Guide to Omaha: how to get there and where to stay, what to see and where to go in the evening. The best things to do in Omaha: fresh reviews and photos, places to see, branded entertainment and shopping.
A large metropolis in Nebraska, Omaha stands on the banks of the Missouri and is considered one of the best cities in the country to live. There is a reason for this: Omaha is a rich city. Its population reaches half a million people, and of these, the largest percentage of them has large amounts in bank accounts relative to other American cities. A lot of tourists come – however, mostly Americans: it is easy to get here. And in Omaha there is an amazing world-famous zoo, the main attraction of the whole state.
The historic district of the city and the most popular place in Omaha to have fun, eat delicious food, “see people and show yourself” is the block near the Old Market.
How to get to Omaha
According to toppharmacyschools, Omaha Eppley Airport is located about 6 km from the city center. It links the city to 20 major US cities. Given that Omaha is located literally in the very, very center of the United States, you can fly here from where it is more convenient (there are no direct flights from Russia).
A bit of history
The history of the city began with a fort and a trading post in the 1920s. 19th century. In those days, the Indian tribe of the same name lived here, but already in the middle of the century its land was bought by the American government, and Omaha very quickly became a full-fledged city. A couple of decades later, a railway line appeared here, linking Omaha with California, with Sacramento, and the city became the “gateway to the West.” In the next hundred years, the basis of its wealth was its importance as a transport hub, as well as the production of beer and the breeding of cattle.
Then the “profile” of Omaha changed. During World War II, large military enterprises and air bases actively functioned in the city. Today, the headquarters of the largest information technology companies are located here. Among them is Berkshire Hathaway, run by multi-billionaire Warren Buffitt, the “Oracle of Omaha.” Omaha is one of the ten largest centers of science and high technology in the United States.
Omaha’s lucky mascot is corn flakes. Kellogg’s headquarters were located here, and when agriculture was in decline throughout the Midwest, Omaha was “pulled out” by corn.
Entertainment and attractions in Omaha
The Henry Dorley Zoo in Omaha is located on the territory of a huge botanical garden and is recognized as one of the best zoos in the world. It has the world’s largest collection of nocturnal animals, the largest indoor rainforest, and the largest indoor desert replica. Here you can also appreciate the world’s largest geo-dome in the form of a glass sphere, the height of which is approximately 13 floors.
The botanical garden was established in 1982 and began with a rose garden. Several garden areas were added every year, and today many beautiful gardens of various themes have been created here. These are, for example, a festival garden with a very colorful selection of perennials, an English-style Victorian garden, a meadow displaying the flora of the Nebraska prairie, a Japanese garden, a garden with a model railway, a “garden of memories” and a bird sanctuary. Streams with waterfalls flow on the territory of the botanical garden, there are ponds, picturesque stairs, there is even a copy of the Japanese Mount Fuji.
The historic district of the city and the most popular place in Omaha to have fun, eat delicious food, “see people and show yourself” is the block near the Old Market. The market is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is home to old warehouses, shops, restaurants, bars and art galleries. Nearby is the Children’s Museum of the city, the most visited museum in the state. In it, kids have fun and learn in technology and science laboratories, art studios, a miniature vegetable shop and a car service.
In the northern part of the city is Florence Mill, built on the Mormon Way in 1846. During the gold rush, the mill was restored, and today there is a museum on its ground floor, and an art gallery in the loft. Nearby is the Mormon Way Museum, where you can learn more about the great migration of about 90,000 Mormons from 1846-1860 as they moved across the state into the Rocky Mountains. It houses, among other things, a historic covered wagon and a full-scale Mormon log hut.
And south of Omaha, on 25th Street, is the curious El Latino Museum, the first museum of Hispanic culture in the Midwest. It hosts permanent and temporary exhibitions, as well as educational programs, lectures, presentations, workshops and dance evenings. In particular, the folklore Mexican ballet troupe performs here.
Notable Omaha natives include Fred Astaire, Marlon Brando and Nick Nolte. And that’s not to mention the 38th US President Gerald Ford. Another bright character born here is the ideologist of the struggle for the equality of blacks and Muslims, Malcolm X.
Another interesting museum is located on the campus of Metropolitan Communities College, in the city center. This is a restored house-museum of General George Crook, who led Fort Omaha, from which the history of the city began. The Italian-style house was built in 1879, and here you can get acquainted with the life of an officer of the command staff of that time. The house is surrounded by a beautiful garden with more than a hundred species of flowers and plants. Another significant site is the birthplace of Gerald Ford on Woolworth Street with a small memorial. Joslin Castle, built in 1903 as a private mansion, is also interesting. It was given the appearance of an old Scottish castle with 35 rooms, and today it is included in the National Register of Historic Places.
3 things to do in Omaha:
- Cross the Bob Kerrey Footbridge over the Missouri River. This suspension bridge is the only one of its kind: standing in the middle of this almost kilometer-long structure, you can be, as it were, in the states of Nebraska and Iowa at the same time.
- Visit the Joslin Art Museum, which houses about 11,000 masterpieces of world art from antique vases to works by Monet, Renoir and Jason Pollock.
- Climb on a steam locomotive at the Durham Museum in the Old Market area. The museum occupies the old Art Deco Union Railroad Station and houses a wide variety of artefacts related to Omaha’s railroad past, as well as a first-class collection of Byron Reed’s old coins.
An important historical landmark of Omaha is the Jewel building (today it is combined with the neighboring Jewel Historic Project). The building was built in 1923 on North 24th Street, and for almost 40 years there was a dance hall. “Juel” starred Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Count Basie. In the 1980s the building was reconstructed, and since 2008 the Center for Jazz and Art Lovers has been located here. Adjacent to the building is Dreamland Plaza, where you can see statues of three great jazzmen.
In general, Omaha can be proud of its history as a city of rhythm and blues and jazz. Here many of the most famous American performers rose to their feet and gained popularity. Today, however, the city’s music scene is predominantly dominated by hip-hop.
Among the modern attractions of the city is the Beamish Center for Contemporary Art, which combines an art gallery, museum and studio. Opposite is Kaneko, an ultra-modern and creative space that hosts performances and experimental art studios. Another institution of this kind is the Hot Shops cultural center, which is an art gallery and at the same time a school with open classes where visitors can create their own masterpiece and take it home later.
The city also has several beautiful parks. This is, for example, the Fontenelle Forest Natural Park inside a natural forest with hiking trails. A completely different park is Heartland in the Old Market area: there is a fountain almost 90 meters high with a light show in the evenings. Here you can ride on the lake in a Venetian gondola and see the exhibitions in Lewis and Clark. And near the river bank, Mount Vernon Park is laid out on a hill, duplicating the eponymous park on the estate of George Washington on the Potomac River. Omaha Mount Vernon is about half the size of the original, but it is also very beautiful here: the grounds are well maintained, the panorama is beautiful, and weddings are often held.
Omaha Events
Every two years since 1976 Omaha has hosted Local Culture Days. There are picnics, family entertainment, a golf tournament, and a big parade. The event finds a particularly great response in the hearts of the African American part of the population, not only local citizens, but also residents of the entire state.
