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Hi all, my wife and I will be moving from Tucson, AZ to Milwaukee, WI this fall and would like to see the country on our way.
What should we see on our way through NE?
Thank you all!
Well depending on your time you should go see downtown Omaha and the Henry Doorly Zoo and the State Capitol Building in Lincoln. If you stick close to the interstate and only have an hour or two to spare you should definitely stop off at Exit 272 and see the Archway Monument in Kearney. It costs roughly $10/person and is an amazing set of dioramas, lighting, and narration on Westward Expansion across Nebraska and Wyoming, travel on the Oregon Trail, the push and pull factors to the Oregon Territory and California, the Pony Express and the Railroad, and the development of the Lincoln Highway and Interstate 80. The Archway Monument is a giant enclosed arch across the interstate dedicated to the men and women that risked their lives to move their families westward and the men and women that risked their lives building our infrastructure to move people westward!
If you want to proceed directly to Denver, you can turn south onto I-76 near Big Springs (exit 102) and enter Colorado in a few miles. However if you'd like to see Chimney Rock (a giant rock formation shaped like a chimney that is essentially the best known landmarker on the Oregon Trail), the Scottsbluff Monument which is a thousand foot tall set of rock bluffs you can hike up, and a 22 mile long and up to 4 mile wide lake near a historic cowboy town and with western flair (Lake McConaughy), turn off at exit 126, drive through downtown Ogallala, stop at the Boot Hill Cemetery and look over town and follow the signs for Highway 61 and then turn left at the end of the dam onto Highway 92 to follow the northside of Lake McConaughy. Do not take Highway 26 because although you will receive glimpses of the lake from high above, Highway 92 follows the shoreline until 92 and 26 meet up just before Lewellen. From Lewellen it is about 70 miles to Chimney Rock and 90 miles to Scottsbluff. You will see both Chimney Rock and Scottsbluff Monument if you follow 92 after 26 and 92 split off again, you can't miss them. You can stay overnight in Scottsbluff and then head southwest into Cheyenne and pick up I-25 to go south towards Denver and then onto Albuquerque and Southern NM and then Tucson. If this is too out of the way then take I-76 from Big Springs toward Denver and don't get off at Ogallala but you will be missing out on a very neat part of the state that was a huge part of the Oregon Trail, enjoy!
Well, haha where do I start. Are you going from Tucson to Milwaukee or from Milwaukee to Tucson? The way I read it you will be starting out in Tucson correct?
I live in Southeastern Nebraska (The populated part ) and there is only a handful of things to see and most are going to be out of the way. I looked up directions on Google maps and the best way to Milwaukee isn't through Nebraska, but if you choose to come through I'd have to imagine you would take I80. What route are you taking through Nebraska? Most of the places to see in Nebraska are out of the way and could potentially alter the original route and make it a few hours to see anything worth seeing here.
There isn't really a whole lot to see here as far as scenery goes. I mean the Agate Fossil beds and Scottsbluffs/Chimney Rock are all west of where you will come in at. Ya, there really isn't anything to see unless you have time (3-5 hours) to go off the beaten path to see things, which I'd say aren't worth seeing on a 32ish hour drive.
But if you do, I'd recommend going to Indian Cave State Park. Some call it thee most scenic place in Nebraska. Me, I have been there once and nowhere really else in Nebraska, but I wouldn't even guess I was in the state of Nebraska if you blindfolded me and put me somewhere within the confines of the park.
Another interesting place to see is where the Platte river flows between Lincoln and Omaha. I believe they call it Linoma (Yeah a cross between the cities). I've never been there, but have driven by it at least 1,000 times in my life and it's still a place I'd like to snap some shots of with my DSLR. You can't see it on the interstate so you'll have to take some two lane highway (Highway 6) to get there.
Mahoney State Park is cool, has a small water park haha and that's up by Omaha. Most of the things to do there are seasonal so you won't be able to ice skate, but you will be able to go horseback riding, fishing, camping, hiking (More like walking up and down hills), they have biking trails. It's almost always a pretty good time when I go.
The link provided is a slide show of 36 state parks to visit in the Midwest area and slides #32-34 are of State Parks in Nebraska.
I wish there was more for you to see. I've been to Wisconsin and all of the states you will go through on your way to Milwaukee and if it's a choice between Nebraska and stopping in another state, stop in another state (Unless Nebraska is the only state on your journey you haven't seen).
