Another Travel Advice Request-Lincoln, Nebraska

Xstatic3333 · April 2016

I just found out that I am being sent to Lincoln, Nebraska for a three week training this September! This is a very good professional opportunity for me, as I'll be gaining a certification that increases both my value to my current organization and employability if anything were to go awry. However, it also leaves me with two weekends to spend, on my own, in a part of the country I know nothing about.

I know there are people here from all over the country. Has anybody been to Lincoln? Are there any fun attractions I should see, or good places to go hiking nearby? Any other tips?

AprilZ81 · April 2016

Go to a Cornhuskers football game? Aren't they in Lincoln?

That's all I have because I've never been to Nebraska...

JoanE2012 · April 2016

Have you looked on tripadvisor? I usually start there whenever traveling somewhere new. The top rated thing to do is Sunken Gardens - it does look really pretty. I also quickly googled and found the historic Haymarket District, which looks really neat with shops and restaurants. And finally, the Nebraska State Capital, one of only 4 skyscraper capitols, offers tours on the hour with supposedly great views from the observation deck. And bonus MM - it appears all of those are FREE!

Of course, I can't vouch for any of those, but that's what I'd be checking out. They also have tons of museums and several breweries, . It really looks like an interesting city - I didn't realize how big it was!

Xstatic3333 · April 2016

Thanks guys! I don't tend to use Tripadvisor but that's a great idea. Some of those attractions do sound pretty neat! It'll be cool to see a city I wouldn't normally get a chance to go to.

brij2006 · April 2016

There's a really neat pedestrian bridge there that crosses the Nebraska/Iowa border, so you can cross another state off your list if you've never been to Iowa. The trail is pretty long. I only ran a portion of it, and that was still a 6 mile run.

There's a place called Upstream Brewing Company that has really good beer and food. They're right in downtown. There are also a ton of shops and things in downtown as well, but not really enough to entertain you for 3 weeks. There's a lot of history in that area as well, if you're into that type of stuff.

They also have a kick ass roller derby team. Not sure when you're going, but you may want to look up and see if you can get tickets to watch. It's a blast!

If you're going to be there in the spring or summer, Sunken Gardens is a neat place to walk around.

Will you have a rental car? There isn't much mass transportation there.

Honestly, for 3 weeks, I would bring a few books to read. Depending where you're staying at and what time of year you will be there, I would sit outside and read. There are some things to do in Lincoln, but it isn't really that big of a city. My mom and I did 2 nights there for a mothers day trip and it was plenty of time. We have family that lives in Kansas, so we tacked a couple nights in Lincoln onto that trip. It wouldn't be my first choice of travel, that's for sure.

julieanne912 · April 2016

brij2006 said:

There's a really neat pedestrian bridge there that crosses the Nebraska/Iowa border, so you can cross another state off your list if you've never been to Iowa. The trail is pretty long. I only ran a portion of it, and that was still a 6 mile run.

There's a place called Upstream Brewing Company that has really good beer and food. They're right in downtown. There are also a ton of shops and things in downtown as well, but not really enough to entertain you for 3 weeks. There's a lot of history in that area as well, if you're into that type of stuff.
They also have a kick ass roller derby team. Not sure when you're going, but you may want to look up and see if you can get tickets to watch. It's a blast!
If you're going to be there in the spring or summer, Sunken Gardens is a neat place to walk around.

Will you have a rental car? There isn't much mass transportation there.

Honestly, for 3 weeks, I would bring a few books to read. Depending where you're staying at and what time of year you will be there, I would sit outside and read. There are some things to do in Lincoln, but it isn't really that big of a city. My mom and I did 2 nights there for a mothers day trip and it was plenty of time. We have family that lives in Kansas, so we tacked a couple nights in Lincoln onto that trip. It wouldn't be my first choice of travel, that's for sure.

It sounds like you're describing Omaha, not Lincoln

I've only driven through either one so I don't have much to stay. I did stay in Omaha overnight but it was just to pass through. For me, Lincoln was a "blink and you'll miss it" kind of place, but again, I was just passing through.

brij2006 · April 2016

julieanne912 said:

brij2006 said:

There's a really neat pedestrian bridge there that crosses the Nebraska/Iowa border, so you can cross another state off your list if you've never been to Iowa. The trail is pretty long. I only ran a portion of it, and that was still a 6 mile run.

There's a place called Upstream Brewing Company that has really good beer and food. They're right in downtown. There are also a ton of shops and things in downtown as well, but not really enough to entertain you for 3 weeks. There's a lot of history in that area as well, if you're into that type of stuff.
They also have a kick ass roller derby team. Not sure when you're going, but you may want to look up and see if you can get tickets to watch. It's a blast!
If you're going to be there in the spring or summer, Sunken Gardens is a neat place to walk around.

Will you have a rental car? There isn't much mass transportation there.

Honestly, for 3 weeks, I would bring a few books to read. Depending where you're staying at and what time of year you will be there, I would sit outside and read. There are some things to do in Lincoln, but it isn't really that big of a city. My mom and I did 2 nights there for a mothers day trip and it was plenty of time. We have family that lives in Kansas, so we tacked a couple nights in Lincoln onto that trip. It wouldn't be my first choice of travel, that's for sure.

It sounds like you're describing Omaha, not Lincoln

I've only driven through either one so I don't have much to stay. I did stay in Omaha overnight but it was just to pass through. For me, Lincoln was a "blink and you'll miss it" kind of place, but again, I was just passing through.

Bahaha so haven't had enough coffee, because I totally am.

So hey, if you will have a rental car, you may want to hit up Omaha. ;-)

But I have been to Lincoln as well. My BFF went to college there, so I visited a couple of times. Um, yeah. Bring a few extra books. Pretty darn boring.

