Nebraska tourism: Passport program invites you to check out the state
Summer is right around the corner…and Nebraska awaits. More than 60 communities will hang out their welcome signs as part of Nebraska Tourism’s Nebraska passport 2016 program. The program encourages people to visit up to 80 attractions across the state.
As you visit one of the passport spots, your passport gets stamped. You can earn prizes with your stamps. Prizes range from state lottery tickets to travel duffle bag. The grand prize is an Omaha Steaks culinary calendar package. Lisa (I say Lisa, because only one member per household can have a passport) received more than 60 stamps last year. She won the travel bag. It’s high quality, and we use it on short trips.
We’ve been to 20 of the locations featured this year. I can immediately think of almost 30 new spots we’ll make easily. So, the challenge will be to top the 60 we had last year. As always, it will be a fun and educational experience.
Since we’ve been to a few, we can recommend them all as fantastic experiences.
The Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum near Ashland is a Smithsonian-quality air museum. It documents the history of flight, as well as the Strategic Air Command. SAC’s headquarters was located at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, a suburb of Omaha. Offutt is now home to the Strategic Command HQ, which replaced SAC in the mid-1990s.
Joslyn Museum in Omaha offers free admission daily. It does charge a small fee for the special exhibits, but any visit to the museum near downtown is a valuable trip. From classical paintings to an interesting sculpture garden, Joslyn is a quality museum.
The Omaha area was a hub for pioneers heading west. The Mormons used the Florence area to establish their winter headquarters. The Florence Mill was built during that time. It operated in a production mode through the 1960s.
The northeastern Nebraska community of Norfolk can brag about being the hometown of Johnny Carson. He set the standard for the late night entertainment shows. He isn’t the lone superstar to come from Norfolk – the voice of Tony the Tiger hails from the Panther city. The creator of Kewpie dolls spent her formative years in Norfolk. That birthday or special occasion card from Hallmark you received? The founders lived in Norfolk.
Heading west toward the central area of Nebraska, you’ll find the Museum of Nebraska Art in Kearney. Known as the “world capital of Sandhill cranes,” Kearney is also home to a very nice art museum. The museum features the work of Nebraska artists or those with ties to the state. Included in the art is a sculpture garden. The garden features a man sitting on a bench, with a small book in his hand. The founder of “Cliff Notes” called the Husker state home and is memorialized in a garden named after him – the Cliff Hillegass sculpture garden.
Located in central Nebraska is a museum dedicated to the Major League Baseball players who called Nebraska home. From seven Hall of Famers to several All-Stars, the St. Paul museum offers a fun look into Nebraska’s contribution to the nation’s pastime.
Why is the museum in St. Paul? One of the greatest pitchers of all-time – Grover Cleveland Alexander – grew up in the area and lived in St. Paul during and after his career. The museum features exhibits on Wade Boggs, Joba Chamberlain and World Series champ Alex Gordon, among more than 100 players.
Red Cloud is the hometown of Pulitzer-prize winning author Willa Cather. We spent a few days there last summer and loved it. The community is attractive, people are super friendly and the history and attractions are top notch. The Opera House is on the Passport program this year. And it’s a beautiful building. A national center featuring Cather’s works will open next door.
The panhandle of Nebraska offers some fantastic looks into the state’s history and geology – Chimney Rock, Scotts Bluff and the Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.
The panhandle may be remembered historically for the pioneers passing through on the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails. But, the biggest distinction of the panhandle may actually travel back several years, up to 20 million, to be specific.
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument near Harrison is home to one of the biggest fossil finds in history. Nebraska didn’t have dinosaurs, but the state is home to many mammal fossils.
The monument is an interesting place to explore, as it offers a beautiful Native American exhibit, as well as a look at Nebraska’s early years. You can take a hike out to the cone mounts where they found many of the fossils on display and that are still home to even more fossils.
North Platte offers a look at a unique antique shop. The Antique Grain Bins are located a few miles south of the city. The grain bin village is a fun place to explore. They bins are depression-era structures. The story behind the village is an interesting one. The items available for purchase are varied and full of history.
Our final stop is at The Homestead National Monument in Beatrice, in southeastern Nebraska. The location was the spot of the first homestead claimed during the national program that was launched by President Lincoln in the early 1860s.
We will likely try to make our way back to these great attractions and get our passport stamped. We’ll also endeavor to get even more than we did last year. So, as we take off on our Nebraska experience, maybe we’ll run into you. Safe travels and have fun.
For more information on the Nebraska Passport program, please visit www.nebraskapassport.com.
