One of Omaha’s most significant holiday performances, the Omaha Symphony Christmas Celebration at the Holland Performing Arts Center, features singers and dancers, the Omaha Symphony and a chorus line of kicking Santas.
Omaha Children’s Museum has many ways to play – and the fun is just beginning. The museum recently announced it will be moving to a new building that will be constructed along The RiverFront, becoming part of Omaha’s continued reimagining of its urban core.
This time of year, South 10th Street is bright with holiday cheer. Start at The Durham Museum, where a 40-foot Christmas tree twinkles in the former Union Station’s opulently decorated Grand Hall. Listen to live music and see seasonal exhibits. Next, walk north on 10th Street through the festive Old Market for cozy meals and warming drinks. Stop by the Omaha Visitors Center at 10th and Farnam to mail your Christmas wish list in a magical mailbox. Continue north on 10th Street to The RiverFront to witness dazzling light displays.
Omaha’s iconic Reuben sandwich blends corned beef, sauerkraut, cheese and creamy thousand island dressing. The legendary staple was first created for a group of late-night poker players at The Blackstone Hotel in 1925. Today, find the traditional sandwich, along with creative twists, at Orleans Room at Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel – the revived Blackstone – as well as other Omaha restaurants like the Crescent Moon and Barrett’s Barleycomb Pub and Grill.
Butter Brickle ice cream was first created in Omaha in the late 1920s. Today, Omaha’s premier ice cream makers, like Ted & Wally’s and Coneflower Creamery, dish up the sweet stuff to visitors’ praise – and national media acclaim. Maybe it’s time to reconsider Santa’s milk and cookies routine. After all, eCreamery delivers nationwide.
Approximately 700 poinsettias are assembled to construct a 20-foot-tall poinsettia tree at Lauritzen Gardens for its Merry and Bright: Holiday Poinsettia Show. The magnificent display is surrounded by equally enchanting sights. Fraser fir trees sparkle with decorations, model trains wind through glittering snowy scenes, and, at night, the conservatory gardens glow with special light installations for Bright Nights.
Cheers to the holidays in Omaha. Hometown brewers are ready to pour you the perfect pint, whether you like the heavy malt taste of a dark stout or the light zest of a cold ale. Visitors love sampling Omaha's brews with the Craft Brew Penny Pack.
More than 90 artists work at Hot Shops Art Center, a 92,000-square-foot art center in Omaha’s hip North Downtown. Four “hot shops” feature working artists in glass blowing, pottery, bronze casting and blacksmithing. Visit the studios and galleries, participate in a class, or shop for everyone on your “nice” list.
The Joslyn Art Museum, an Omaha treasure, recently reopened after a two-year period of construction and renovation that added a 42,000-square-foot addition, an expanded art collection, three new exhibitions and rejuvenated sculpture gardens. The Joslyn’s collection of over 12,000 objects represents 5,000 years of human creativity. The museum’s four pink marble pillars are a classic spot for a holiday photo. And here, the season’s generosity extends year-round. Admission is always free.
The RiverFront combines three parks in the heart of downtown. Visitors of all ages and abilities discover 72 acres of recreational and relaxation opportunities in this vibrant gathering place. Stroll among merry crowds during the holidays to see hundreds of illuminated trees and joyful decorations. Experience a multimedia show at Gene Leahy Mall, and don’t miss the 70-foot-tall Christmas tree in Heartland of America Park. Wind down your evening cozying up with loved ones around a fire pit or take a spin on the Skate Ribbon.
The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, or Bob, is a 3,000-foot pedestrian path across the Missouri River with a big personality and a unique trick. Take a stroll on Bob and stand in two states – Nebraska and Iowa – at the same time. We call this trick Bobbing. Take a photo during your trek and bring it to the Omaha Visitors Center to receive an official 0.9k marathon sticker – it’s a gift from us to you.
Travel the world at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, which is consistently ranked among the world’s best zoos. More than seven acres of indoor exhibits set at around 72 degrees make the Zoo a true year-round attraction. During the holidays, Zoolightful transforms the Zoo into a winter wonderland. At any time of year, ask about the Zoo's Backstage Experiences and create memories that are the gift that keeps giving.
