Beyond the interstate: Discover Lincoln and Omaha

The drive from one end of Nebraska to the other along Interstate 80 is both inexplicably beautiful and inescapably monotonous. Spanning some 455 miles, it’s a long, mostly straight trek dominated by flat terrain, flanked on both sides by infinite corn and soybeans.

What looks ordinary from the interstate, however, on closer inspection is anything but.

That’s especially true in the vicinity of Nebraska’s two largest cities: Lincoln and Omaha. Every day, throngs of road-trippers pass by them on their way to destinations east or west. They might assume these modest, Midwestern metropolises are as plain as the route on which they’re located. But those who stop to explore will be rewarded.

Lincoln and Omaha aren’t drive-by cities. They’re destinations in their own rights. And while they’re located only 50 miles apart, they have vastly different flavors — which gives visitors a wonderful choose-your-own-adventure experience.

Lincoln: State capital meets college town

Although Lincoln is Nebraska’s capital city — the landmark Art Deco-style Nebraska State Capitol is Lincoln’s tallest, a landmark tallest building — it’s even better known for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and its Cornhuskers football team.

“We’re all-in on Husker athletics. It’s our fascination every day of the year,” says Jeff Maul, executive Director of Visit Lincoln. He describes Lincoln as “an extension of small-town America” because of its “familiar hometown pace and feel.”

Maul says the best way to experience Lincoln is to don Cornhuskers red and attend a college sporting event. If you can’t get tickets, join fans at the Railyard on Canopy Street. Located in Lincoln’s lively Haymarket district, known for its charming brick streets and historic buildings, it has more than 13 restaurants and bars, and a giant LED screen known as the Cube that broadcasts games on game days.

If you’re not a sports fan, head to the Sheldon Museum of Art, which has nearly 13,000 pieces of artwork. Also check out the International Quilt Museum, home to the world’s largest public collection of quilts.

Music lovers can head to the Zoo Bar, a small and storied downtown blues venue.

Foodies will have a a lot to choose from the culturally diverse North 27th Street, where you can sample a potpourri of European, Latin American, Vietnamese and African cuisines.

History buffs should tour Robber’s Cave, where infamous outlaw Jesse James is rumored to have had a hideout. And nature lovers will appreciate the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center, a 1,160-acre tallgrass prairie boasting wildflowers, exotic birds, spring-fed ponds and authentic 19th-century wagon ruts from a cutoff of the Oregon Trail.

Omaha: Corn-fed cosmopolitanism

Being Nebraska’s largest and most populous city gives Omaha a “big and bustling” feel, according to Jasmyn Goodwin, Executive Director of Visit Omaha.

“People lump us in with the rest of Nebraska, so they tend to think we’re very small and rural. But Omaha actually is a very metropolitan city,” Goodwin says. “We’re authentic — our welcoming, Midwest hospitality is very genuine — but we’re also very dynamic, with world-class attractions and unique experiences. I like to say we provide big-city experiences with small-city ease.”

Omaha’s must-visit spots include the RiverFront, encompassing 72 acres of urban parkland along the Missouri River; the Durham Museum, which celebrates Western history inside Omaha’s historic Union Station; the Joslyn Art Museum, which reopened in 2024 after a two-year, $100-million renovation and expansion; and the Orpheum Theater, a former vaudeville house that now hosts hit Broadway musicals.

And don’t forget the 160-acre Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. Widely considered one of the best zoos in the world, it’s home to more than 17,000 animals, not to mention the world’s largest indoor desert, located inside the world’s largest geodesic dome.

Omaha’s booming culinary scene also is notable. The city is best-known for its steak: try The Drover for its whiskey-marinated beef. Gorat’s, steakhouse is said to be a favorite of Warren Buffet, the city’s most famous resident. Johnny’s Café has beenan Omaha institution since 1922.

If you are into sushi, checkout Yoshitomo, whose chef is a James Beard Award finalist.

Alpine Inn is beloved for its fried chicken — especially by feral racoons who famously feast on diners’ discarded chicken bones. The Orléans Room at the historic Blackstone Hotel (now the Cottonwood Hotel) in Omaha’s cobblestoned Old Market District is where the Reuben sandwich is said to have been born in 1925. The hotel also is thought to have invented Omaha’s beloved butter brickle ice cream, which you can order for dessert. Filled with chocolate-covered toffee, it’s the sweetest ending for any Omaha visit.