8 Reasons Why You Should Make Omaha, Nebraska your MEA destination!

It’s coming…MEA is quickly approaching! If you’re scrambling to find a spot you want to visit with some time off, I’m here to help! While we’ve visited several different locations for MEA, I’m here to tell you why you should consider Omaha, Nebraska for this MEA/fall break. Not only will I tell you why you should visit Omaha, but I’m also going to give you a list of spots to check out why you’re there that are perfect for families of all different ages.

1. First of all, if you’re looking for a drivable location, this is definitely within that range. Located less than 4.5 hours from the Mankato area and less than 6 hours from the Twin Cities, this is easily a spot you can drive to right after school on Wednesday afternoon or early on Thursday morning to get a full four days of fun. This drive is relatively easy in the fall without snow and hitting traffic is limited as you mostly drive through rural areas.

2. Second, Nebraska doesn’t have a fall break. This means schools aren’t out, so the places you visit won’t be jam-packed with people. Another bonus is the Henry Doorly Zoo is cheaper admission in the fall than in the summer, so you’ll be saving money even though the weather is usually still pretty beautiful.

3. Third, like mentioned above, this is a GREAT time to visit the Henry Doorly Zoo as their admission is cheaper than the summer and there’s less visitors. While you will miss out on the water features, most other parts of the zoo are still open and available to explore. I have a whole blog post on the Henry Doorly Zoo and all that it has to offer here.

4. Two spots we absolutely love in the fall in Nebraska are stunning during fall break. Both Fontenelle Forest and TreeRush Adventures at Fontenelle Forest are not only beautiful with the fall foliage, but so much fun. Last fall break, we visited Fontenelle Forest and TreeRush Adventures. My kids are still talking about the amazing time we had and the bonding it created between us. I have a blog post about Fontenelle Forest here and a blog post about TreeRush here. Just opened recently, Fontenelle Forest finished Acorn Acres, a nature playscape perfect for all ages. We can’t wait to check it out!

5. Nebraska pumpkin patches are seriously next level, in comparison to other states. Their huge pumpkin patches can keep you busy easily for a full day of entertainment. At the end of the day, you will feel like you truly celebrated fall. Although there are many pumpkin patches, our favorite one is SkinnyBones in Blair, Nebraska. It boasts a gigantic slide, tornado simulation, hay rack rides, tractors to climb on, play areas for your kids, spooky trails, and the list goes on. Plan a visit to one of the pumpkin patches in the Omaha area for fall break!

6. My family has visited A LOT of playgrounds and the coolest ones we have been to are by far the ones at the RiverFront in Downtown Omaha. Lewis & Clark Landing and the Gene Leahy Mall have unique features, such as long slides, huge climbing areas, and a wide variety of other play pieces that your children are sure to love! Heartland of America Park is beautiful and a great spot to enjoy with the comfortable hammocks, stunning overlook over the river, and nice Adirondack chairs. We love parking at one end of the RiverFront and walking to each park to enjoy.

7. Right near the Gene Leahy Mall, Omaha’s Visitor Center is located. Here, your kids can get a free backpack to collect pins of different locations throughout Omaha. My kids thought this was the coolest souvenir and can’t wait to return to the other places on the list. At the visitor center, they also have loads of travel brochures of all the best places to visit and enjoy in the Omaha area. In some of these brochures, there are coupons for discounts to some of the best places to visit in Omaha including the zoo. I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for ways to save money while traveling. Last, the employees working here were beyond kind and helpful with any questions we had. The day we visited was National S’mores Day, so they had free s’more cupcakes. YUM!

8. Last, there is no shortage of things to do in the Omaha area. Whether your family is made up of sports fanatics, outdoors enthusiasts, animal lovers, or shopping queens, Omaha has it all! Here’s a list of some of our favorite spots for you to check out while you are in Omaha!

Prehistoric Putt: Two indoor miniature golf courses that are full of what else…dinosaurs! See blog post about Prehistoric Putt here.

Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park: A wonderful drive-through safari where you will see a variety of animals and do some hands-on learning!

Creighton University Sporting Events: I’m completely biased, as I’m a Creighton University volleyball alumni, but Creighton athletics is top tier athletics in state-of-the-art facilities. The coaches are not only good coaches, but amazing people. Most popular sporting events are soccer, basketball, and volleyball.

Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge/Omar the Troll: A completely free spot to visit, this bridge allows your family to be in two states at once: Iowa and Nebraska. Don’t forget to take a picture with Omar the troll underneath the bridge.

Flanagan Lake Park: This beautiful park offers play equipment for all ages while giving the parents a stunning view of this lake!

Kiewit Lumanirium: Tons of hands-on learning experiences for the whole family!

Hurt’s Donuts: These just might be the most delicious donuts I’ve ever tasted!

Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail Headquarters and Visitor Center: Another free spot to visit, this headquarters has some fun things for kids to explore. Don’t forget to let them become junior rangers and be sworn in! This is quite possibly the cutest experience to witness!

Omaha Children’s Museum: An incredibly fun kid’s museum that has interests for every member of the family! This museum is part of the ASTC Passport program and allows for free admission if you are a member in another of the passport program museums. We never have enough time to explore when we visit this museum.