Fall is beautiful in and around Omaha! We asked our readers to share their favorite areas and best scenic drives near Omaha to see Fall colors!

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Best Places to See Fall Colors Near Omaha

Lauritzen Gardens

Location: 100 Bancroft St.
Admission Cost. Memberships available.

Stroll around the beautiful Botanical Gardens with paved walking paths. See a model train railroad, indoor Conservatory, Visitor Center, and many themed garden areas.

Members of Omaha Public Library or Council Bluffs Library can check out a pass to visit Lauritzen Gardens. Find out more here!

Mahoney State Park

Location: 28500 West Park Hwy, Ashland, NE
Cost: Park Entry Permit is required

During the Fall, families can enjoy scenic drives, explore the park’s hiking and biking trails, visit the indoor playground, and climb the observation tower.

OPPD Arboretum

Location: 108th & Blondo
Cost: Free

The OPPD arboretum is an outdoor education area where you can walk along paved pathways.

Platte River State Park

Location: 14421 346th St., Louisville, NE
Cost: Park Entry Permit is required.

Enjoy the park’s picturesque waterfall, scenic hiking and biking trails, and two observation towers that allow those who climb to the top a spectacular view of both the Platte River and Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, which is just across the river.

Schramm Park

Location: 15810 Hwy 50, Louisville, NE
Cost: Park Entry Permit is required.

Families can explore a geologic display, feed fish in cool water trout ponds, tour the Schramm Education Center (admission), and enjoy a picnic on the bluffs.

Find More Beautiful Places here;

Best Scenic Drives to See Fall Colors Near Omaha

Highway 66 [Exit 426 between Omaha and Lincoln]

• Get off exit 426 between Omaha and Lincoln and enjoy the nearby attractions and scenic drive.
• Mahoney State Park – During the Fall, families can enjoy scenic drives, explore the park’s hiking and biking trails, visit the indoor playground, and climb the observation tower. Daily / Annual Park Entry Pass Required.
• Wildlife Safari Park – Drive-through and see elk, bison, deer, and more. In the middle of the park, you can get out of your car and walk to see the bears, wolves, petting corral, and eagle aviary. Hiking trails also available.
• Platte River State Park – Enjoy the park’s picturesque waterfall, scenic hiking and biking trails, and two observation towers that allow those who climb to the top a spectacular view of both the Platte River and Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, which is just across the river.
• Reader Tip: Drive through Preparation Canyon and the Loess Hills. Then make a stop at Small’s Fruit Farm for fresh apples and cider.

Hwy 75 [South toward Nebraska City and Indian Cave]

• Nebraska City is a favorite place to visit during the Fall and is popular for their apple picking, and experiencing the Tree Adventure at Arbor Day Farm.
• Cross over into Iowa to visit Waubonsie State Park.
• Indian Cave State Park is a popular camping spot, with beautiful overlooks and hiking trails.

Loess Hills National Scenic Byway

• The Loess Hills National Scenic Byway passes through a unique land formation that is up to 15 miles wide and about 200 miles long from north of Sioux City, Iowa to near St. Joseph, Missouri.
• For inspiration and ideas, visit 5 Stops for a Fall Foliage Tour of the Loess Hills and 9 Best Fall Color Views in the Loess Hills.

Find more Fall Fun in Omaha:

If you live in the Omaha Metro, odds are you’ve heard of Vala’s Pumpkin Patch and Apple Orchard. Visit here to see special precautions taken in 2020.

Craving your favorite foods? Vala’s is now offering Curbside Pick-up!

The attractions are so fun and unique. It really is a great place for some good old-fashioned fall fun, and a great place to make memories with your family. There’s an endless amount of things to do and see during your visit and you’re sure to work up an appetite. 

Thankfully, Vala’s has some of the very best food around. Nothing can get you in the spirit of Fall quite like some of the treats you can find at Vala’s!

It was challenging to narrow down our list to just 10 items, but we have rounded up a list of 10 of the Best Foods at Vala’s Pumpkin Patch!

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Best Foods at Vala’s Pumpkin Patch

Here are our favorites of Vala’s Best Food (in no particular order):

Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake– This treat, accurately described as a “hidden gem” at Vala’s is absolutely amazing! It has a German chocolate crust and is so rich and decadent. You don’t even have to be a huge pumpkin fan to enjoy this. You can find it in the Country Bakery. Another yummy treat to try in the Country Bakery are the Pumpkin Bars.

Apple Cider Donuts– If you want some delicious, made-from scratch, apple cider donuts, head to the Harvest Barn. You can get your apple cider donuts cinnamon sugar coated or glazed. My personal favorite is glazed. If you can snag these first thing in the morning when they are hot and fresh, there really is little else comparable. These are a family favorite and served daily.

