Come visit us in Nebraska City!  We are a community proud of its history and culture, where the parks and orchards showcase what comes from the rich soil and trees, innovation and art line the streets and the people are glad you are here!  We have a variety of activities to offer visitors and are happy to help play concierge if you'd like; just ask!

History & Attractions

  • Arbor Lodge State Historical Park (Nebraska City) | VisitNebraska.com
    Arbor Lodge State Historical Park

    Arbor Day Farm - Explore and enjoy the 260 acres of Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City, Nebraska -- the home of Arbor Day! The natural beauty of this National Historic Landmark makes every visit a lifelong memory.

  • Arbor Lodge State Historical Park - Home of J. Sterling Morton, founder of Arbor Day and Secretary of Agriculture under President Cleveland. This 52-room neocolonial mansion is located within a 72-acre arboretum with a lilac walk of over 200 varieties of lilacs. A tree trail, Italian terraced garden and carriage house are also located on the grounds. Arbor Day is celebrated the last weekend of April.
  • Kimmel Harding Nelson Arts Center - The Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts is an ideal setting for working artists looking for a respite to concentrate on their work. Although originally built in 1969 as a luxury communal home for three prominent couples, the KHN Center has become a renowned artist residency program located in southeastern Nebraska.
    Since 2001, the residency has hosted more than 50 working artists each year which include a combination of visual artists, writers, composers, and interdisciplinary artists from across the country and around the world. Each has found privacy in which to create along with ample opportunities to interact with fellow artists in a friendly community located in the rolling bluff country of eastern Nebraska. The KHN Center accommodates up to five artists at a time for stays that vary from two to eight weeks.
  • Kregel Windmill Factory Museum
    Kregel Windmill Factory Museum
    Kregel Windmill Factory Museum

    - A time capsule. Step inside the modest, one-story structure on Central Avenue in Nebraska City and you will enter a world that few have experienced—the manufacture of windmills as tools of modern technology circa 1902. As you enter you can almost sense the heat of the forge, feel the rumbling from vibrations of the huge overhead machines and hear hammer meeting metal in the fabrication area.  The museum has been described as a time capsule of early 20th Century shop-type manufacturing.

  • Mayhew Cabin Museum, Inc -TEMPORARILY CLOSED.  EXPERIENCE HISTORY AT NEBRASKA'S ONLY NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED UNDERGROUND RAILROAD HISTORIC SITE... Take the time to experience a crucial part of the history of our country, slavery and the people that made this nation the more perfect union that it is today. Until it was opened to the public in 1938, the Mayhew Cabin was nearly always used as a home. It has a well documented history as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Today, visitors feel they are walking into the cabin 150 years ago. Slavery was an explosive issue when Nebraska Territory was created. The Mayhews were a part of that era and left an indelible imprint on the history of that time. Experience what enslaved people and their staunch supporters endured before and during the Civil War.  Walk through the Mayhew Cabin and travel down the underground cave to better understand what the remarkable flight from slavery entailed.
  • Morton-James Public Library - The mission of the Morton-James Public Library is to welcome and support all people in their enjoyment of reading and pursuit of lifelong learning. We strive to provide equal access to quality materials and services to meet the community’s informational, educational, recreational, and cultural needs through books, technology, programs and other resources. We believe in the freedom to read, to learn, and discover.
  • MRB Lewis and Clark Center -  Re-live the adventure in this magnificent 12,000 sq. ft facility located on 80 scenic acres, quickly becoming "the Premier Lewis & Clark Center in The Country!" Incredible, highly interactive exhibits test your skill and challenge your senses while providing hands-on activities of observation and discovery. Burrow with the Prairie Dogs and flush their tunnel with barrels of water in the Young Explorers Discovery Wing. Run with the American Bison, be surprised by our ferocious Grizzly Bear.
  • Pioneer 3 Theater - 3 Screen Theater located in Nebraska City. A full digital experience served up with just a little bit of nostalgia.
  • Old Freighters Museum
    The Old Freighters Museum
    The Old Freighters Museum

    - The Old Freighters Museum has been established to interpret the significance of freighting and emigration on the trail passing though or near Nebraska City during the years 1846 through 1870, as well as the city's role in this westward movement.

