3 days of a zoo, brick streets and a capitol tower

A flat day on foot in downtown Omaha. Start in the brick streets of the Old Market, spend the middle of the day in two museums, then walk to the footbridge over the Missouri River.

1. Breakfast

   Kolaches

   Soft, sweet buns of Czech origin, filled with fruit or cheese, or sometimes with sausage, a Midwest breakfast for settlers from central Europe.

   Local tip Try one fruit and one cheese to share, and eat them warm.
2. 1
   Morning

   Old Market

   A neighborhood of downtown Omaha, with brick-paved streets from the turn of the 20th century, covered sidewalks, art galleries and street performers. Horse-drawn carriages pass by. A good place to wander slowly with children.

   Go when Morning, before the streets fill, or in the evening (about 7:33 PM) when the lights come on.

   Local tip The bricks are uneven, so push a stroller slowly and watch small feet. Look in at the galleries, and let the children pick which street to try next.

   

   About 17 min walk0.9 mi
3. 2
   MiddayIndoor

   Joslyn Art Museum

   The fine arts museum of Omaha, opened in 1931, with American and European art of the 19th and 20th centuries, Western American art, and Chinese and Japanese art. Pick a few rooms rather than all of them, and check ahead on tickets.

   Go when Midday, as an indoor stop.

   Local tip Choose three or four rooms and let the children lead, since the collection spans many centuries and countries. Ask at the desk about family trails, and check ahead on tickets.

   

4. Lunch

   A Reuben sandwich

   Corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese on grilled rye bread, with a sauce. The sandwich is said to be linked to Omaha, and is on many menus downtown.

   Local tip Ask for the sauce on the side if you like it mild.

   About 22 min walk1.1 mi
5. 3
   AfternoonIndoor

   Durham Museum (Omaha)

   A museum of the history of the American West, housed in the old Union Station of Omaha. The station hall is worth a look even before the exhibits. Check ahead on tickets and what is on.

   Go when Afternoon, as an indoor stop.

   Local tip The museum fills the old Union Station, so look up at the station hall before you go into the exhibits. Check ahead on what is on and on tickets.

   About 20 min walk1.0 mi
6. 4
   Evening

   Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge

   A footbridge over the Missouri River that joins Omaha to Council Bluffs, Iowa, opened in 2008. Walk out over the water for the view of the river and the city, and keep children close to the rail. Check ahead on the weather and wind.

   Go when Late afternoon into evening (about 7:33 PM), when the light softens on the water.

   Local tip It crosses into Iowa and back. Keep children close to the rail, and check the wind and the weather before you walk out. Take a jacket, since it is cooler over the river.

   

7. Dinner

   A steak dinner

   A thick cut of Nebraska beef with a baked potato and a side of vegetables, a plain supper in the state that raises the cattle.

   Local tip Ask for the size that suits your appetite, and share a side with the children.

A day for the animals, mostly outdoors and spread across the south of the city. Give the zoo and aquarium the morning and more, then drive to a botanical garden, then a forest preserve south of the city.

1. Travel from Bob Kerrey Pedestrian BridgeAbout 14 min by car or transit2.8 mi

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Eggs, hash browns and toast

   Eggs cooked the way you like them, with crisp hash browns and buttered toast, a filling start before a day on your feet at the zoo.

   Local tip Add fruit for the children and carry a snack for later.
3. 1
   MorningIndoor

   Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

   A zoo and aquarium that grew from a park zoo of 1894. Its indoor exhibits include a rainforest, a desert under a glass dome and a swamp for animals of the night, which makes it a plan for hot, cold or wet days. Check ahead on tickets.

   Go when Morning, as early as you can, and plan to stay on.

   Local tip Start with the outdoor animals while it is cool, then use the indoor rainforest, desert and night exhibits for heat, cold or rain. Wear comfortable shoes, carry water and check ahead on tickets.

4. Lunch

   A stuffed bread sandwich

   A baked bread pocket filled with seasoned beef, cabbage and onion, a handheld meal said to have come with German settlers from Russia to the plains.

   Local tip Eat it warm, and ask for a milder filling for small children.

