48 Hours in Omaha

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This post was done in collaboration with Visit Omaha. All opinions are our own.

omaha roadtrip

Summer’s not over yet! With more than 3 weeks left til school starts, there’s still plenty of time to take a family road trip. And if you haven’t been to Omaha recently, I highly recommend heading west for a fun family getaway!

My kids are 2, 4, and 6. If you’re a mom, you know any kind of trip with kids these ages is an adventure. Omaha is just under 2 hours away, making it a perfect destination for family fun. We recently spent 48 hours in Omaha and I’m already thinking of when we can return!

48 hours in Omaha

We hit the road at 8 a.m. and pulled into our hotel parking lot at 10:15. This included a bathroom stop in Council Bluffs #pottytraining.

Where to stay

omaha cambria hotelWe stayed at Cambria Hotel in downtown Omaha. It’s a great home base for exploring Omaha’s best attractions. The rooms were big enough to accommodate a pack n play for our youngest without feeling like we were tripping over it. There are refrigerators and microwaves in each room, which is perfect if you have milk or other snacks for your kids! A full-service bar in the lobby is perfect for enjoying an adult beverage after the kids are in bed.

What to do

Durham omahaThe Durham Museum was first on our list of places to explore. It is located in Omaha’s historic Union Station, a gorgeous building built in the 1930s. The Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family Exhibit was the main attraction. It will be there until September 1. If you have a dinosaur lover in your family, it’s definitely worth checking out!

Durham trains omahaOther highlights include walking through train cars from the 1940s and ‘50s, looking at model trains, and learning about the Omaha Indian Tribe. We had lunch at the old soda fountain in the lobby. Hot dogs and ice cream make everyone happy!

Next stop: The Omaha Children’s Museum.

The museum is less than a 10-minute drive from the Durham, so we had plenty of time to explore before the museum closed at 6.

Omaha Children's MuseumI was confident my 2-year-old and 4-year-old would be entertained here, but I wasn’t sure if the activities would be too young for my 6-year-old. It was awesome for all of them! The Enchanted Kingdom exhibit is perfect for princess and knight lovers and the Attic Adventures exhibit features a climbing wall, suspended kayak, LEGO test track, and more.

The pneumatic ball room is epic, trust me, I think we spent at least 45 minutes in there. And the Tinker Lab is awesome for kids who like to build and create. We didn’t have time to explore the outdoor splash garden or play area. You could easily spend 4-5 hours here.

Dinner

pitch dundee omahaWe had dinner at Pitch pizzeria in the Dundee neighborhood (which reminded me of Beverdale in Des Moines). Their specialties are coal-fire pizza and pasta, and the service was fast! No one wants to wait 30 minutes for your food when your kids are hungry!

Day Two

Omaha zooWe planned a full day for the Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. It was a Sunday, and we knew it would be busy, so we pulled into the parking lot at 8:45. We were waiting at the gates when they opened at 9 a.m. and ready to explore. If you have little kids, I recommend bringing a stroller. The zoo is big and little legs get tired!

This was our first time at this zoo, and I knew we wouldn’t be able to see everything. I checked the website and had a mental list of what I knew we wanted to see. It was a hot day, so we explored the African Grasslands and Asian Highlands first. We also road the train which is a great way to see the whole zoo.

Our favorite animals were the gorillas, penguins, giraffes, and elephants. We loved the animals, but I think the kid’s favorite part was the spash pad in Glacier Bay (don’t forget to bring a swimsuit!) and Children’s Adventure Trails. We could have spent hours here! There is an epic treehouse with rope ladders and tunnels to crawl through and a stream that leads to a waterfall! Save these two spots for last so you don’t have to walk around wet and dirty.  

We stopped at the gift shop on our way out (because what trip to the zoo is complete without a souvenir?) and called it a day!  We didn’t have time to explore the Desert Dome, so we will have to go back! Find more tips for visiting the zoo here.

Everyone was tired and sweaty when we got back to the hotel, so we ordered carryout dinner from The Old Mattress Factory. When traveling, you have to know your kids’ limits and I knew going to a restaurant wouldn’t be a good idea after 2 long days! It was less than a 2-minute drive from the hotel.

Heading home

The next morning we packed up, but before heading back to Des Moines we enjoyed breakfast at the restaurant in the hotel lobby. The kids filled up on pancakes as big as the plate!

Omaha is an awesome place for families to spend a day or a weekend. I can see us taking a day trip to the Children’s Museum or zoo.

Savings Tip:

The Omaha Savings Pack gives visitors more than $300 in exclusive discounts to top Omaha attractions. There’s nothing to download, the Savings Pack will be instantly delivered via text and email and allows for easy mobile redemption. 

What are your favorite things to do in Omaha?

Check out more highlights from the weekend in our instagram stories

omaha roadtrip

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