and ride closures change without notice — every name above links to the park’s own site.
Practical Road Trip Info
Two interstates meet here. I-80 and I-29 join just south of the city, which makes Omaha one of the easiest major stops in the plains to reach.
Check the zoo's season before budgeting. The difference between summer and winter admission is substantial, and the hours change on different dates from the prices.
June is College World Series month. Lodging and downtown traffic change completely while it runs; check the dates before booking.
You can walk to Iowa. The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge over the Missouri River links Omaha and Council Bluffs; the National Park Service lists it as open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a walk of 15 minutes from Nebraska to Iowa.
One public campground within 25 miles of Omaha, first-come rather than bookable. Public campgrounds run by federal agencies. State-park and private campgrounds are not included.
The Local Debate
Family-Friendly
The zoo's indoor exhibits
The zoo's own pages describe the Desert Dome as an indoor desert and the Lied Jungle as an indoor rainforest; the Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium, with a 70-foot shark tunnel, has its own page. Ages 2 and under are free.
Standing in two states
Visitors can pose in two states at the same time on the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, a tradition the Council Bluffs tourism bureau calls “bobbing”, and the National Park Service says the walk from Nebraska to Iowa takes 15 minutes. We were unable to confirm that the state line is marked on the deck.
The Durham Museum's trains
Train cars from the 1940s and 50s, including a Pullman car, a lounge car and a caboose, that visitors can walk through at the Durham Museum, which describes its model train layout as a delight for young and old.
A Storm Chasers game
Triple-A baseball at Werner Park, home of the Omaha Storm Chasers. The park is primarily cashless and requires transparent bags, according to the team's visitor information page.
Plan Your Visit
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
- Address
- 3701 S 10th St, Omaha, NE 68107
- Hours
- 1 April-1 November 9am-5pm; 2 November-31 March 10am-4pm; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
- Summer admission
- 1 May-30 September: $33.95 ages 12+, $25.95 ages 3-11, free ages 2 and under*
- Winter admission
- 1 December-28 February: $21.95 ages 12+, $14.95 ages 3-11*
- Building closures
- Butterfly and Insect Pavilion closes 4pm; Lied Jungle closes in stages in summer and at 3pm in winter
- Parking
- Free to guests
- Link
- omahazoo.com
*Fees subject to change, please check omahazoo.com for updated information.
We checked seasonal opening, fees, operating status, opening hours and closures on 2026-10-12. These change without notice — confirm with omahazoo.com, arbordayfarm.org, joslyn.org, durhammuseum.org, milb.com, nps.gov, boystown.org and capitol.nebraska.gov the week you travel.
Sources — 43 claims, 40 checked against the source on 2026-10-12
| Claim | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| “Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium”, 3701 S 10th St, Omaha, NE 68107; open year-round except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day; 1 April to 1 November 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and 2 November to 31 March 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; most buildings stay open an hour later; Butterfly and Insect Pavilion closes 4 p.m.; Lied Jungle closes in stages in summer and 3 p.m. in winter; parking is free to guests | Hours and Admission — Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium | Checked monitored · 2026-10-12 |
| Admission by season — adults 12+: $33.95 summer (1 May–30 Sep), $28.95 spring/fall (1 Mar–30 Apr and 1 Oct–30 Nov), $21.95 winter (1 Dec–28 Feb); ages 3–11: $25.95 / $20.95 / $14.95; seniors 65+ and military adults $30.55 / $25.95 / $19.75; ages 2 and under free. The hours seasons and the admission seasons use different boundary dates | Hours and Admission — Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium | Checked monitored · 2026-10-12 |
| Population 486,051 at the 2020 census with a 2025 estimate of 488,797; elevation 1,060 feet | Omaha, Nebraska — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Founded 1854 and incorporated 1857; informally established on 4 July 1854 at a picnic on Capitol Hill; named from the Omaha people, the word meaning “Upstream People” or “Against the Current&rdquo | Omaha, Nebraska — Wikipedia | Checked |
| In 1862 Congress “allowed the Union Pacific Railroad to begin building westward railways”; construction began from Omaha in January 1866; “Groundbreaking for the First transcontinental railroad in 1863” provided “an essential developmental boom for the city”; Omaha “is home to the headquarters of four Fortune 500 companies”, Union Pacific Corporation among them | Omaha, Nebraska — Wikipedia | Checked |
