Day 1 You'll See:
Day 2 You'll See:
Day 3 You'll See:
You and your students are in for a real treat when you land in Nebraska for three delightful days of exploration, education, discovery, and FUN that promise to have you wondering just what else the Gateway to the Midwest has up its sleeve by the time you’re winging your way back home with endless smiles and unforgettable memories of “The Best of Omaha”!
1
Omaha Children’s Museum
Omaha Children's Museum brings worlds of creativity and hands-on experimentation to visitors of all ages with its amazing diversity of exhibits and activities designed to engage, educate and delight. In “Maker Space”, groups are encouraged to utilize a variety of intriguing tools and materials promoting creative curiosity; they’ll marvel at the museum's signature “Super Gravitron”, try on a career in medicine at the “Children’s Hospital and Medical Center”, learn about financial responsibility while role-playing at First National Bank Branch, and enjoy an interactive Hy Vee Grocery experience – checking and bagging, stock shelves, serving pizza, baking and decorating a cake - and more! The staff at Omaha’s Children’s Museum understand - and truly celebrate - the irrefutable fact that our children are the future of tomorrow – and want them to know that learning can be more fun than a roomful of Legos!
Joslyn Art Museum
Nebraska’s largest art museum – opened in 1931 - was a generous gift to the good people of Omaha from Sarah H. Joslyn, who built an extravagant concert hall surrounded by art galleries in memory of her late husband. The magnificent Art Deco building - constructed of only the best materials - hailed as an important addition to the city of Omaha and took nearly three years to build; in 1938 it ranked among the finest 100 structures in the country and – according to Child Magazine - has recently been voted one of the “Ten Best Museums for Kids”! In 2006 a lavish and expansive sculpture garden replete with flowing reflective water features landscaped green spaces and inviting granite pathways was added to the Museum’s grounds, dramatically updating the face of the compound. The museum, itself is truly a work to behold, and its comprehensive permanent collections range in genre from Ancient, European, Latin American and Native Indian to Modern and Contemporary works; prepare to be amazed beyond measure as you and your budding art connoisseurs browse this breathtaking compendium of important masterpieces!
Fun-Plex
You’ve recharged in the park and explored downtown; the rest of Day 1 is all about super-cool FUN. You’re heading to Fun-Plex, Omaha’s premier water and amusement park, proud home of “The Big Ohhhhhhh” - Nebraska’s ONLY roller coaster! An exciting array of rides and water attractions await delighted giggles and howls of terror, and you’ll ALL thrill to favorites old and new, including the Tilt-a-Whirl, the always-popular go-carts at Fun-Plex Speedway and Fun-Plex Slick Track and 2015’s “Makana Splash.” A classic arcade located inside Primetime Pizza houses a variety of games for all ages, and a classic midway menu ensures hungry hordes plenty of good, old-fashioned carnival treats; nothing like a mouthful of Dippin’ Dots, a warm, sugary funnel cake or plump, juicy hot dog and crispy fries to settle a ride-silly stomach!
2
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo
Student groups on this “best of Omaha” quest will happily dedicate the better part of Day 2 to exploring the world-class Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, nationally renowned for its leadership in animal conservation and research. The Zoo is home to more than 17,000 animals across nearly 1000 species, and features scores of remarkable exhibits, including the largest cat complex in North America and one of the world’s most substantial indoor rainforests; it’s also home to the biggest glazed geodesic dome on the planet! (Google it.) This magnificent 130-acre tribute to the animal kingdom is Nebraska’s number one attraction, having welcomed more than 25 million visitors over the past 40 years. An all-day rides pass gets you around the grounds in style: hop the Zoo train, grab a bird’s eye view on “Skyfari” or sit back and explore from your comfy seat on the Tram; if you’re feeling extra-brave and want to plunk down a five-spot, there’s even a camel with your name on it! Dogs barking? Cut them a break with a turn on Sue’s old-fashioned Wildlife Carousel. The residents of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Pavilion, Kingdoms of the Night, Exhibition Madagascar, the Hubbard Orangutan Forest, Durham Family Bear Canyon, and the Lied Jungle await your rapt audience; if these don’t intrigue you, how about a close encounter at Stingray Beach, a trek through the unforgiving environments beneath Desert Dome or a stroll on the bottom of the ocean beneath a tunnel of ravenous sharks at the Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium? The zoo’s Lozier IMAX Theater dishes out superlative wild adventure on a screen “as tall as four giraffes and as wide as seven rhinos.” A high fidelity sound system charges through a half-dozen speaker clusters, each weighing as much as a Siberian tiger; 2D/3D never looked – or felt - so terrifyingly good! Grab your group and get your zoo on.
