This holiday season, create lasting family memories with a weekend road trip to Omaha. The city is aglow with lights and bustling with jolly events that will enchant your entire crew. This itinerary suggests a Friday evening arrival and a Sunday afternoon departure for an easy getaway, but consider taking an extra day and spreading out the cheer.
Day 1 – Arrival
P.M.
Dinner at Dante
Welcome to Omaha. You’ll spend your first evening in West Omaha. Make a reservation for an early dinner at Dante. Authentic wood-fired Neapolitan pizza and rustic Italian cuisine will put any cranky car-weary kids in a much better mood and fuel your next stop.
Ice Skating at Heartwood Preserve
You’re ready for 90 minutes of free ice skating. Whether you glide on the ice or giggle as you wobble along, this is going to be a night to remember. Take a break to enjoy hot cocoa and seasonal treats from local vendors. Reservations are recommended.
Day 2
A.M.
Breakfast at Good Evans
A stack of pancakes always feels celebratory, and Good Evans serves some of the fluffiest in town. The chef-driven menu also offers omelets, benedicts, french toast, breakfast combos and more. Perhaps most critically for tired parents: the Fair Trade coffee – roasted in-house – brews the freshest cup.
Fun at The Durham Museum
Experience Omaha’s resplendent former Union Station decked out in its holiday best. Take a family photo in front of the 40-foot Christmas tree, admire the museum-wide decorations and visit Santa. For even more magic, check out The Lost World of Dragons exhibition. Seeing it during the Christmas season gives “sleigh the dragon” a whole new meaning.
Satisfy your kids with classic American comfort food at Hollywood Candy in Omaha’s Old Market Entertainment District. Pair your meal with one of 150 sodas in fun flavors. Afterward, play a few games of pinball and shop for sweet stocking stuffers.
P.M.
Shopping Old Market Finds
Kids aren’t always patient shoppers. Luckily, memorable gifts don’t take long to find in the Old Market Entertainment District. Pop into Tannenbaum for unique holiday decor, purchase handmade chocolates and fudge at Old Market Candy Shop, discover locally made gifts at Made in Omaha, and peruse funny t-shirts at RAYGUN Omaha. Make time to stop by the Omaha Visitors Center to say hello to the friendly ambassadors, warm up with a free cup of coffee and shop exclusive souvenir items. Kids can write letters to Santa and put it in the magic mailbox on loan from the North Pole.
Matinee Performance at The Rose
Get off your feet for a couple of hours and settle in for a holiday show at The Rose Theater. Experience the festive season – and the triumphs and pitfalls of childhood – through the eyes of 9-year-old Ralphie Parker in “A Christmas Story: The Musical.”
Holiday Lights Festival at The RiverFront
Stroll The RiverFront to see the holiday lights glow. Throughout Gene Leahy Mall, Heartland of America Park and Lewis and Clark Landing you’ll find hundreds of illuminated trees, joyful decorations, a 70-foot holiday tree and a 10th Street Bridge video wall. Before walking back to the car, warm up around a firepit.
Dinner at Howard’s Charro Cafe
This lively family-owned restaurant serves up generous portions of Tex-Mex favorites, from flautas to tacos, quesadillas to burritos. A hefty menu means everyone will find something to enjoy. And it’s a quick drive to your final attraction of the day.
Seeing the Zoo in a New Light
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, the nation’s No. 1 zoo, becomes an even more magical place during Zoolightful. See the zoo as you’ve never experienced it before with special holiday-themed exhibits featuring family-fun activities, treats, games, light sculptures, decorations and, of course, Santa.
Day 3
A.M.
Coffee and Pastries at Millwork Commons
You had a huge day yesterday. Keep breakfast simple. Grab a specialty drink from Archetype Coffee and a box of pastries and sweets to share from Sweet Magnolias Bake Shop. Find a spacious table in the common space, and let the ample natural light – and caffeine and sugar – perk you up.
Morning and Lunch at Joslyn Art Museum
The Joslyn is an Omaha treasure, featuring 12,000 objects representing 5,000 years of human creativity. Take some time to wander galleries before heading to Art Works: A Place for Curiosity. This interactive space has 11 hands-on activity stations for children of all ages. Kids can create a memento of their trip to Omaha – or a special holiday gift for someone they love. Grab lunch onsite at The Durham Cafe.
Poinsettia Peeping at Lauritzen Gardens
Experience an atmosphere filled with cheer at the annual Merry & Bright Poinsettia Show. Delight in the majestic wonder of a 20-foot tree made from poinsettias, displays of festive holiday trains and glittering decor. You’ll see nature in a whole new light.
We hope you’ve enjoyed a holly jolly weekend in Omaha. For more merriment, check out our holiday events page or explore more holiday traditions here.
