GRISWOLDDAD
Parenting, Entertainment, and Travel Tips
Things to Do in Nebraska
*For the top yearly events in Nebraska, click here.
Alliance
One of the great roadside attractions of America and, therefore, it makes the Griswold oddity list: Carhenge. This work of art is a recreation of Stonehenge made from old junked cars! How could anyone NOT want to see that??
Bayard
Chimney Rock, in the Chimney Rock National Historic Site, was a landmark on the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, the Mormon Trail, and countless cattle drives. Speaking of the Oregon Trail, some places you can stay, like the Oregon Trail Wagon Train, let you camp on what was the trail while enjoying chuck wagon cookout dinners! You can take a covered wagon ride along the Oregon Trail up to Chimney Rock.
Gothenburg
The first Pony Express Station is in Gothenburg. This building has even more history than that, before it became the first Pony Express station, it was a trading post. Also known as the Sam Macchette Station, it was built in 1854 and used as a fur trading post until 1860 when it became the first Pony Express Station for a year. The small building now houses a free museum about the Pony Express and fur trading.
North Platte
Buffalo Bill Cody's home is here and tourable, but bring your cash because that's all they take. Buffalo Bill was a famous cowboy of the old west, a pony express rider, an army scout, a buffalo hunter, and a showman who created the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show. Another stop while here should be Fort Cody Trading Post. The post is a gift and souvenir shop, but also has a small old west museum honoring Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show...the best part of this "museum" is a miniature version of the Wild West Show, with moving parts!!
Buffalo Bill Cody's house
Fort Cody Trading Post
Omaha
Nebraska's biggest city has all the normal city life, but what's makes it special are places to visit just outside of town. The Henry Doorly Zoo, because of its land size (130 acres) and sheer number of animal species, is considered by many to be the largest zoo in the world. Tripadvisor recently named it the best zoo in the world as well.
Then there's the village of Boys Town. Boys Town is an organization started by Father Flanagan in 1917 to help orphans and other at-risk children, giving them a place to live. When visiting Boys Town, there's a very nice museum tracking its history.
Boys Town Museum
Father Flanagan's Tomb
Father Flanagan Statue
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" Statue
Bonus, in the visitor center/gift shop of Boys Town is the World's Largest Ball of Stamps! In 1953, the Boys Town Stamp Collecting Club began combining stamps into a ball. Today, the ball contains over 4 million stamps, is 32 inches in diameter, and weighs over 600 pounds!