It's unfortunate but Nebraska just wasn't blessed with natural scenic beauty. It really is what you make of it.
As far as other things to see, I would say you have to go to the Omaha Zoo. No offense to anyone who enjoys the Kearney arch but that attraction is pretty lame or at least it was for me. I'd save the money and make a whole day out of the zoo.
It's unfortunate but Nebraska just wasn't blessed with natural scenic beauty. It really is what you make of it.
As far as other things to see, I would say you have to go to the Omaha Zoo. No offense to anyone who enjoys the Kearney arch but that attraction is pretty lame or at least it was for me. I'd save the money and make a whole day out of the zoo.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To me the long vistas in the distance, clear blue sky, the cottonwood and red cedar trees, wild sunflowers in the summer, wide open fields with pivots and corn growing in the summer of sun, variety of grasses, and the Platte River with its diverse vegetation and islands is nothing short of amazing. The rock formations rising out of the prairie at the end of the Nebraska part of the Oregon Trail are also amazing. We may not have the mountains but I wouldn't say they are more beautiful just more different. And I never said the Archway had the most information on pioneer history (for that you would have to go to the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island but the inattentive folks like you if you didn't enjoy the Archway would definitely not enjoy the Stuhr Museum ). The Archway isn't a Six Flags roller coaster but does everything have to be? If you are looking for heart-pounding activity and dramatic scenery Nebraska is not your place but if you are looking for scenic beauty, a sense of freedom and a relaxed pace, friendly people and good steaks, and a state with a rich history dating back to the mid 1800s, Nebraska is your place!
Tops on my list would be Pioneer Village in Minden NE, a short drive south of Kearney off I-80. If you go here, make it a full day. It is the largest private collection of Americana you will ever see.....anywhere.......and there is too much here to take it all in in only a couple of hours.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To me the long vistas in the distance, clear blue sky, the cottonwood and red cedar trees, wild sunflowers in the summer, wide open fields with pivots and corn growing in the summer of sun, variety of grasses, and the Platte River with its diverse vegetation and islands is nothing short of amazing. The rock formations rising out of the prairie at the end of the Nebraska part of the Oregon Trail are also amazing. We may not have the mountains but I wouldn't say they are more beautiful just more different. And I never said the Archway had the most information on pioneer history (for that you would have to go to the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island but the inattentive folks like you if you didn't enjoy the Archway would definitely not enjoy the Stuhr Museum). The Archway isn't a Six Flags roller coaster but does everything have to be? If you are looking for heart-pounding activity and dramatic scenery Nebraska is not your place but if you are looking for scenic beauty, a sense of freedom and a relaxed pace, friendly people and good steaks, and a state with a rich history dating back to the mid 1800s, Nebraska is your place!
What are you talking about? I never said you "claimed" it was the pinnacle of anything. So not sure where that came from, and for what its worth, I love the Stuhr Museum.
Have you been anywhere other then Nebraska? No offense but looking at corn isn't a "sight to see" in Nebraska primarily because you can drive down the interstate and look at it for hours upon end.
Did you read my whole post? The fact that you thought they were leaving from Milwaukee might explain some of it. But your reply reads like I was dissing Nebraska, hardly the case as I LOVE NEBRASKA. Just want people to be realistic about their expectations of Nebraska, because people in this day and age want to be wowed. I don't have to be "wowed" to find beauty in something. Just saying when you've been to places I've been and see other kinds of scenery, Nebraska's scenery does pale in comparison.
I've said it before and I'll say again, Nebraska is what you make of it.
And as a favor I'll take a picture of that lush vegetation (I would call primarily weeds) on the Platte at Linoma next time I drive by, which will be tomorrow.
Last edited by VitruvianMan; 05-01-2012 at 11:22 AM..
Have you been anywhere other then Nebraska? No offense but looking at corn isn't a "sight to see" in Nebraska primarily because you can drive down the interstate and look at it for hours upon end.