  • Wildwood Historic Center - Enjoy a tour of an 1869 Victorian country home.  We are open seven days a week during our regular season which runs from late April through October.  Individuals, small groups, large groups....all are welcome.  Parties of up to 45 can be comfortably accommodated and handled with ease.  Just send us an email to make reservations for groups of more than 15 people.  You may request evening or out of season appointments.  We have air conditioning to preserve artifacts and guests!
  • Brownville Concert Series - The mission of the Concert Series is to bring professional live performance to Southeast Nebraska. The program is varied and includes classical instrumental, Cabaret performances based on the American Songbook, Jazz (instrumental and vocal), Rock and Roll, Bluegrass, Vocal Recital, Opera and a specially commissioned Christmas Gala. The series presents 10 to 11 events each year. The mission has an added dimension in that the artists who participate are only those who have significant national or international reputations, are leaders in their field of music or, if young and unknown, have won important international auditions.
  • Lofte Community Theatre
    Firefighter's Museum
    Firefighter's Museum

    - The Lofte Community Theatre and Born-in-a-Barn Players are dedicated to providing opportunities for area residents of all ages to participate in the creative process of live theater and to enjoy the social, artistic and educational benefits of this art form.

  • Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium - Just a short drive North to Omaha and you'll experience the world-renowned Henry Doorly Zoo!
  • Firefighter's Museum - This Museum educates the public about fire safety and the history of firefighting in Nebraska City from long ago to the present day. They have many  interpretive exhibits, educational programming and research.

Dining & Delights

Wineries & Orchards

  • Arbor Day Farm Apple House  - All the wholesome flavors of the orchard and vineyard are waiting for you in the Apple House Market. When you stop by you'll see gifts, cider, pies and much more!
  • Central Apple Market
    Central Apple Market
    Central Apple Market

    - Located just 8 miles from the orchard, the apple market houses Amish jams and jellies, hot sauces, and baked goods including donuts, turnovers, and pies.

  • Glacial Till Vineyard & Winery - Glacial Till Vineyard & Winery is a family owned and operated vineyard located in southeastern Nebraska. Started in 2003, our vines take root in the rocky, sandy, fertile soil deposited thousands of years ago when the glaciers covering the central plains of North America receded. This terrior, known as glacial till, is ideally suited for wine grapes. Our mission is simple, to craft the best wines possible from the ground up.
  • Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard - Kimmel Orchard is a popular destination for those seeking some of best orchard produce in the Missouri Valley. But it's much more than a produce market, Kimmel Orchard is a center for agricultural education and research, where visitors and families can enjoy a day in the country while learning how to care for the land through good stewardship.
  • Rich Harvest Winery - Located just down the road in East Otoe County, celebrate estate wines and ciders with welcoming hospitality.
  • Slattery Vintage Estates - Come on out for the best Nebraska wines and beers, creative cuisine including wood fired pizzas, and great entertainment
  • Wostrel Family's Union Orchard - Stop by their country store and sample fresh fruit and vegetables, many baked items including pies and turnovers, or a huge selection of country staples such as Apple Butter and Pumpkin Butter. Many unique jams and
    Whiskey Run Creek Winery
    Whiskey Run Creek Winery

    preserves are also available. We are open year around from 10 AM until 6 PM daily.

  • Whiskey Run Creek Winery and Distillery - Whiskey Run Creek Winery and Distillery is a company steeped in century old traditions. Between the 100-year-old barn relocated to span the creek, to the turn-of-the-century all brick caves, Whiskey Run Creek is an engaging escape as well as a provider of wines, libations and gifts. Come experience our uniqueness. Take a tour and sip while watching the peaceful creek flow underneath.

