Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is consistently ranked as one of the best places in the country to live, and it’s not just because of homeboy Warren Buffet’s bankroll. The Land of O is also the birthplace of legendary activist Malcolm X—and it’s still a place where citizens push the boundaries of thought and expression. Thanks to a thriving arts community, vibrant music scene and dynamic entertainment offerings, Omaha may be in the heart of the Plains…but it’s anything but plain.
The Lowdown
Double Dip: Los Portales is a really traditional little Mexican place that shares space with the Goodrich Ice Cream Shop. It’s an odd pairing, but it’s great. They have a great lamb special on Saturdays.
Beer + Buns: I work at O’Leaver’s Pub. The bar has hosted music for a number of years, and it’s become known as a great dive/rock bar. My sandwich shop, Worker’s Takeout, is right next to it. We do a lot of Vienna Beef hot dogs and Cuban sandwiches.
Lethal Libations: There’s this place called the Mai Tai Lounge, a tiki bar underneath the Mt. Fuji Inn, a Japanese restaurant. They serve these nuclear drinks. There’s a limit on how many you can order. I usually get the Zombie.
Thread Count
Housed downtown in a stunningly restored 1923 Italian Renaissance building, the Magnolia Hotel (402-341-2500) deftly meshes contemporary and classic in its lauded redesign, featuring a soothing blue-heavy color palette behind a vintage façade. Omaha’s only B&B, the Cornerstone Mansion Inn (402-558-7600) occupies a sumptuous 1894 Gothic Revival home—all 17 rooms of it—in the city’s historic Gold Coast District. For visitors to the Henry Doorly Zoo, the Comfort Inn at the Zoo (402-342-8000) has an ideal location, large rooms and reasonable rates.
Food Fix
Steak aficionados should make a beeline for Omaha Prime (402-341-7040) in the Old Market district, one of Warren Buffet’s favorites and one of the last restaurants in the country serving only USDA prime grade beef. Specializing in Cajun, Southern, and Southwestern comfort food, Dixie Quicks Magnolia Room (402-346-3549) has a regularly changing chalkboard menu and plenty of personality. And McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe (402-345-7477) dishes up tasty vegetarian fare, free-range chicken and seafood utilizing organic and locally grown ingredients.
Night Out
The beautifully renovated Orpheum Theater (402-345-0202) is a cornerstone of Omaha’s vibrant performing arts scene. Near Clarkson College, the Crescent Moon Alehouse (402-345-1708) offers a lengthy menu of draft and bottled beers from all over the world, as well as a German beer hall in the basement. Just north of Old Market, the slick music venue Slowdown (402-345-7575) attracts the young and hip with indie rock and pop shows, several nights a week.
Don't Miss
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo (402-733-8400) is a national standout, featuring such superlative habitats as the Desert Dome, Lied Jungle, and the cutting-edge Hubbard Gorilla Valley. A beautifully restored riverboat, the River City Star (402-342-7827) offers tours of Omaha’s stretch of the Missouri River. The Joslyn Art Museum (402-342-3300), Nebraska’s most distinguished museum, exhibits works by Claude Monet and Jackson Pollock—and the building itself is one of the fi nest examples of Art Deco architecture in the nation.
Stone's Throw
Just 57 miles southwest of Omaha, Nebraska’s capital city of Lincoln is home to the University of Nebraska, the Governor’s Mansion, and the State Capitol Building, as well as the National Roller Skating Museum and the historic home of William Jennings Bryan. Located midway between Omaha and Lincoln, the 418-acre Platte River State Park (402-234-2217) offers swimming, golfi ng, horseback riding, and overnight accommodations in tepees and cabins.
On The Scene
Formerly a mattress factory and now “home of all that is molten,” the Hot Shops Art Center (402-342-6452) contains three anchor shops where artists work with forges and other “hot” artistic techniques—as well as 50 art studios, a store, regular art classes and four galleries. The Fontenelle Nature Association (402-731-3140) manages over 2,000 acres of open space in metro Omaha, crisscrossed with 26 miles of trails. From spring to fall, locals start their Saturdays with fresh picks from the Farmer’s Market located in the historic Old Market district.
Events - May & Jun 2009
The Omaha Theater Company puts on this annual festival to showcase the writing talents of local teenagers.
This festive annual riverfront event showcases area restaurants with live entertainment, cooking displays and more.
This annual summer festival brings in over 100 artists from all over the country, as well as music, food and a kids’ fair.
