3 Easy Weekend Trips from Omaha

nebraska road sign. weekend trips. omaha momDo you ever just need out? I’m not talking about the stir-crazy feeling you get at home after your kids are running around with their little heads cut off. I’m talking about when you realize you don’t need an extravagant family vacation right now, but a little weekend getaway would be great.

Road Trips Near Omaha

Here are a few of my favorite places that are 1-3 hours away from Omaha!

The Sandhills

Take a drive west through gorgeous country to one of my favorite lakes, the Calamus Reservoir outside of Burwell, Nebraska. It has great fishing, cabins to rent, and unlike many other lakes it has sandy beaches. The local marina has affordable prices for renting pontoons and water sports necessities.

The lake has several places to rent, but I would check out Calamus Outfitters. They have cabin sizes to accommodate all families and lots of fun activities to do. My family’s favorite activity is to tank down the Calamus River. Calamus Outfitters has tubes, tanks, kayaks, and canoes for rent. They take you to the beginning of the river and pick you up. Don’t forget a cooler!

Besides the gorgeous sunsets, the west has some of the best breweries.

  • Bootleg Brewers outside of Taylor, NE is about 20 minutes away from the lake.
  • Kinkaider in Broken Bow is fantastic
  • Scratchtown in Ord, NE is one of my favorites. Great atmosphere, great drinks, and great company!

Kansas City,  MO

A favorite weekend getaway for us is Kansas City.

One of our favorite stops is the Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead. It’s a fun farm life experience.

  • See longhorn cattle, turkeys, bison, and dairy goats
  • Go fishing in the pond where you are basically guaranteed to catch one every time.
  • Take a carriage ride
  • Bottle-feed baby goats

When heading to KC, plan your trip around a first weekend of the month. If you love anything rustic, retro, farmhouse style, re-purposed, or untouched, there are over 80 vendors at KC’s First Friday Weekend! Located in Bella Patina in the West Bottoms of KC has three floors of perfect items that would make Mama Gaines stop in her tracks. This stop needs to be on your list.

Lincoln, NE

And last but not least…Huskerville.

If you’re looking for more of a day trip, Lincoln is the perfect destination for a day with kids (or without). Here are a few of my favorite things to do in the capital city.

First, head to the Children’s Museum. In my personal opinion – it is the best one there is. It has several amazing imaginative stations and opportunities for creative play throughout the three floors and 23,300 square feet of the building. Before the kiddos conk out from playing pilot in their kid-sized planes, pick up a sweet treat at Hurts Donut located in the Grand Manse Building.

When my husband and I want to re-live a little of our college days, we head to the best Thai restaurant you can ever imagine; Blue Orchid is amazing. I have yet to find one that compares. They have the best cocktails and even better curry! Afterward, head down to the basement of the building to the Boiler Brewing Company. This brewery does not have a beer I don’t like. If you end up full off Thai food and tipsy off beer, you better grab a room at the newly renovated, Graduate. A hotel that has great service, plaid carpet, and cornstalk wallpaper… what’s not to love?

We all need ‘out’ every now and then, especially to see the beauty of our very own state or places that surround us. Use these resources to have some fun with your family and friends. Enjoy!

This post was originally written in 2018 and updated in 2023. 

Kelsi
Kelsi is a small-town girl at heart living in what her dad calls ‘the big city’. She is a wife to Joe and mom to girls, Harper (3 year) and Kollins (9 months). She has a chocolate lab named Rollie who can prove to be the most high-maintenance of them all. Besides being a wife & mom Kelsi works full-time at a local non-profit. In her spare time, she loves traveling around NE visiting family, Husker game days, friends, drinks and patios.