Things to do in Nebraska
19 places worth stopping for and 3 places to stay on a road trip through Nebraska.
See and do
- Roadside oddity
Roadside oddity · Alliance
Carhenge
A full-size Stonehenge replica built from 39 old American cars, spray-painted grey.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Gering
Scotts Bluff National Monument
A bluff-top road to a prairie lookout on the Oregon Trail.
Waterfall · SparksHidden gem
Smith Falls State Park
Nebraska's tallest waterfall, reached by a footbridge across the Niobrara.
- Walk
Walk · CrawfordHidden gem
Toadstool Geologic Park
Odd mushroom-shaped sandstone and a trail past fossils on the grassland.
- Walk
Walk · JohnstownHidden gem
Niobrara Valley Preserve
A Nature Conservancy preserve where prairie, forest and river meet.
- Wildlife
Wildlife · Valentine
Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge
Bison, elk and prairie dogs on a short loop above the Niobrara River.
Wildlife · Omaha
Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Huge zoo with an indoor rainforest and desert dome.
- History
History · Bayard
Chimney Rock National Historic Site
A 300-foot spire that guided pioneer wagons along the Oregon Trail.
- Museum
Museum · RoyalHidden gem
Ashfall Fossil Beds
A barn-covered dig of rhinos and horses killed by a volcanic ash fall 12 million years ago.
Walk · HarrisonHidden gem
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
Fossil quarries of Miocene mammals on a short prairie trail.
- Lake
Lake · Ogallala
Lake McConaughy
A huge reservoir with sand beaches and cabins in the dry west of the state.
- Walk
Walk · ChadronHidden gem
Chadron State Park
Pine-covered hills and canyon trails, Nebraska's oldest state park.
- Walk
Walk · ShubertHidden gem
Indian Cave State Park
Sandstone bluff with a big cave and trails above the Missouri River.
- Wildlife
Wildlife · EllsworthHidden gem
Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Sandhills lakes with pelicans, ducks and a quiet gravel loop.
Museum · KearneyHidden gem
Kearney Archway
A museum built in an arch over the interstate, telling the story of the road west.
- Garden
Garden · Nebraska City
Arbor Lodge State Historical Park
Mansion and arboretum of the man who founded Arbor Day.
- Walk
Walk · Ponca
Ponca State Park
Missouri River bluffs with hiking trails and a river overlook.
- History
History · Kearney
Fort Kearny State Historical Park
Oregon Trail army outpost with a rebuilt stockade, near Platte River cranes.
- History
History · Beatrice
Homestead National Historical Park
Free park on the 1862 Homestead Act, with restored prairie and a one-room school.
Places to stay
- Campground
Campground · Crawford
Fort Robinson State Park
Camping, cabins and a historic fort in the Pine Ridge.
- Campground
Campground · ValentineHidden gem
Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area
Sandhills reservoir with camp sites and a DarkSky-certified night sky.
- Campground
Campground · HalseyHidden gem
Bessey Recreation Complex
Camp in a hand-planted forest in the middle of the Sandhills.
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Plan the drive, not just the stops
Roadtrip works out what the drive costs in fuel for your car, splits it into days with the best stops and places to sleep, and finds the cheapest fuel on the way.
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