I've been to 43 out of 50 states with the exception of Nevada, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, and a few other western states. I've seen the Blue Ridges and vast pine forests of the Deep South, the rolling hills and woodlands of the Mid Atlantic, the coast and mountains of New England, the farmland of the Great Lakes Region, the Northwoods, California, Oregon and Washington State, the Rockies, the desert Southwest. The poster is probably not expecting to be wowed like they might by seeing the Rockies from 80 miles away but not everyone is unhappy with the scenery in Nebraska and finds beauty particularly away from the interstate. If people in this day and age expect to be wowed like they would on TV they can go elsewhere, Nebraska is about slowing down and enjoying yourself and getting away from the rat race. There are so few people who compliment the scenery of the state that I wanted to post in its defense from someone who genuinely enjoys it. I'm glad you love Nebraska it just does the state no favors if all people ever hear is negativity about its landscape.
Now you two stop it. Com'on guys, lets all sing together:
Beautiful Nebraska, peaceful prairieland,
laced with many rivers, and the hills of sand,
dark green valleys cradled in the earth,
rain and sunshine bring abundant birth.
Beautiful Nebraska, as you look around,
you will find a rainbow reaching to the ground.
all these wonders by the Master's hand,
Beautiful Nebraskaland.
We are so proud of this state where we live.
There is no place that has so much to give.
Beautiful Nebraska, as you look around,
you will find a rainbow reaching to the ground.
all these wonders by the Master's hand,
Beautiful Nebraskaland.
Back to topic:
If you like historical attractions, the detour up Highway 26 to the Oregon Trail stuff is great. As is the Archway monument--which is a more modern twist on the historical information taking it up to modern days.
The Henry Dorly Zoo in Omaha is a favorite, consistently rated one of the top zoos in the nation. The Durham Museum in Omaha is pretty cool too. The SAC museum is an amazing collection of aeronautical displays--just about 25 miles outside of Omaha at Exit 426.
A couple of other unique attractions a stone's throw off I-80 are Pioneer Village at Minden and the Hastings Musuem in Hastings. Both are pretty unique museums of Americana and other interesting stuff.
Those are the top things I can think of that are pretty unique to Nebraska. Of course some of the best landscape in the state is off I-80 (they did pick the flattest, "boringest" part of the state to build on you know).
I've been to 43 out of 50 states with the exception of Nevada, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, and a few other western states. I've seen the Blue Ridges and vast pine forests of the Deep South, the rolling hills and woodlands of the Mid Atlantic, the coast and mountains of New England, the farmland of the Great Lakes Region, the Northwoods, California, Oregon and Washington State, the Rockies, the desert Southwest. The poster is probably not expecting to be wowed like they might by seeing the Rockies from 80 miles away but not everyone is unhappy with the scenery in Nebraska and finds beauty particularly away from the interstate. If people in this day and age expect to be wowed like they would on TV they can go elsewhere, Nebraska is about slowing down and enjoying yourself and getting away from the rat race. There are so few people who compliment the scenery of the state that I wanted to post in its defense from someone who genuinely enjoys it. I'm glad you love Nebraska it just does the state no favors if all people ever hear is negativity about its landscape.
This is where me and you agree. I love the state and I think the scenery is underrated but not everyone holds the same values as me and you do. In fact, me and my current girlfriend go drive around in the country just to enjoy it .
In fact, there is this one place we have down a country road that is so hilly and half way down the road is the "summit" if you will and we use our telescopes to view the celestial heavens above. I love Nebraska and find beauty everywhere I go and try to make the best of the places I go and see. There isn't any place else in the US that I've been to that I would considered moving to (Except maybe Austin, TX for the live music scene).
And you have me beat on states haha, I've been to 29 out of the 50 states and the only place west of Nebraska I've been is Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico but this Summer I'm driving to San Fran and Crater Lake in Oregon, so it should be a blast, will get the chance to add a few more states to my list. And as soon as I graduate I'm going to visit the northeast in the fall.
How are you going to be able to drive through Nebraska AND Kansas??
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) and there is only a handful of things to see and most are going to be out of the way. I looked up directions on Google maps and the best way to Milwaukee isn't through Nebraska, but if you choose to come through I'd have to imagine you would take I80. What route are you taking through Nebraska? Most of the places to see in Nebraska are out of the way and could potentially alter the original route and make it a few hours to see anything worth seeing here.
). The Archway isn't a Six Flags roller coaster but does everything have to be? If you are looking for heart-pounding activity and dramatic scenery Nebraska is not your place but if you are looking for scenic beauty, a sense of freedom and a relaxed pace, friendly people and good steaks, and a state with a rich history dating back to the mid 1800s, Nebraska is your place!
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