A couple years ago, we were looking to go on a Weekend Road Trip close to Omaha. With Grand Island a little less than 2.5 hours from Omaha via I-80, it was a perfect destination to explore with kids!

Special thanks to Visit Grand Island for partnering with us by providing passes and hotel accommodations for our visit.

Stuhr Living History Museum

The Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer invites visitors to immerse themselves in a Living History Experience. The mission of Stuhr Museum is to “preserve and portray the inspiring era of the pioneer townbuilder who settled the first communities in Nebraska.”

Take a walk through Railroad Town and explore life as it was in 1897. Visit with costumed historians who are in the homes and businesses in town engaging in the activities of their day, ready to answer questions and help visitors understand life in the 19th century.

One of our favorite stops was the Tinsmith Shop. A very skilled tinsmith shared how he made each item in the shop inviting the kids to help him with various steps. As a retired schoolteacher, he was excellent in helping the kids learn while also sharing interesting facts about life in 1897.

It was fascinating to watch the authentic old tools being used and how creative and skilled they were in making various cups, lunch buckets, and more. He also helped my kids make a bit of tinsel for the Christmas tree.

In the Mercantile Shop, visitors can browse a variety of items and candies. This young man engaged my kids in a fun popular game in one of the houses!

Visitors can walk through several homes full of authentic furniture and decorations, including bedrooms, children’s toys, kitchenwares, a dumbwaiter, and more, with historians eager to help answer any questions visitors have.

My kids were fascinated with the Fire Station!

The Stuhr Museum has over 60 historic and recreated structures, including this Post Office, Blacksmith Shop, Bank, Telephone Exchange, and Silver Dollar Cafe – perfect for lunch or a refreshing drink.

After Railroad Town, follow the circular drive to the Rural Schoolhouse and Church, 1893 Farmstead, Taylor Ranch, and Pawnee Earth Lodge. The Visitors Center is in a beautiful building – they were preparing for a wedding while we were there!

Be sure to stop by the Antique Farm Machinery and Auto Exhibit! It is FULL of unique cars and farm machinery and equipment. Kids will enjoy following the signs just for them helping explain fun facts.

I remember going to the Stuhr Museum when I was younger, walking along the boardwalks and exploring Railroad Town. It was fun to share this experience now with my children!

Photo provided by The Stuhr Museum

Special events take place year round including the 4th of July celebration, Christmas Past & Present event, Memorial Day event, Cowboy Night, Prairie Princess Party and others.

Island Oasis Waterpark

We love Waterparks and Grand Island’s Island Oasis Water Park is a perfect place to cool off on a warm summer day!

With a variety of waterslides, amazing lazy river (one of the best we have experienced!), and wave pool, it was a day full of fun!

Read more about our visit to Island Oasis Water Park here!

More Fun Sites to Explore

Stolley Park is a beautiful park in the middle of the city. Kids will love Kids Kingdom castle-like park, and can take a train ride on Stolley Park Railroad.

Mormon Island State Recreation Area offers swimming, camping, fishing, and picnic areas.

A fun restaurant that recently opened in Grand Island, Kinkaider Brewing Co. offers delicious food, a fun atmosphere, and extensive beer choices in the Railside Area in downtown Grand Island.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites

Special thanks to Visit Grand Island for providing lodging during our visit at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites.

With an indoor pool and free delicious breakfast (and yummy cinnamon rolls!), the centrally located Holiday Inn Express & Suites offers a wonderful family-friendly stay.

Upon check-in, we were given a free box of Thanks-A-Lot Girl Scout Cookies! What a treat, and an example of how Holiday Inn Express goes above and beyond to make sure their guests feel welcome.

The cozy lobby welcomes guests upon their arrival.

Comfortable beds and a clean room provided a great rest after a busy day.

Both kids and adults loved the pool!

Fun Stops Along the Road Trip from Omaha

We love the Nebraska Passport Program! It is like a scavenger hunt across our beautiful state showcasing attractions, shops, plazas, and more.

There are several Passport stops between Omaha and Grand Island (including the Stuhr Museum!), with a few more if you want to venture on to Kearney.

The Hastings Museum was a nice surprise offering 3 levels of exhibits with several interactive activities for kids. It is the largest municipal museum between Chicago and Denver, featuring a planetarium and the history of Kool-Aid, the famous soft drink invented in Hastings.

Additionally, with our Omaha Children’s Museum Membership, we were granted FREE Admission to both the Hastings Museum and the Edgerton Explorit Center (below) with their Reciprocal Membership Program (as of June 2017. See list of currrent participating museums here).

The Edgerton Explorit Center, located in Aurora, NE, offers a variety of hands-on learning experiences for kids of all ages.

Special Events in Grand Island

Grand Island provides an excellent destination to view the Sandhill Crane Migration every Spring.

The Nebraska State Fair is held annually in August at Fonner Park in Grand Island.