| The Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium and the annual College World Series are listed among Omaha's notable cultural institutions; the ballpark “is now the home of the College World Series, an event tourists flock to each year&rdquo | Omaha, Nebraska — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Union Pacific states that in 1863 President Lincoln named Council Bluffs as the eastern terminus for Union Pacific (checked 2026-10-14) | Union Pacific - Omaha and the road to Promontory | Checked |
| A named, verified long-standing Omaha restaurant for the food stop (none confirmed 2026-10-14; the Reuben question is now sourced to Britannica) | No source accepted yet | Not confirmed |
| Whether the state line is marked on the deck of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, and whether crossing is free (Durham Museum and Joslyn Art Museum parts are now sourced) | No source accepted yet | Not confirmed |
| The Omaha Storm Chasers' site states Werner Park, built in 2011 and owned by Sarpy County, is home to the Storm Chasers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals (checked 2026-10-14) | Omaha Storm Chasers - Werner Park | Checked |
| Historic or jazz heritage markers along North 24th Street (the district and its jazz history are now sourced; History Nebraska pages returned a verification wall) | No source accepted yet | Not confirmed |
| Britannica states Lincoln is about 60 miles (95 km) southwest of Omaha (checked 2026-10-14) | Lincoln, Nebraska - Britannica | Checked |
| Boys Town states it opened its doors in 1917 to welcome young people in need (checked 2026-10-14) | Boys Town - history | Checked |
| Union Pacific states it broke ground in Omaha in December 1863 and that rails were not laid until July 1865 (checked 2026-10-14) | Union Pacific - Lincoln and Union Pacific | Checked |
| The Durham Museum states the 1862 Pacific Railway Act fixed the Union Pacific's eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, that construction started in Omaha because no bridge crossed the Missouri, that Union Station opened 15 January 1931 in the art deco style by Gilbert Stanley Underwood, and that the last passenger train left in 1971 (checked 2026-10-14) | The Durham Museum - History of Union Station | Checked |
| The Durham Museum lists permanent exhibits including 1940s and 50s train cars (a Pullman car, lounge car and caboose), a Concourse Gallery on the building's architecture and passenger travel, and an O scale model train layout (checked 2026-10-14) | The Durham Museum - permanent exhibits | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Joslyn Art Museum lists hours of Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., late until 8 p.m. on Thursday, closed Monday and major holidays (checked 2026-10-14) | Joslyn Art Museum - visit | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Joslyn Art Museum states general admission is free to all (checked 2026-10-14) | Joslyn Art Museum - admission | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Joslyn Art Museum states the art deco building opened 29 November 1931 and the museum now comprises three connected buildings including the 2024 Rhonda and Howard Hawks Pavilion (checked 2026-10-14) | Joslyn Art Museum - architecture | Checked |
| Joslyn Art Museum states its collection of over 12,000 objects represents more than 5,000 years of human creativity (checked 2026-10-14) | Joslyn Art Museum - history | Checked |
| The National Park Service lists the 3,000-foot cable-stayed footbridge, managed by Omaha and Council Bluffs, as completed in September 2008, open 24 hours a day seven days a week, with a walk of 15 minutes from Nebraska to Iowa (checked 2026-10-14) | Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge - National Park Service | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| The Council Bluffs visitors bureau describes 'bobbing' as posing in two states at the same time on the bridge (checked 2026-10-14) | Unleash Council Bluffs - Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge | Checked |
| The National Park Service lists the district on the National Register of Historic Places and describes it as the heart of Omaha's Black community (checked 2026-10-14) | North 24th and Lake Streets Historic District - National Park Service | Checked |
| Omaha Public Schools history materials state jazz played an important part in North Omaha's history and name the Dreamland Ballroom at 24th and Grant streets as a popular destination for jazz in Omaha (checked 2026-10-14) | Omaha Public Schools - Jazz Music in North Omaha | Checked |
