Omaha Tourist Attractions

Omaha is one of America’s most popular destinations. It has so much to offer visitors from around the world, including parks, museums, historic sites, and more.

Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

Address: 3701 S 10th St, Omaha, NE 68107, United States

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Its mission is conservation, research, recreation, and education. It is nationally renowned for its leadership in animal conservation and research.

From its early days as the public Riverview Park Zoo in 1894, the zoo includes several notable exhibits, including the largest cat complex in North America. It has the "Kingdoms of the Night," one of the world's largest nocturnal exhibits and indoor swamp.

It also features the Lied Jungle, a huge indoor rainforest, and the "Desert Dome" is one of the world's largest indoor deserts. The zoo has the largest glazed geodesic dome in the world.

The zoo is the most visited destination in Nebraska, with over 25 million visitors over the past 40 years.

Durham Museum

Address: 801 S 10th St, Omaha, NE 68108, United States

Formerly known as the Durham Western Heritage Museum, the institution is located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. It is dedicated to preserving and displaying the history of the United States' western region. The museum is housed in Omaha's former Union Station.

In 1971 after the establishment of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (now Amtrak), Union Pacific Railroad closed Union Station. The station was donated to the City of Omaha in 1973 and two years later, the Western Heritage Museum opened.

The museum closed from 1995 to 1996 for a $22 million renovation project largely funded by Charles and Margie Durham. For their contribution, it was renamed the Durham Western Heritage Museum.

In 2008, it was again renamed the Durham Museum due to partnerships with the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress, and the National Archives, which have provided the museum with a range of exhibits and programming not limited to the western heritage.

The museum is an affiliate within the Smithsonian Affiliations program.

The museum’s Trish & Dick Davidson Gallery has a variety of transportation and commerce exhibits.

Joslyn Castle

Address: 3902 Davenport St, Omaha, NE 68131, United States

The George and Sarah Joslyn Home is a mansion in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Built in the Scottish Baronial style in 1903, the Castle was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and designated as an Omaha landmark in 1979.

The mansion features 35 rooms in four stories, a carriage house tower, and 5 acres of landscaped gardens. The area is covered with trees and flowers from around the world, especially orchids.

The Castle includes a reception hall, music room, ballroom, library, and gold drawing-room. The basement at one time had a bowling alley. The Castle and the carriage house were built of limestone.

Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge

Address: 705 Riverfront Dr, Omaha, NE 68102, United States

The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge is a 910-meter footbridge across the Missouri River between Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska. It opened on September 28, 2008.

Interest in a landmark bridge across the Missouri River arose after Omaha and Council Bluffs began replacing their older crossings with girder bridges that do not have towers. The bridge is named after former Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey, who secured $18 million of federal funding for its construction in 2000.

The bridge was redesigned in 2004 after the lowest bid for the project was $44 million. In May 2006, a final cable-stayed bridge design was selected for the bridge. The bridge was built for $22 million featuring two towers and a clearance of 16 meters above the river.

Heartland of America Park

Address: 800 Douglas St, Omaha, NE 68102, United States

Heartland of America Park is a public park in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. It has been closed for renovations since 2019 and will not reopen until 2023. The 31-acre park is situated between Interstate 80 and the Missouri River, is adjacent to Gene Leahy Mall and the Old Market, and connects to Lewis & Clark Landing.

Along with the lake, the park features a paved walking trail encircling area. There are fountains, including a large, modern, computerized fountain that projects water 91 meters into the air and features a nighttime light show.

The lake has a tour boat with rides available in the summertime. There is also a monument to the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition, and the late 1800s Waterworks Fountain, once located at the Webster Station, a railroad depot in North Omaha. The park is the site of the annual Taste of Omaha event.

Fun-Plex Amusement Park

Address: 7003 Q St, Omaha, NE 68117, United States

Fun-Plex is the largest amusement park in Nebraska, and the site of the only roller coaster in Nebraska before it was removed for safety concerns in 2018. Fun-Plex began as “The Kart Ranch” in 1979 with just a go-kart track. In 2015 Fun-Plex introduced a brand-new water feature called Makana Splash, a water play structure with a 317-gallon bucket that drops water on visitors.

In 2016 Fun-Plex built Nebraska's Only Swim-up bar called Breakers Bay Bar. Two years later, it added Rockin’ Rapids, which features two tube slides for single or double riders.

Rides at Fun-Plex include a slick track, bumper boats, and a go-gator kiddie coaster. There is a waterpark with a wave pool, five-story waterslides, a lazy river, and a children's pool.

It also features other rides such as the Rock-O-Ride, a walk-through haunt, called A Nightmare On Q Street, a Tilt-A-Whirl, and the Balloon Ferris wheel.

In 2007, the facility boasted new go-karts and a larger track, as well a new 18-hole miniature golf.