Omaha

Introduction

Omaha sits in the Midwestern United States, on the banks of the Missouri River roughly ten miles north of where the Platte River meets it. As Nebraska's largest city and the seat of Douglas County, it anchors a metropolitan area that reaches across the river into Iowa, drawing together eight counties on both sides of the state line.

That river setting shapes the city's identity: a Missouri River crossroads where the Midwest meets the Great Plains, with Council Bluffs, Iowa, forming the eastern half of the wider urban region.

Before you go

Omaha sits on the Missouri River along the Iowa border, at the junction of Interstates 29 and 80. The city has a continental climate: summers are hot and humid, with heat indices that can climb to sweltering levels, while winters bring cold, snow and ice. Severe weather season runs from April through August, when hail, high winds and street flooding are the main threats and tornadoes are sometimes possible. Omaha lies in Tornado Alley, so sirens are placed throughout the city and are tested at 11AM on the first Wednesday of the month; local television and radio stations interrupt programming when severe weather is in progress. Winter can bring blizzards, and the city's steep hills make for slick driving conditions.

Omaha is generally safe, and residents are friendly and polite, with a well-deserved reputation for hospitality. Use common sense and avoid situations that make you uncomfortable. The vast majority of violent crime occurs in North Omaha, roughly the area north of Cuming St between 24th and 72nd St, so take extra caution there, especially after dark. The city remains quite racially divided, with the affluent west side and Midtown predominantly white, the south side Latino, and the northeast side African American. For events, attractions, hotels, restaurants and transportation, the Omaha Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official resource, and you can pick up a copy of the Omaha Visitors Guide there.

Getting there

Getting around

Getting around Omaha is easiest by car. The city is laid out on a grid, with numbered streets running north-south and increasing as you head west, so navigation is straightforward. Parking is plentiful and often free outside downtown, and traffic jams are rare. All major rental car companies operate in the city, and rental cars are available at the airport with service at baggage claim.

If you'd rather not drive, Omaha Metro runs regular bus service across the city, plus a bus rapid transit line called ORBT; a streetcar line is under construction. Taxis exist but are far fewer than in major cities — you can always find one at the airport, train station, and bus station, but you cannot hail a cab downtown and must call ahead for pickup. Rates are fixed by city ordinance and don't vary between companies. Uber and Lyft also operate here. Note that Omahans rarely use neighbourhood names, which are ill-defined; they give intersections instead. Roughly, Downtown lies between I-480 and the Missouri River, Midtown between I-480 and I-680, and West Omaha west of I-680.

Where to stay

Downtown is the most convenient base for sightseeing, with several hotels within walking distance of the Old Market Area and its shopping and dining. The Hilton Garden Inn Omaha Downtown/Old Market Area puts you close to both, and the Embassy Suites by Hilton Omaha Downtown Old Market and the Magnolia Hotel Omaha offer further options in the same part of town; the Magnolia has meeting and event facilities and extended-stay accommodations. The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Omaha Downtown sits on Dodge Street, while the Hampton Inn & Suites Omaha Downtown is handy for the convention centre and the airport, with a free shuttle. Near the ballpark, the Hilton Omaha is the chain's closest property to TD Ameritrade Park and has a full-service spa, fitness centre, indoor pool and several dining options.

For a sense of the city's history, the Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel is Omaha's grand old property, originally completed in 1916 as the Blackstone Hotel and reopened as a luxury hotel after a long renovation. Elsewhere, the Element Omaha Midtown Crossing and the Sonesta ES Suites Omaha sit along Dodge Street, the Omaha Marriott is out on Regency Circle with a free local shuttle and complimentary WiFi, and the Best Western Plus Midwest Inn in the south of the city welcomes pets and has an indoor water playland and an on-site Perkins Restaurant.

Food & drink

Omaha and much of Nebraska are known for high-quality corn-fed beef, and steakhouses are a central part of the dining scene. For a splurge, consider Gorat's Steak House, Mahogany Prime Steakhouse for prime-grade steaks, Australian lobster and Alaskan king crab legs, Spencer's for Steaks and Chops for aged, hand-cut meats, or 801 Chophouse for lobster, American Wagyu and single malt scotch in a white-tablecloth downtown setting. The Boiler Room, tucked into the gutted boiler room of an old warehouse on the south side of the Old Market, emphasizes locally sourced ingredients and gourmet French-style cooking with a menu that changes daily. V. Mertz, also in the Old Market, offers an intimate, romantic ambiance with a continental menu that changes weekly.