River City Star Riverboat
Once you’re on the water, you’ll have to agree: nothing beats an enchanting roll out on the “wide Missouri” aboard this beautiful 1940’s era, two-level, 149 passenger excursion vessel – formerly a Las Vegas cruiser, now proudly calling the Missouri River home – for a little “r and r”. A variety of picture-perfect outings are offered on Omaha’s only riverboat – narrated sightseeing, lunch, dinner, holiday and themed cruises – each treating guest groups to the glorious seasonal sights and sounds of the scenic riverfront from its spacious, spotless decks – along with unforgettable live entertainment. Commemorative merchandise is available on board; be sure everyone takes home the perfect souvenir of their trip on the River City Star!
The Amazing Pizza Machine
You and your hungry troops will wrap up Day Two of this outstanding Omaha adventure at The Amazing Pizza Machine – for a one-stop, all-inclusive “pizzafunstravaganza”! Kids of ALL ages will jump for joy at the thrilling prospect of delicious pizza, pasta, loaded potatoes, tacos, desserts, soft-serve ice cream and more - like 60,000 square feet of FUN including go-karts, bumper cars and Frog Hopper, Amazing Quest Laser Tag, more than 150 video, ticket and redemption games, and a wonderful play area for younger children. A delicious buffet serving up more than 100 items made fresh on-site daily ensures even the pickiest pizza partiers will be happy; themed dining areas only enhance the already AWESOME experience and nightly Feature Buffets dish endless All-American favorites including “BBQ Night”, “Fish Fry” and “Homestyle Fixins”. The Amazing Pizza Machine has been named “Top Family Entertainment Center of the World” by the International Association of Amusement Parks - they really do "Crank Out the Food and Fun!" Just go there.
3
Strategic Air & Space Museum
This popular and conveniently-located 300,000 square foot aeronautical wonderland features a 528-panel glass atrium, display hangars, a traveling exhibit area, a 200 seat theater, an aircraft restoration gallery, an interactive children’s gallery, a mobile planetarium, seven awesome motion simulator rides, a fantastic museum store and “Plane Food” - a snack bar- after all, this is exciting stuff, and there’s lots of it; you’re bound to work up an appetite browsing SASM’s fascinating series of exhibits, expansive collections of historic aircraft, spacecraft and missiles, and incredible out-of-this-world artifacts. The Museum faithfully hosts popular events and special presentations - Wings Under the Wings, the Family Fun Carnival, the Strategic Air & Space Museum Science Fair, Helicopter Day, the Indoor Air Show and more; be sure to check with your Adventure Student Travel team to find out what will be happening while you’re in their neck of the woods!
Durham Museum
Historic Union Station opened its doors to the public on January 15, 1931 – one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in the United States. This magnificent facility served millions of rail travelers across the decades and was world-renowned for its “modern” amenities and lavish style. Today, Union Station houses the Durham Museum, an institution dedicated to the preservation and display of important history of the American West, with permanent exhibits highlighting the history of Omaha and its surrounding regions, and impressive temporary exhibitions hosting collections of relevant and compelling subjects from partners such as the Smithsonian Institution, the National Archives, the Library of Congress and the Field Museum. See everything from a replica storefront of a popular 1915 grocery, a fully-restored 1922 flatbed Mack moving truck, an 1890s Union Pacific 1243 Steam Locomotive and an authentic Omaha and Council Bluffs Railway and Bridge Company streetcar to an array of exquisite antiques, a massive coin collection and a fantastic assemblage of souvenirs, photographs and other artifacts recalling the 1989 Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition. Be sure to drop by The Soda Fountain and Candy Shop for a sweet treat, Omaha style; nothing tastes better on a hot day than something slurped through a straw from an old-fashioned frosty glass or gotten just for you from a fat, shiny jar!