| Visit Omaha describes the Old Market as a historic downtown entertainment district of cobblestone streets, restaurants, boutiques and galleries, walkable, roughly 10th to 13th streets between Farnam and Leavenworth, with a high concentration of restaurants (checked 2026-10-14) | Visit Omaha - Old Market | Checked |
| The City of Omaha's National Register form states the Old Market area developed in the 1880s as a section of downtown for wholesaling (checked 2026-10-14) | City of Omaha preservation office - Warehouses in Omaha, 1875-1941 | Checked |
| Britannica states several people are credited with inventing the Reuben sandwich, including Bernard Schimmel and Reuben Kulakofsky in Omaha and Arnold Reuben in New York City (checked 2026-10-14) | Reuben sandwich - Britannica | Checked |
| The Omaha Storm Chasers' site states Werner Park is primarily a cashless facility and bags must be transparent vinyl or PVC no larger than 16 by 16 by 8 inches (checked 2026-10-14) | Omaha Storm Chasers - Know Before You Go | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| CHI Health Center Omaha describes its arena as in the heart of Omaha and as the home of Creighton men's basketball (checked 2026-10-14) | CHI Health Center Omaha | Checked |
| Charles Schwab Field Omaha's own site describes the stadium as the home of the Men's College World Series (checked 2026-10-14) | Charles Schwab Field Omaha | Checked |
| The Nebraska Capitol site states the Capitol has a 400-foot domed tower and is a National Historic Landmark (checked 2026-10-14) | Nebraska State Capitol - building history | Checked |
| The Nebraska Capitol site lists the tower and observation decks as closed due to HVAC construction and offers free guided tours (checked 2026-10-14) | Nebraska State Capitol - visit | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Britannica states Nebraska City is about 40 miles (65 km) south of Omaha (checked 2026-10-14) | Nebraska City - Britannica | Checked |
| Boys Town describes the village as a national historic landmark district (checked 2026-10-14) | Boys Town - visit | Checked |
| Boys Town lists its Hall of History museum as open to the public Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (checked 2026-10-14) | Boys Town - attractions | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| The Iowa Department of Natural Resources states the Loess Hills of western Iowa formed 20,000 to 10,000 years ago from windblown silt (checked 2026-10-14) | Iowa DNR - Loess Hills State Forest | Checked |
| The Council Bluffs visitors bureau describes the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway as spanning 220 miles across seven counties along the Missouri River (checked 2026-10-14) | Unleash Council Bluffs - Loess Hills National Scenic Byway | Checked |
| The Arbor Day Foundation states Nebraska City is the official birthplace of the Arbor Day holiday (checked 2026-10-14) | Arbor Day Foundation - History of Arbor Day | Checked |
| Arbor Day Farm's own site lists apple picking and cider tasting among its fall activities (checked 2026-10-14) | Arbor Day Farm | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| The zoo's own page describes the Desert Dome as an indoor desert (checked 2026-10-14) | Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium - Desert Dome | Checked |
| The zoo's own page describes the Lied Jungle as an indoor rainforest (checked 2026-10-14) | Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium - Lied Jungle | Checked |
| The zoo's own page describes the aquarium's 70-foot shark tunnel (checked 2026-10-14) | Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium - Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium | Checked |
| Designated a National Scenic Byway by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation; 220 miles in IA; FHWA suggests: Plan five hours to drive or seven or more hours to enjoy the byway. Distance from this stop to the route measured against the published byway centreline on the U.S. Department of Transportation map service (geo.dot.gov), which carries no stated licence and predates the 2021 designations; the measurement is ours, the line is theirs and is not reproduced here. 4.5 miles (checked 2026-10-29) | Federal Highway Administration: Loess Hills National Scenic Byway | Checked |
Road Trippin’ with the Harts
The Highway Heads books turn the miles between stops into a game the whole car can play.
See the booksLive Conditions
Wildlife Spotted Nearby
Nearest Airports
Straight-line distance from Omaha, not drive time.
- Eppley Airfield (OMA) — 4 miles
- Lincoln (LNK) — 51 miles
- Columbus Municipal (OLU) — 74 miles
Also in
A stop on this page turns up in other Highway Heads collections.
On these trips
This guide sits on a road we have written up end to end, with the stops we publish along the way.
Explore the Full Road Trip
Return to the Highway Heads map and discover the next family-ready stop.
Explore the Map