Apple Cider Slushy– If you find yourself at the patch on a particularly hot day, there is no better way to cool off than with an Apple Cider Slushy (although the Slushy Station is a close second)! They also offer Apple Cider Slushy Floats, but I personally love them as is (sans the ice cream). You, of course, can also just grab a hot apple cider, on a cold day, which is also amazing- perfect for dunking those Apple Cider Donuts in!

Turkey Legs– You can’t talk about food at Vala’s and not include their giant smoked turkey legs. My kids more closely resemble animals tearing into these, and love every minute of it. The are located at Time-Out Turkey Legs.

Brown Butter Salted Honey Pie– The fact that Vala’s has an entire pie barn, points to the fact that they know their pies!

While many are amazing, for me, the Brown Butter Salted Honey Pie takes the pie cake. This pie could be easily overlooked by some of its “flashier” looking relatives, but this salty-sweet pie is not to be missed! The texture is like custard. It gets an amazing caramel flavor from the brown butter and honey combination.

Other contenders for best pie, are the popular Salted Caramel Apple and Classic Pumpkin.

*Fun fact…did you know you can order their pies for Thanksgiving? Typically around the first week of November you can pre-order a Vala’s pie to be picked up the day before Thanksgiving. Follow their Facebook page for more information.

Apple Dumpling– We’ve gotten an annual family pass to Vala’s Pumpkin Patch for the past decade and it wasn’t until just recently that I discovered their Apple Dumplings. Dare I say it rivals their pies. The Apple Dumpling consists of an entire peeled apple (grown at Vala’s), wrapped in homemade pie crust and drenched in caramel sauce. I have never had anything quite like it- a truly unique treat. It’s important to note that these are only available on the weekends. You can find them in the Pie Barn.

Vala’s Seven Layer Bars– The treat that brings the most nostalgia for our family has to be the Seven Layer Bar. The pumpkin patch season doesn’t close without our family having consumed at least a few of these. Layers of chocolate and butterscotch chips, sweetened condensed milk, graham cracker crumbs, coconut and pecans, all come together to make a rich treat that is out.of.this.world. They are located in the Exit Barn.

Popcorn Balls– I think it’s pretty widely known that Vala’s sells great kettlecorn, but have you tried their, homemade, popcorn balls? The recipe is Grandma Lois Vala’s and is still being used today. Conveniently located in the Exit Barn, this is a good treat to take home to be enjoyed for later. They are appropriately orange in color as well, adding to the festiveness of the treat.

Succotash– Being more of a savory guy, my husband’s favorite thing at the patch is the Succotash, located at the Potato Patch Cookery. Other savory favorites include Chicken Pot Pie and soup in a bread bowl.

Cookie Coop Cookies– These cookies are truly amazing and yet another very unique recipe to Vala’s. These mini, warm, chocolate chip cookies are so thin, and absolutely scrumptious! You can purchase a cookie cone or a bucket of cookies. 

It was honestly super hard to narrow this list down, so if something didn’t make the list, it doesn’t mean it isn’t worthy. It’s just a testament to how great the food is at Vala’s Pumpkin Patch!

With that said, I wanted to add some honorable mentions:

• Hand-Dipped Caramel Apples
• Caramel Apple Funnel Cake Sundae
• Freak Shakes (Caramel Apple & S’mores)
• Kettle Corn

If having these treats just a few times a year isn’t enough for you, did you know they have a Vala’s Cookbook full of some of the very recipes listed above? Located in the Exit Barn, you can grab a cookbook for yourself and give some of these amazing recipes a try yourself! 

Discover more Helpful Tips for Visiting Vala’s Pumpkin Patch here!

Brooke Wheeler is married with 3 children. She is a stay-at-home mom who lives in the Omaha area. She shares about family, fun, food, fashion, and more, on her Instagram page.

Markman Pumpkin Patch, located at 120th & Military, is a small, family-friendly, and popular local farm where you can purchase pumpkins and gourds.

It is one of the Pumpkin Patches included in our Omaha Area Pumpkin Patch Guide!

We love coming here every season and finding the perfect pumpkin, and kids love playing on the playground.

What started out with just a few pumpkins has grown to become a part of many local families Fall traditions!

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Huge selection of small pumpkins, with more brought in all season!

We love the wide variety and selection full of various colors, sizes, and shapes.

Early in the season, families can go out in the field to find their perfect pumpkin.

Later in the season, tractor loads of more pumpkins and gourds are brought in.

Additionally, families can add to their Fall decor with corn stalks and hay bales.

