1. Omaha Children’s Museum
500 South 20th Street
Omaha, NE 68102
Phone: (402) 342-6164
Fax: (402) 342-6165
Email: info@ocm.org
This fantastic museum caters to children of various ages through their exhibits and programs. On the daily schedule, you will find story time, crafts, demonstrations and more. These special activities are happening regularly, so there isn’t a bad time to arrive and start the fun. In addition to the regular exhibits, there are special temporary exhibits that change throughout the year making this attraction one you will want to frequent.
2. Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
3701 S. 10th Street
Omaha, NE 68107
Informational Recording:
(402) 733-8400
Guest Services:
(402) 733-8401
The Henry Doorly Zoo is one of the country’s most impressive zoo’s with the largest cat complex in North America, the largest nocturnal exhibit and indoor swamp, one of the world’s largest indoor rainforests and the largest glazed geodesic dome in the world housing the world’s largest indoor desert. In addition to these amazing exhibits, there are many more to see covering an expansive 130 acres. The aquarium, which you will find inside the zoo, has 17,000 animals and 1.2 million gallons of water. (ref) In addition to the animals, this zoo also contains several rides that might interest your family. The train, carousel, tram and Skyfari are fun breaks for tired feet. This zoo is not to be missed and will take you all day to explore.
3. Lauritzen Gardens
100 Bancroft Street
Omaha, NE 68108
Phone: (402) 346-4002
While it may not sound like something the children will be interested in, it actually is a fun place to visit. With expansive walking trails, your children can definitely get some wiggles out while enjoying a lovely landscape. While some of the gardens might need just a quick pass through, your kids will not want to miss the amazing Rail Road Garden. With numerous trains and notable buildings, this garden is very entertaining. Since there are 100 acres on the property, you should plan several hours for this picturesque stop.
4. Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge
705 Riverfront Dr
Omaha, NE 68102
Region: Downtown / Old Market
Phone: (402) 444-5900
This pedestrian bridge links the two states together. In the middle of the bridge, you can stand in two states at once: Iowa and Nebraska. On the Nebraska side of the bridge landing, there is a splash pad for kids to enjoy on warm summer days. If you’re lucky there will be an ice cream cart selling cool treats to eat. On the Iowa side of the bridge landing is a large park. Take a stroll on the bridge and have fun watching the boats on the Missouri River float by.
5. River City Star
151 Freedom Park Rd
Omaha, NE 68102
The landing for the River City Star is a few miles upriver from the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge. This lovely old-time riverboat offers sightseeing cruises during the day. These cruises last an hour and explain some of the history of the Missouri River as well as some Omaha history. There are also occasional lunch cruises and dinner cruises in the evenings. River City Star is available for rental for your own private charter as well. The River City Star operates from April-October.
6. The Durham Museum
801 South 10th Street
Omaha, NE 68108
Phone: (402) 444-5071
Housed in the old Union Station building, the Durham Museum offers up treasures of days gone by. In the main waiting room is a permanent exhibit of restored statues. In the basement you will find trains, recreations of buildings in Omaha’s past, a coin collection, children’s activities and more. The Durham Museum also features traveling exhibits which make it fun to visit multiple times throughout the year. A visit to the Durham would probably last half a day.
With all of these family-friendly activities, you could plan your trip to Omaha to last a weekend or a week. On top of these attractions, there are restaurants, sports teams, and electric shops to explore. Omaha would make a great vacation destination for the whole family.