Although there's an Italian restaurant called Valentinos that is pretty yummy. There are movie theaters and a mall, but that's about it. Sunken Gardens is there, so that's an option. The Nebraska Cornhuskers football team plays there, so you could catch a game if you will be there during football season.

If you really want some hiking destinations, let me know and I can ask my family where the best ones are. They hike and camp all over NE and KS.

Xstatic3333 · April 2016

Thanks so much @brij2006! I doubt I'll have a rental car-I'm sure my job will be doing this in the cheapest way possible. I'm not opposed to renting one on the weekends, though, if I get bored enough. Most of the people at the training (but not me) will be federal employees, and I'm sure there will be some federal vehicles kicking around. That pretty much rules out any breweries, but it's possible they can be used for light sightseeing. I'm not really sure what the rules are on federal vehicles, or how strictly they are followed.

They have given me very few details on this so far. I know I'm going in September. I know I'll be there for three weeks, and that I'll have to stay on the weekends but won't have anything scheduled to do. I don't know where I'll be staying, how food will work (hoping for a per diem!), or any of that. I think the odds are high that I'll be sharing a room with a stranger, which is slightly anxiety inducing but will be fine. I'm really going to miss H, but it'll be okay and the training I'll get will be worth it. I may contact you about hiking as it gets closer, and I really appreciate the offer!

julieanne912 · April 2016

Xstatic3333 said:

Thanks so much @brij2006! I doubt I'll have a rental car-I'm sure my job will be doing this in the cheapest way possible. I'm not opposed to renting one on the weekends, though, if I get bored enough. Most of the people at the training (but not me) will be federal employees, and I'm sure there will be some federal vehicles kicking around. That pretty much rules out any breweries, but it's possible they can be used for light sightseeing. I'm not really sure what the rules are on federal vehicles, or how strictly they are followed.

They have given me very few details on this so far. I know I'm going in September. I know I'll be there for three weeks, and that I'll have to stay on the weekends but won't have anything scheduled to do. I don't know where I'll be staying, how food will work (hoping for a per diem!), or any of that. I think the odds are high that I'll be sharing a room with a stranger, which is slightly anxiety inducing but will be fine. I'm really going to miss H, but it'll be okay and the training I'll get will be worth it. I may contact you about hiking as it gets closer, and I really appreciate the offer!

Sorry but sharing a room with a stranger would be not OK in my book.... if that happens you should definitely push back on that!!!

Xstatic3333 · April 2016

julieanne912 said:

Xstatic3333 said:

Thanks so much @brij2006! I doubt I'll have a rental car-I'm sure my job will be doing this in the cheapest way possible. I'm not opposed to renting one on the weekends, though, if I get bored enough. Most of the people at the training (but not me) will be federal employees, and I'm sure there will be some federal vehicles kicking around. That pretty much rules out any breweries, but it's possible they can be used for light sightseeing. I'm not really sure what the rules are on federal vehicles, or how strictly they are followed.

They have given me very few details on this so far. I know I'm going in September. I know I'll be there for three weeks, and that I'll have to stay on the weekends but won't have anything scheduled to do. I don't know where I'll be staying, how food will work (hoping for a per diem!), or any of that. I think the odds are high that I'll be sharing a room with a stranger, which is slightly anxiety inducing but will be fine. I'm really going to miss H, but it'll be okay and the training I'll get will be worth it. I may contact you about hiking as it gets closer, and I really appreciate the offer!

Sorry but sharing a room with a stranger would be not OK in my book.... if that happens you should definitely push back on that!!!

I hear you, for sure, but it's pretty common in my world and pushing back would probably be looked down upon. This training is pretty outdoorsy (we're learning to write conservation plans) and I think the odds are decent that we'll be living in dorm style housing associated with a university extension office or something like that. I hate room sharing, even with people I do know, but I seem to be the only one around here who feels that way so I just bury my feelings and put on a smile. My attendance is mostly funded by a national grant, and my organization won't be able to add much to what they are offering aside from my salary for the time I am there. That's already a stretch that I'm lucky to have (though clearly I couldn't go without it), since every hour I work needs to be billed to a specific project. We don't have much overhead.

labro · April 2016

Ummmmmm definitely can't say much about Lincoln but if you are able to/have the time and want to rent a car I would definitely go to Omaha.

The zoo in Omaha is pretty impressive, especially for a smaller city. They have these really cool dome structures for each of the different climate zones and they are really well done!

Omaha's Old Town is just a fun place to walk around, sight see, shop, etc.

Ummm the Platte River is between Omaha and Lincoln and I'm pretty sure there will be some outdoorsy stuff to do there.

Honestly...Nebraska is pretty boring. To the northwest ish you have the sandhills and those are scenic and interesting. The Missouri River is probably too far north to be much of a convenient drive but there's a lot there associated with the Lewis and Clark expedition, lots of state run parks, kayaking, stuff like that.

Go to a Huskers game if you can get a ticket...the fans are very very very serious and dedicated and I hear the games are a lot of fun!

September will be nice weather wise. Bring a light/medium jacket for cool nights, jeans will be comfortable but I'd check the weather in case of warmer days because you'll probably still be able to get away with sandals, capris, whatever you're comfortable with.

vlagrl35 · April 2016

The only place I've been to in NE is Omaha. Not sure how close to Lincoln that is but if you get a chance to swing by Omaha check out the zoo - its awesome. Omaha also has a quaint little downtown area with restaurants and little shops. DH and I took a glass blowing class when we were first married which was pretty neat - they also have an art museum.

Xstatic3333 · April 2016

Thanks to you both! The Omaha Zoo sounds right up my alley. H is getting pretty set on visiting for a weekend so maybe we could check it out together.

Another Travel Advice Request-Lincoln, Nebraska

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