We love this large pumpkin – perfect for a Fall photo!

Reader Tips

• If you have a wheelbarrow or wagon, bring it along. This way you don’t have to wait for an empty one.
• Bring gloves and some kind of cutting tool if you want to go in the fields to cut your own pumpkins and gourds.
• Bring cash (credit cards not accepted).
• – Thanks Diana for these tips!

Markman Pumpkin Patch

Location: 120th & Military

Dates: Opens around mid-September each year, usually 9 a.m. – dusk.

Cost: No admission fee. You pay for the pumpkins and gourds you purchase. (Credit cards not accepted.)

Find more Fall Fun:

Imagine a beautiful field full of bright Sunflowers with a path where families can walk and take pictures!

Make a visit to Pam Nelson Produce, a Sunflower Farm near Omaha that families will love!

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Watch more about the experience at the Sunflower Farm at Pam Nelson Produce!

We loved walking through the beautiful Sunflowers!

Walk through the Sunflower Maze and get up close for some pictures!

Visitors can purchase some sunflowers and bring them home with you!

More Fun on the Farm

Guests can also visit the farm animals!

Duck races, climb on hay bales, dig in the giant sand pile, plus ride on a hayrack ride, and little tractor ride for the kids!

Plus, guests can still pick strawberries, or visit their market for a variety of fresh produce!

Pam Nelson Produce

WHERE: 10505 N 234th St, Valley, NE

HOURS:  Open Saturday and Sunday 9-5 ($6). If you reserve tickets online you will be guaranteed entry and no wait time in line.

• Sunflower Fest – August 20-23: Open special hours to allow for photography with the sunflowers and sunset. Thursday Aug 20- Sunday Aug 23, 6 – 9 p.m. ($10)
• Visit their Facebook page for times and hours, and what is currently in season. 

Find More Fun:

• 10+ Things to Do in Omaha over Labor Day Weekend
• Top 10 Things to Do in Omaha with Kids

Apple Cider Donuts… Lemonade Slushies… Fresh Produce… Special Events… Family Fun… can all be found in the beautiful surroundings at Ditmars Orchard & Vineyard.

Located just North of Council Bluffs, Ditmars Orchard offers a perfect day trip from Omaha! 

SUNFLOWERS

Stroll through the Sunflower fields for a picturesque view!

With butterflies fluttering all around you, visitors can walk among the Sunflowers and enjoy the fresh air and beautiful scenery!

U-PICK FRESH PRODUCE (& in-store, too!)

Depending on the season, guests can pick apples, peaches, strawberries, pumpkins and more!

SPECIAL TREATS

Their Apple Cider Donuts are delicous!

Visit the indoor cafe to pick up produce, lunch, or a lemonade slush!

As a vineyard, Ditmars also offers a variety of wines. Guests can take a “FLIGHT” and taste a sample of their wines, a glass to enjoy in the scenery of the orchard, or a bottle to take home. 

KIDS PLAY AREAS

Kids will love the playsets, swings, climbing on the tires, and special area just for them!

BEAUTIFUL SCENERY

These new seating areas are perfect for enjoying a treat from the cafe or a glass of wine, while enjoying the beautiful surroundings!

SPECIAL EVENTS

Ditmars offers special events throughout the year, including Movie Nights, Various Bands, and our favorite event – the Hot Air Balloon Festival in the Fall!

Depending on the season or special event, admission is charged.

Find out more about Ditmars Orchard & Vineyard here to plan your visit! 

Find More Fun:

• Exciting Day Trips from Omaha
• Top 10 Things to Do with Kids in Omaha

Nebraska Game and Parks has launched a NEW discovery adventure at Venture Parks!

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has launched an outdoor discovery adventure at its Venture Parks system, a network of four parks nestled in the Platte River Valley between Omaha and Lincoln.

This adventure was designed to take participants to all four parks — Eugene T. Mahoney and Platte River state parks and Louisville and Schramm Park state recreation areas — to discover six of their unique gems and find the answers to clues revealed in the app. 

Participants will need to download the Geocaching Adventure Lab mobile app to access coordinates to the six parks’ gems. Users should search for Nebraska Game and Parks: Venture Parks Adventure or use the QR code found here: labs.geocaching.com/goto/NGPCVentureAdventure.

The adventure can be completed in a day, with some extra time to play, such as fish, hike or explore outside. A low to moderate amount of walking is required to complete the course. A park entry pass is required for vehicles entering the parks and can be purchased online at OutdoorNebraska.org.

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES:

• FREE Summer Fun in Omaha
• Best Things to Do this Summer with Kids in Omaha
• Waterfall Trail at Platte River State Park