Stand on the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge and you can put one foot in Nebraska and one in Iowa, with the Missouri River sliding underneath and the Omaha skyline behind you. That crossing is as good a place as any to start understanding the city: a river town that grew into a rail and stockyard hub, and that now keeps its best experiences close together.
Omaha suits travellers who like their city breaks compact and unhurried. The zoo, the museums and the riverfront sit within a short drive of each other, and the Old Market and Benson districts fill the evenings. This guide covers the sights and experiences the source material names, plus how to string them together if your time is short.
Top things to do in Omaha
1. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium
This is Nebraska's number one paid attraction and the strongest single reason many visitors come to Omaha. Its indoor exhibits are the draw in any weather: the Lied Jungle, the Desert Dome and Kingdoms of the Night, the world's largest nocturnal exhibit and indoor swamp.
Arrive for the 9AM opening to give the indoor exhibits proper time. If you have a car and a spare day, the zoo also runs a Wildlife Safari Park near Ashland with elk, wolves, eagles and buffalo.
2. The RiverFront
This urban park and greenspace stretches from 13th Street to the Missouri River between Douglas and Farnam Streets, and it replaced the Gene Leahy Mall and Heartland of America Park when it was completed in 2023. It holds a concert and performing arts stage, a roller skate rink, and an observation deck looking across to Iowa and the river.
Come in the warmer months when concerts and plays are staged, and use the park as your route north to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge and Lewis and Clark Landing.
3. Durham Western Heritage Museum
Housed in a renovated art deco train station, this museum is considered the best example of art deco architecture in the country. Exhibits include the Byron Reed Coin and Document Collection, the Trans-Mississippi Exposition Gallery, restored train cars, a teepee and an earth lodge.
It sits at 801 S 10th Street, close enough to the riverfront and the Old Market to combine with either in a single afternoon.
4. Joslyn Art Museum
The collection includes works by El Greco, Degas, Monet and Renoir, along with an extensive display of ancient Greek pottery. A Dale Chihuly glass sculpture hangs in the atrium, and admission is free.
Opening hours run later on Thursdays than on other days, which makes it a good late-afternoon stop before an evening downtown.
5. Old Market
The Old Market is one of Omaha's notable cultural institutions and doubles as a gallery district. Several galleries cluster here, and on the first Friday of each month the neighbourhood joins the "First Friday" gallery crawl.
Pair a gallery visit with a walk through the surrounding streets, and check the same crawl in Benson if you have a second evening free.
6. Lauritzen Gardens
This botanical garden and arboretum covers 100 acres and displays plants from around the world in exhibits designed to represent their natural habitats, alongside water features and manicured planting. There is a gift shop and cafe on site, and the garden hosts the annual Omaha Antiques Show.
Take exit 454 off I-80, head north on S 13th Street and turn right on Bancroft Street. Note that Monday and Tuesday hours run later into the evening than the rest of the week.
7. Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts
A nationally recognised artist-in-residence programme and gallery spread across three galleries in a warehouse-style studio. Tours are available by reservation and parking is free.
It sits on South 12th Street, so it fits naturally into the same outing as the Old Market galleries.
8. NCAA Men's College World Series
Every June the best college baseball teams in the country gather in Omaha for the Men's College World Series, held at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in NoDo, the North Downtown district. The series is always a sellout, so plan well ahead if this is the reason for your trip.
If you miss it, the Omaha Storm Chasers play Triple-A baseball at Werner Park in the southern suburb of Papillion, a short drive away.
9. Boys Town
Established in 1917 as the headquarters of Father Flanagan's Boys' Home, Boys Town is a National Historic Landmark and remains a separate, largely undeveloped village surrounded by the city. The Hall of History, Dowd Memorial Chapel, Chambers Protestant Chapel and Father Flanagan House are among the sites open to visitors, and many can be reached on foot.
Take the 137th Street/Boys Town exit off US-6. The speed limit is 20 mph town-wide and is strictly enforced; residents live here, so stay on the designated tourist sites and do not photograph residents without permission.
10. Love's Jazz and Art Center
Also known as North Omaha Music And Arts, this centre is dedicated to the history of jazz, North Omaha and Preston Love. It is a focused stop rather than a full afternoon, and a good match for anyone tracing the city's musical history.
It sits on North 24th Street, one of the business districts that developed independently in the city's early years.
11. El Museo Latino
A Latino art, history and cultural museum, and the first of its kind in the Midwest. Its schedule varies by day, with different hours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays than on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Check the day's hours before setting out, since the pattern is not uniform across the week.
12. Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Headquarters
The National Park Service regional headquarters holds a small free visitor centre about Lewis and Clark on its first floor. It is a quick stop rather than a destination in itself.
It sits on Riverfront Drive, so combine it with The RiverFront and the walk to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge.
13. Mormon Trail Center
The centre covers the Mormon route and the site known as the Winter Quarters, the pioneers' winter camp of 1846, with 359 Mormons buried in a nearby cemetery. It includes various monuments and is free to enter.
It is open daily, which makes it a useful option on a day when other museums are closed.
14. Joslyn Castle
The Scottish-Baronial style home of George and Sarah Joslyn, four storeys and 35 rooms, with tours available to the public. It is a compact visit that pairs well with the Joslyn Art Museum.
Tours are the way in, so plan around the tour schedule rather than turning up expecting to wander.
15. Malcolm X Birthsite
The house no longer stands, but a marker stands on the former address in North Omaha. It is a brief stop for those following the city's history.
Combine it with Love's Jazz and Art Center on North 24th Street, which is in the same part of the city.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium for the 9AM opening, giving most of your time to the Lied Jungle, the Desert Dome and Kingdoms of the Night. If you would rather stay central, begin at the Durham Western Heritage Museum instead and walk the riverfront afterwards.
Afternoon: Move to The RiverFront and follow it north to Lewis and Clark Landing and the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Headquarters, then cross the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. Finish the afternoon at the Joslyn Art Museum, using its later Thursday hours if your visit falls that day.
Evening: Spend the evening in the Old Market, taking in the galleries and staying for dinner. If it is the first Friday of the month, join the gallery crawl through the neighbourhood.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see the College World Series?
The NCAA Men's College World Series is held every June at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in NoDo. It is always a sellout event, so plan ahead if you want to attend.
Do I need a car to visit Boys Town?
Boys Town is directly off the US-6 freeway, taking the 137th Street/Boys Town exit. The nearest bus stop is the First National Bank Park & Ride, served by bus route 92, about 1 mile from the visitors centre. Once there, many of the main sights can be reached on foot.
Which Omaha museums are free to enter?
The Joslyn Art Museum, the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Headquarters visitor centre, the Mormon Trail Center and the Hall of History at Boys Town are all free.
Where can I see art in the evening?
The Joslyn Art Museum opens later on Thursdays than on other days. On the first Friday of each month, a gallery crawl runs through the Old Market and Benson neighbourhoods.
Pick your dates around the season that suits you, whether that is a June ballgame or a warm-weather evening on the riverfront, and start building the trip from there.