   About 19 min walk0.9 mi
5. 2
   Afternoon

   Lauritzen Gardens

   The botanical garden and arboretum of Omaha, in the south of the city, with a conservatory and a play garden for younger children. The paths are an easy walk after the zoo. Check ahead on tickets and on what is in bloom.

   Go when Afternoon, after the zoo.

   Local tip Walk the paths, step into the conservatory and let the children try the play garden. Check ahead on what is in bloom and on tickets.

   About 16 min by car or transit3.8 mi
6. 3
   Evening

   Fontenelle Forest

   A forest preserve of about 1,500 acres at Bellevue, south of Omaha, with hardwood forest, floodplain, loess hills and marsh. It has hiking trails and a nature center, and it is a National Natural Landmark. Wear closed shoes, carry water and check ahead on the trails.

   Go when Late afternoon (about 7:33 PM), when the light comes through the trees.

   Local tip It is a real forest on soft ground, so wear closed shoes and carry water. Mosquitoes can be thick in the warm months, so bring repellent. Check ahead on the trails and the weather.

   

7. Dinner

   Chicken fried steak

   A breaded and fried cutlet of beef, covered in cream gravy, with mashed potatoes, a comfort plate of the Midwest.

   Local tip The plates are large, so share one between two children.

A day in Lincoln, the state capital, a drive from Omaha along the interstate. A limestone capitol with a tall tower, a natural history museum, the old district of Haymarket, then a nature preserve on the edge of town.

1. Drive from Fontenelle ForestAbout 1 h 17 min by car48.2 mi

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Pancakes and eggs

   A stack of pancakes with warm syrup and eggs on the side, a quick start before the drive to Lincoln.

   Local tip Eat well and carry water for the road.
3. 1
   MorningIndoor

   Nebraska State Capitol

   The seat of state government, built of Indiana limestone between 1922 and 1932, with a 400 foot tower that can be seen from far across the flat country. Nebraska has the only one-house state legislature in the United States. Check ahead on tours and on which rooms are open.

   Go when Morning, once you have arrived in Lincoln.

   Local tip Look up at the tower from the grounds, then go in and look at the halls and the mosaics. It is a working government building, so check ahead on tours and on which rooms are open.

   

   About 17 min walk0.8 mi
4. 2
   MiddayIndoor

   University of Nebraska State Museum

   A natural history museum in Morrill Hall on the university campus, founded in 1871. Elephant Hall holds fossil elephants, and there is a planetarium, fossils, wildlife, gems and minerals. A good fit for children. Check ahead on tickets and shows.

   Go when Midday, as an indoor stop.

   Local tip Go straight to Elephant Hall for the fossil elephants, then follow the children to the wildlife and the gems. The building is on the university campus, so check ahead on parking, tickets and planetarium shows.

   

5. Lunch

   A cinnamon roll with chili

   A bowl of beef and bean chili with a warm cinnamon roll on the side, a pairing said to come from Midwest school lunches. Sweet and savory in one meal.

   Local tip Dip a piece of roll in the chili if you dare, or keep it as a dessert.

   About 10 min walk0.5 mi
6. 3
   Afternoon

   Haymarket District (Lincoln, Nebraska)

   A historic district of downtown Lincoln, laid out in 1874 as Haymarket Square and now on the National Register of Historic Places. Walk the streets and look at the old buildings.

   Go when Afternoon, on foot.

   Local tip Walk the streets and look up at the old building fronts. It is a flat, easy walk from the capitol and from the campus.

   

   About 19 min by car or transit4.5 mi
7. 4
   Afternoon

   Pioneers Park Nature Center

   A nature preserve of 668 acres in the west half of Pioneers Park, with ponds, prairie, a bird garden, a wetland, live rescued animals in an exhibit building and eight miles of trails. Check ahead on what is open.

   Go when Late afternoon (about 7:33 PM), for the light on the prairie.

   Local tip Look at the live rescued animals in the exhibit building, then take one of the trails to the ponds and the wetland. The park is west of the center of Lincoln, so drive. Check ahead on what is open.

8. Dinner

   Sweet corn on the cob

   Fresh sweet corn, boiled or grilled, with butter and salt, with grilled chicken or a burger. In season in late summer, when the fields are ripe.

   Local tip Check with the server whether corn is in season, and ask for napkins.