Be sure to stop by Visit Grand Island to help plan your next trip to this fun city!

Disclosure: Special thanks to Visit Grand Island for providing hotel accommodations, and passes to the Stuhr Museum and Island Oasis Waterpark for our visit. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

This post was sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation. One of our contributors, Joanna, recently visited Arbor Day Farm and Lied Lodge with her family!

Looking for a quick family getaway?

Just an hour drive from Omaha, Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City offers one-of-a-kind experiences to keep the entire family entertained! The NEW Treetop Village opened this fall and is worth the trip itself, but you’ll also want to make sure you check out the Nature Explore Classrooms, the Discovery Ride, and the unique shopping and dining options available onsite. Click here to book your own family getaway today!

Get a glimpse of all of the Family Fun you can have at Arbor Day Farm here!

Arbor Day Farm’s Tree Adventure kept my kids busy for hours! They loved building, climbing, and making music in the Nature Explore Classroom. This area is fun and accessible to kids of all ages, so it will definitely be a crowd pleaser for any family!

The Tree Adventure has lots of little “extras” to keep kids engaged. Mine loved following the tracks on the ground, guessing which animal they belonged to, and then checking the signs to see if they were correct. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled because there are also several stops along the path with fun play equipment like a slide and zip-line!

Treetop Village was at the top of our bucket list, and it did not disappoint! Our entire family loved scaling the various kinds of rope bridges and checking out each of the eleven treehouses. Book now to check out Treetop Village for yourself!

I think we all agreed that the WonderNet (think GIANT trampoline) was a highlight of the weekend! I’m not sure our kids have ever seen their parents jump like that before!

Just remember to wear closed-toed shoes! Also know that if you exit the course via slide or platform, you will need to start over at the beginning. On a busy day, this could mean waiting in line again.

The Discovery Ride was one of my personal favorites! It was very interesting to hear about the history of the property and J. Sterling Morton while taking a wagon ride through the beautiful Arbor Day Farm forest. It was also a great opportunity to rest our legs for a bit and grab a quick snack (some delicious apples of course)!

Speaking of apples, we couldn’t turn down a chance to head into the orchard and pick a bag for ourselves. We nabbed a hayrack ride out to the rows with the ripest apples and found some beauties!

Apple House Market was the most adorable (and tastiest) stop of our weekend. We ate an amazing BBQ lunch at Porter’s and grabbed some chocolate dipped caramel apples and wine as gifts for some family back home.

After adventuring through the trees, we were ready to relax and unwind at the gorgeous Lied Lodge and Conference Center. The nature-inspired hotel is an easy walk from Arbor Day Farm and offers the most spectacular views of the property. My kids were most impressed with the delicious breakfast buffet at Timbers and the Olympic-sized indoor pool!

Lied Lodge and Arbor Day Farm were a perfect pair for a fun family getaway! Start planning your trip today!

Looking for a FUN, exciting waterpark in the Midwest, with many thrilling rides to choose from?

Lost Island Waterpark in Waterloo, Iowa, has been named one of the best Waterparks in the country, and on our first visit recently, we discovered why!

Looking for ideas of Where to Stay and What to Do while visiting Lost Island Waterpark? Visit here for many ideas.

Special thanks to Experience Waterloo for partnering with us by providing tickets so that we can share all about our fun experience with you!

Join our growing community and keep updated on Omaha family-friendly events and activities and Sign up for our Free Email Newsletter!

Lost Island Waterpark –  Exciting Family Fun!

Lost Island Waterpark features 14 major slides, a lazy river, wave pool, and 3 children’s play areas!

Even with that much to offer, it was compact and so guests did not have to walk far between attractions – which we loved!

Lost Island Waterpark with many exciting slides and attractions to choose from, has recently been named one of the best waterparks in the country by USA Today!

Thrilling Water Coaster

This was our all-around favorite ride! We have never seen anything like it before.

This hydromagnetic water coaster, Wailua Kupuawith – with only a handful of its kind in the world, brings you up and down many thrilling hills, through tunnels, with excitement throughout!

Favorite Family Slides

The Calypso Cascade was another family favorite!

Each raft can hold up to 5 people, as you swish and splash down the slide!

This slide also has a conveyor belt which carries up the big yellow rafts up to the top for you!

Another family favorite, Emerald Adventure & Jade Rapids, are completely enclosed waterslides, where you can ride down on a single or double tube.

The Tangerine Tempest, or the toilet bowl as my kids called it, was so much fun!

Riders go down a steep slide and then swish around 2-3 times in the bowl, before continuing down the rest of the slide!

Exciting Thrill Rides

We have never seen a waterpark ride like the Molokini Crater before!

Guests ride on a 2-person or 4-person raft down a steep slide into a large funnel, and then ride side to side until they go through a waterfall at the end – we heard lots of screams of excitement!

Race against your family and friends on the Tá Katipo!

Guests ride down face first on a mat, through an enclosed tube, then down the open lanes!