Antiques, Shopping

  • Warehouse Antiques@ 609 - In every collector there is a dealer waiting to be born!  Nothing could be truer for Kim & Dan.  We have pursued our desire for quality, rarity, and customer service.  We'd like to you come in and be the judge!
  • Boutique in the City
    the keeping room
    The Keeping Room

    - Women and children's clothing, accessories and so much more!

  • Brown's Shoe Fit - Trendy and European footwear from infant's crib shoes to Men 16 work boots, safety, railroad and factory too. casual, athletic, and sandals. sport clothing.  Fantastic customer service; they know how to fit.
  • Crush Boutique - Fashionable Women's and girl's clothing, shoes and accessories.
  • Little Things Boutique - children's clothing and accessories from birth to seven.
  • The Keeping Room - Beautiful Home Décor, clothing and offers lunch, dessert, and drinks in a cute atmosphere.
  • Self Expressions Gallery-  "affordable art for everyone".  A premiere gallery in Nebraska City, featuring well-known and local artists. Owner, Honey Self, is an artist herself and hosts an inviting, comfortable and relaxing environment where clientele can come to see, touch, feel and purchase quality art from very talented artists in various mediums at affordable pricing. Contact Honey for group painting classes are available.

Recreation

  • Indian Cave State Park - With 3,052 rugged acres bordering the mighty Missouri River,  Indian Cave is a pristine area, devoted to camping, hiking and backpacking, picnicking, nature and wilderness activities. Located 10 miles south of Brownville and 5 miles east on S 64E, Indian Cave boasts a variety of hardwood trees, shrubs and other flora. There are 22 miles of hiking trails in the park.
  • Steamboat Trace Trail - Nearly 22 miles of the Steamboat Trace Trail are open from west of the Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) Power Station (south of Nebraska City) to Cooper Nuclear Station (south of Brownville). The route, like most rail-trails, is quite flat, and the surface consists of crushed limestone screenings.  Both the scenery and history along the trail are its main draws. The trail follows the wooded bluffs along the Missouri River, and at times, the river rests immediately at the trail's edge. Cottonwoods, oaks and other deciduous trees form forests that lend welcome shade to trail users during the summer months. The river and forests are not the trail's only scenery—at more than a few locations, the Steamboat Trace Trail runs adjacent to open farmland.
  • Table Creek Golf Course - The Nebraska golf community hides a secret from the rest of the country -- The Golf Club at Table Creek. This scenic 18-hole course, located in Nebraska City, features immaculate greens, fairways and tees. The course will challenge experienced golfers with strategically placed bunkers and water hazards. Meanwhile, new and casual players will love to relax among the rolling countryside and natural, wooded areas. Check out our special golf package on the packages page.
    Sunset from Waubonsie State Park
    Sunset from Waubonsie State Park
  • Waubonsie State Park -  There are 7 miles of foot trails and 8 miles of equestrian trails winding along windswept ridges down into gorges and valleys. Waubonsie offers the hiker a wonderful experience. The scenery along the trails is incomparable. The horseback rider will likewise enjoy the trails and the opportunity to use the equestrian campground. The Sunset Ridge Interpretive Trail provides visitors a chance to learn about many of the park's important plants and trees, as well as enjoy some tremendous views. Waubonsie State Park is a site on the national Lewis and Clark Historical Trail.
  • Wildwood Disc Golf -The Wildwood disc golf course, established in 2022, features nine holes with the average hole length at 350 feet and an array of significant elevation changes. It is free to play and the course is open year round. Try your hand at tossing the discs around the Wildwood Disc Golf Course.
  • Wildwood Golf Course - Golf nine relaxing holes on Nebraska City’s oldest golf course amid some of the city’s most beautiful trees and fairways at Wildwood Golf Course. Wildwood Golf Course is a well-manicured 9 hole municipal golf course. Our generous, tree-lined fairways lead to large, challenging greens. Whether you’re a Nebraska City native or simply visiting, Wildwood Golf Course is the perfect place play with the family during your family reunion getaway.

We do our best to keep this page up to date, but if you find a broken link or we're missing something, please let us know!!  You can also check out our local Nebraska City Tourism and Commerce website for other local events, festivals and merchants.

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