Mid-range options include Avoli Osteria, a Northern Italian restaurant in the historic Dundee neighborhood, Ahmad's Persian Cuisine in the Old Market, Hiro 88 for Japanese sushi and sashimi, The Jaipur for a modern take on Indian classics, Blue Sushi Sake Grill for raw, non-raw and vegan sushi with premium sake, and Block 16 for nationally recognized street food such as burgers, fried chicken and poutine. Budget-friendly spots range from California Tacos and More, specializing in fried "puffy-shell" tacos, to Chopsticks House, a small family-run Chinese restaurant, El Pollo Tote for roasted chicken and breakfast, and Los Portales for authentic Mexican dishes that cater to adventurous diners. Runza is home to the famous Runza sandwich, a Nebraskan staple, while Feta's Greek Restaurant serves homestyle Greek food including gyros, kebobs and baklava made in house. For something sweet, Coneflower offers local artisanal ice cream in traditional and experimental flavors, and Ted & Wally's serves homemade old-fashioned ice cream with a constantly changing menu and vegan options.

All restaurants, bars and coffee shops in Omaha are smoke-free indoors, and smoking on outdoor patios, while legal, is uncommon. All bars in Omaha must close by 2AM. Beer, wine and liquor can be purchased in grocery stores, though hard liquor cannot be served or sold before noon on Sunday. The Crescent Moon is a large pub with a German Bier Hall down below, with a tasting room next door and a craft beer shop owned by the same people. The Homy Inn is a cozy bar decorated with collectibles and memorabilia from yesteryear, known for champagne on tap.

What to see and do

Omaha's biggest draw is its zoo, which anchors the city's reputation as a family destination. The Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium houses an expansive aquarium alongside several signature exhibits: the Lied Jungle, billed as the world's largest indoor rainforest; the Desert Dome, the world's largest indoor desert; and Kingdoms of the Night, the world's largest nocturnal exhibit and indoor swamp. The zoo also operates a Wildlife Safari Park near Ashland, home to elk, wolves, eagles, and buffalo.

For museums, the Joslyn Art Museum holds works by El Greco, Degas, Monet, and Renoir, plus an extensive collection of ancient Greek pottery and a Dale Chihuly glass sculpture in its atrium. The Durham Western Heritage Museum occupies a renovated art deco train station with restored train cars, a teepee, and an earth lodge, while the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts runs an artist-in-residence program across three warehouse-style galleries. Other options include the Omaha Children's Museum, El Museo Latino, Love's Jazz and Art Center, and the Museum of Shadows, whose collection of haunted artifacts has earned the building a haunted reputation. Landmarks worth seeking out include the Malcolm X Birthsite, the Scottish-Baronial Joslyn Castle, the Mormon Trail Center at the Winter Quarters site, and the Gerald R. Ford Birthsite and Gardens. In the warmer months, the RiverFront offers a concert stage, roller rink, and observation deck with views across the Missouri River to Iowa, while Lauritzen Gardens displays plants from around the world in habitat-themed exhibits. Sports fans can catch the NCAA Men's College World Series each June, the Omaha Storm Chasers at Werner Park in Papillion, the Omaha Lancers and Omaha Beef at Liberty First Credit Union Arena in Ralston, or Union Omaha soccer. Each September brings the River City Roundup with its rodeo, parades, and expositions.

When to go

Festivals & events

Omaha's calendar has a few anchors worth planning around. In December, the Holiday Lights Festival brings seasonal illuminations to the city. In May, the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting draws a large crowd of shareholders and observers.

• Holiday Lights Festival — December
• Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting — May
• NCAA Men's College World Series — June
• Taste of Omaha — June

June is the busiest stretch, with both the NCAA Men's College World Series and Taste of Omaha taking place in the same month.

Three days in Omaha

Day one: Start downtown and get your bearings along the Missouri River, the waterway that defines Omaha's eastern edge and separates it from Council Bluffs, Iowa. Walk the riverfront and take in the view across to the Iowa side, then head into Midtown for the afternoon. Midtown is one of the city's most mixed neighbourhoods, with a Latino and African American presence that shapes its food and street life. Use the Omaha Visitors Guide and the Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau listings to orient yourself, and pick up a copy early so you can plan the rest of your stay.

Day two: Head north to North Omaha, a historically African American part of the city, and follow Cuming St as it runs through the district. This is the side of Omaha that sits closest to the Great Plains sensibility - wide streets, low buildings, and a sense of the prairie pressing in from the west. In the evening, return to Midtown or downtown for dinner. If you are arriving or leaving by air, Eppley Airfield is the city's main gateway; several intercity options also connect Omaha, including Amtrak's California Zephyr, which runs between the San Francisco Bay Area and Chicago by way of Denver.

Day three: Give yourself a slower day. Omaha sits in Douglas County, in the eastern part of Nebraska, where the Platte River meets the Missouri. The city is part of the Midwestern United States, and its character reflects that - a Midwest crossroads town on the edge of the Great Plains, with Interstates threading through and Iowa just across the water. Be aware of the weather: April through August can be warm and humid, and severe storms are possible, since the region falls within Tornado Alley. Winter, by contrast, is bitterly cold. If you have a Wednesday free, use it to wander without a fixed plan and let the city set the pace.