I’m really excited to interview Lisa Trudell co-author of “100 Things to Do in Omaha Before You Die”, about Omaha, Nebraska. Lisa’s tips for the best things to do in Omaha are awesome because Tim’s been here since he got out of the Air Force and Lisa moved here when her Dad started working for a nuclear power plant. They both love that Omaha has so much to offer while still maintaining a small city feel.
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Joslyn Castle
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is on the Missouri River close to the Iowa border. Sports fans know Omaha as the home of the College World Series, while animal lovers really enjoy the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, which is one of the best zoos in the world and features an incredible shark tunnel. The Lauritzen Gardens is an amazing botanical garden that showcases diverse flowers and trees while offering guided and self-paced tours for people of all ages.
Stop by the slides at the Gene Leahy Mall for a little family-friendly fun. The Omaha Children’s Museum is also really popular for all of its interactive exhibits. Then, visit the Old Market Entertainment District for shopping, museums, galleries, restaurants, and more.
There are all four seasons in Omaha, so pack accordingly based on when you’re visiting. Most attractions are open year-round, but the best time to visit is spring, summer, or fall, according to Tim and Lisa. Winter has its charm, but it can get cold and there is lots of snow. Throughout the year, there are plenty of festivals, such as the Taste of Omaha, Omaha Summer Arts Festival, and Pumpkin Patches.
We share a lot of resources and local suggestions in today’s podcast, but you should also check out Visit Omaha, the local visitor’s bureau. They are a wealth of information and can help you plan an itinerary based on your time, budget, and interests.
If you’d like to learn how to travel for free using airline miles and hotel points, check out my free 7-day email course.
Inside the passageway in the Old Market
Getting around Omaha
The local airport is Eppley Airfield (OMA), which is six minutes to downtown Omaha. Use our Expedia tool below to find flight, hotel, and rental car options.
Lisa says that, if you’re staying downtown, the Metro Bus system will help you get around. However, if you venture outside the city core, you’ll need to rent a car. For the best offers, visit Avis, Budget, or Hertz.
Uber and Lyft are also excellent ways to get around if you want to avoid driving.
When you only need a car for a couple of hours, you can rent by the hour with Zipcar. Join now to get $25 loaded into your account.
Marjorie K Daughterty Conservatory
Places we talked about on the podcast
Here is a map of all of the places we talked about on the podcast episode with Lisa Trudell about Omaha, Nebraska. You can zoom into the map and click on each dot to explore the city.
- Red dots = best places to eat in Omaha, Nebraska.
- Green dots = best things to do in Omaha, Nebraska.
- Yellow dots = best places to stay in Omaha, Nebraska.
Who are Tim and Lisa Trudell?
Lisa worked in the travel industry for over 16 years, initially working for a hotel company and later as a travel agent. She has co-created the community Midwest Travel Network, which connects travel writers and tourism professionals to promote the Midwest. She has spoken at several conferences including Type-A Parent, TBEX (Travel Bloggers Exchange), and WITS (Women in Travel Summit). Today, her full-time job is as an Online Marketing Specialist for the Home Health Care Company Right at Home.
Tim Trudell is the writer, editor, and photographer of the couple, covering fabulous places, people, and events. Today, he is a freelance writer and online content creator, as well as the primary author for their books, 100 Things to Do in Omaha Before You Die, Unique Eats and Eateries of Omaha, and 100 Things to Do in Nebraska Before You Die. He is currently working on a fourth book, “Lost Treasures of Omaha,” due to be published in Fall 2021 by Reedy Press.
They have traveled for business, sporting events, extended family trips, and, of course, for fun. You can read about their latest adventures on their blog named The Walking Tourists. The reason for their blog name is that they enjoy taking their time walking through most local destinations to help discover new things along the way.
Tim and Lisa Trudell with one of their books
Here are a few articles that they have written:
- Marysville, Kansas – Home of the Black Squirrel
- Exploring Cook County, Minnesota
- Dodge City, Kansas – Exploring the Wild West and Beyond
You can connect with Tim and Lisa on their website and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Click here to download our one-page guide of Tim and Lisa’s tips or Omaha.
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Shark tunnel at Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo
Stay tuned for our next episode
Listen to the next episode when author Karen Cordaway shares the best things to do in New Haven, Connecticut. Karen and I talk about eating New Haven-style pizza, visiting Yale University, and attending the Festival of the Arts. We hope you’ll join us when We Travel There.
What’s your favorite part of Omaha? Send us a Tweet, let us know in the comment section below, or continue the discussion in our Facebook group!
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Eric Holstein
If you do get a rental car, a few other local attractions to check out are:
1) The Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum ( https://www.sacmuseum.org/ ) a museum focusing on aircraft and nuclear missiles of the United States Air Force during the Cold War. It is located near Ashland, Nebraska, along Interstate 80 southwest of Omaha.
2) Wildlife Safari Park ( https://www.omahazoo.com/wildlife-safari-park ) – owned by the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and just across I-80, the wildlife safari park is a drive thru experience featuring Elk, Buffalo, Deer, Sandhill Crane, Wolves, and other wildlife which visitors can see up close from the comfort of their car, or via trails.
3) Mahoney State Park ( https://outdoornebraska.gov/location/eugene-t-mahoney/ ) – Nebraska’ flagship state park. Located midway between Nebraska’s two largest cities, Lincoln and Omaha, and is open year-round. Features hiking trails, horseback riding, fishing, camping, cabins, hotel, swimming, ice skating, sledding, and an indoor play area.
The beauty of #1-3, is they are all located within 2 miles of each other.
4) Fort Atkinson State Historical Park – ( https://outdoornebraska.gov/location/fort-atkinson/ ) – One of the earliest U.S. military posts west of the Missouri River, Fort Atkinson was established in 1820 on recommendation of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Located at Fort Calhoun, the fort was important to the early fur trade, river traffic and Indian relations. It was an active fort until 1827.
Lee
Hey Eric, thanks for sharing these additional tips. And I like that three of them are so close together, that you can hit them all the same day.