I am a transplant to Omaha, and this will be my third Nebraska Summer. My first summer, we spent an entire month on the road. By the time we got back, summer was ending. Last year, we traveled sporadically for family reunions and weddings. This summer, I am hoping for a summer that I will call my “Golden Summer.” I am going to dig in, and commit to seeing what Omaha has to offer in the summer and make it golden. This commitment led me to a Google search where I found a treasure trove of fun things to do in Omaha in the summer. I’ve signed my kids up for summer camps, told my family that we are doing minimal traveling this summer, and created my summer bucket list.
I’ll share the list with you at the bottom of this post, but here are a few highlights of what we will be doing this summer:
Summer Camp
My kids go to the Henry Doorly Zoo camp every summer. Even with our traveling schedules the previous two summers, I have always made time for the kids to go to Zoo Camp. The zoo has camps for kids of all ages! I hope that my kids will go to zoo camp for as many years as they are allowed—it’s the highlight of their summer. Check out this post with other cool summer camp ideas.
Catch Bugs
We are currently obsessed with bugs at my house. We plan on checking out library books on bugs and bringing jars with us on hikes/walks to catch as many bugs as possible this summer. I remember doing this as a child and can’t wait to share this memory with my children.
Visit the Lake
I didn’t grow up around lakes—we went to the lake maybe once per year (usually with a youth group I participated in). When I moved to Omaha, everyone told me about the Fremont Lakes and how I had to take my kids there. I was skeptical (ask all the people who recommended them to me), and I didn’t want to go. It just sounded like a headache. My kids love it! They will swim in the lake for hours and hours. If the main area is too crowded, we can even drive around to find an empty beach. I can’t wait to do this again this summer. Nebraska has so many lakes and rivers for us to take advantage of!
Go Stargazing
I am a stickler for bedtime; by 7:30 each night, all 3 of my kids are tucked safely into their beds while I do a final tidy and take some mom time. This summer, I am going to step out of my routine and take time to let my kids stay up late and enjoy things that they don’t usually get to enjoy. My son is obsessed with the moon and thinks it shines just for him each night. I think he is going to love driving to a quiet place and watching the stars and “his” moon.
Go to a Parade
I love parades so much that I legitimately cry sometimes from the pageantry. I think it’s in my genes; my grandmother used to get to her local parade early in the morning, saving us seats until we arrived. We even stayed to clap for the clean up crew. Nothing says summertime to me like a parade does. When we moved to Omaha and stumbled on the Elkhorn Parade, I was thrilled. It’s close enough to my home that we can walk there, and we love the small town feel.
Summer 2019 is going to be awesome. I plan on printing my bucket list in poster size, putting it where my kids can see it, and picking one or two things to do each week, crossing them off as we go. I can’t wait to make memories and having the Golden Omaha Summer I’ve been dreaming of.
