The Old Market
Henry Doorly Zoo
Boys Town
Durham Western Heritage Museum
- Omaha’s historic downtown area, a 12-block region known as the Old Market, has a long and storied history that stretches back to the city’s meatpacking days. Today, Old Market’s restored brick warehouses contain shops, restaurants, bars, antique shops, and art galleries, making it well worth a stroll. Old Market is a mix of old and new; the area still has its brick paved streets and horse-drawn carriages, while also boasting upscale shops and restaurants. The only meatpacking going on here these days is at the local steakhouses, where customers line up to pack away the beef. www.oldmarket.com
Henry Doorly Zoo
- The Henry Doorly Zoo houses the world’s largest indoor rainforest exhibit, indoor desert exhibit and nocturnal animal exhibit, the largest cat complex in North America, and one of the country’s largest and best aquariums. The Desert Dome opened in 2002 at a cost of $31.5 million and is populated by roadrunners, badgers, jackrabbits, snakes, wallabies, and pumas. There’s also a wet cave with a 14-foot-deep aquarium, a canyon, an African diorama, a Eucalyptus forest, a batcave, and the world’s largest indoor swamp. www.omahazoo.com
Boys Town
- This historic home for boys was founded in 1917 by Father Flanagan, and was made famous by the 1938 movie of the same name starring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney. Today, it continues to serve as a refuge for abused, abandoned and neglected children, and the grounds have become a major tourist destination in its own right. Visitors can tour the expansive campus, see Father Flanagan’s home and the chapel where he is buried, and tour the three-acre Garden of the Bible, which contains more than 150 plant species, all of which are mentioned in the Bible. But don’t feel guilty if you visit Boys Town mainly because you liked the movie—Spencer Tracy’s Oscar award for his performance in Boys Town is displayed proudly. www.boystown.org
Durham Western Heritage Museum
- Housed in a renovated 1930s Art Deco building that previously served as Union Station, Durham Western Heritage Museum takes visitors into Omaha’s past, along with the requisite temporary exhibits and special collections. The Swanson Gallery can accommodate up to 250 for a sit-down reception; the Main Waiting Room can handle up to 600 for a sit-down dinner or more than 800 for a stand-up reception; the Criss Conference Center offers 1,088 square feet of space for breakfasts, luncheons, meetings, and evening events; and the Track Level features antique trains and the ability to accommodate up to 150 for a sit-down dinner and 200 for a stand-up reception. www.dwhm.org