The Lost Souls Slide is one of the extreme slides! Riders will shoot down this speed slide for a quick exhilarating drop!

Fun Kiddie Areas

Perfect places for the little ones to splash, slide, play, and climb!

Starfish Cove, Blue Iguana Lagoon for Kids, and Tahiti Village offer a variety of smaller sized slides, waterfalls, and colorful areas for younger kids to have fun!

More Family Fun

The Wave Pool, Tsunami Bay, is always a popular spot for many visitors!

Guests can grab a free tube and ride the waves or sit by the zero entry for a more relaxing experience!

The Lazy River is always a guest favorite to rest and relax in between exhilarating rides!

With a variety of free tubes to choose from, guests will love floating down the Kailahi River, enjoying the beautiful surroundings, and cool water.

We loved that Lost Island Waterpark also included a traditional pool area for some more fun!

The Blue Iguana Lagoon included a log walk, 2 slides, volleyball, basketball, and more!

Go Karts and Mini Golf

After a day of fun in the sun, for an additional fee, guests can ride the exciting Go Karts or play Mini Golf!

Monaleo’s Speedway is one of the longest go-kart tracks in the Midwest, while Monaleo Adventure golf features two challenging 18-hole courses in a picturesque setting!

Discover many more attractions at Lost Island Waterpark here!

Exciting NEW PLANS Ahead!

It was recently announced that Lost Island Waterpark will soon be adding an AMUSEMENT PARK!

Construction is expected to begin soon, with an anticipated opening in 2022.

Visit Lost Island Waterpark

Lost Island Waterpark

Location: 2225 E. Shaulis Road, Waterloo, IA (located 2 hours Northeast of Des Moines, approx. 4 hours from Omaha)

Hours: The waterpark is generally open Memorial Day Weekend through mid-August. The miniature golf and go-karts are open for a longer season. Visit their website for dates and hours.

Mascot: Lost Island has a Mermaid mascot, which surfaces in Blue Iguana Lagoon every Saturday and Sunday during the Summer. Watch for exact time postings at the front gate.

Other amenities: Cabanas are available for rental, and food and refreshments are available for purchase. Many beach chairs and umbrellas are scattered throughout the park.

Cost: Visit here for current prices.

Lodging and Other Things to Do Nearby: Visit here to ideas on where to stay and what to do near Lost Island Waterpark.

Visit Lost Island Waterpark for a memorable Summer Vacation!

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• Where to Stay and What to Do Near Lost Island Waterpark
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The Iowa State Fair is considered one of the best in the country with over 1 million visitors last year. Experience the amazing atmostphere, delicious food, fantastic entertainment, family fun, and more for a several days each August!

Join our growing community and keep updated on Omaha family-friendly events and activities and Sign up for our Free Email Newsletter!

Best Things to Do at the Iowa State Fair

1. See the Baby Animals at the Animal Learning Center

Kids and adults alike will love seeing the baby animals throughout the Animal Learning Center! Staff are located throughout the area ready to answer questions as you watch the adorable animals. We also saw a baby ostrich!

These baby sheep are only 40 minutes old!

These piglets are less than 1 day old!

2. Little Hands on the Farm

At Little Hands on the Farm, younger children can become farmers at this free, hands-on exhibit. Children will love the interactive activities as they follow a path that includes a garden, grain bin, and apple orchard.

3. Butter Cow

The famous Butter Cow is one of the not-to-miss traditions of the fair. Each year, different characters surround the cow in the Agriculture Building.

4. Animals

Be sure to stop in the Cattle Barn, Horse Barn, Sheep Barn, and Pig Barn to see the livestock, with agricultural education stations throughout, and Livestock Shows daily. One of the awards of Biggest Sheep is pictured here!

5. Varied Industries Building

A nice stop for a place to cool off is a walk through the Varied Industries Building. Visit with a variety of vendors who are excited to share their free goodies with you.

6. Entertainment

Enjoy Free entertainment throughout the Fair, including concerts, shows, and the popular Bill Riley Talent Search. The Grandstand offers ticketed concerts with well-known bands and artists.

7. The Food

Choose from many amazing foods all lined up around the fair, including delicious Cheese Curds, fried everything, many foods on a stick, and desserts galore!

8. The Atmosphere

The Sky Glider is a relaxing ride and gives you a fantastic overview of the Fairgrounds.

The Big Slide was a Big Hit with many families!

Choose from 3 different areas of amusement park rides from attractions for the little ones to thrilling rides.

It was amazing how many people were there on the first day. We met a family from Virginia who had it on their Bucket List to visit the Iowa State Fair, and it did not disappoint. For many families, this has become an annual tradition!

The Iowa State Fair was so much fun and offered a variety of attractions, food, entertainment, animals, and more for a full day. It is clear why it has been named one of the best in the country!

Find out more about daily schedules, attractions, new foods each year, fairground map, and more at the Iowa State Fair website.

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