Planning a vacation in 2026?

Keep in the mind the 2026 Free Entrance Days in the National Parks!

On the following days in 2026, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone.

Mark your calendar for these entrance fee-free dates in 2026:

• February 16: Presidents Day (Washington’s Birthday)
• May 25: Memorial Day
• June 14: Flag Day
• July 3-5: Independence Day Weekend
• August 25: 110th Birthday of the National Park Service
• September 17: Constitution Day
• October 27: Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthday
• November 11: Veterans Day

Find one of more than 400 National Parks here!

 

Every Kid in A Park

Do you have a Fourth grader this year?

The Every Kid in a Park program provides all 4th-grade students and their families with FREE admission to National Parks and other federal lands and waters for an entire year!

What a wonderful way to explore beautiful nature and get outdoors with your family!

 

More Helpful Resources:

• Current Discounts in Omaha
• Kids Eat Free
• Free Things to Do in Omaha

 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by Mutual 1st Federal. 

With young kids, planning an eight hour car ride could seem like a rough beginning to a weekend trip. You’re already imagining your child screaming in the back seat “Are we there yet?” and the formation of a headache. That is, if you didn’t plan ahead to keep your children happy and chillin’ in the back seat!

Mom, do yourself a favor and make the car ride a breeze with these easy tips:

1. Pack the snacks

Your child can’t complain if they have food in their mouth. Ok, maybe they can but it’s far less likely with their favorite fruit snacks in hand. This will help you spend less cash since you won’t have to hit up drive-thru’s along the way. Keep in mind the messiness of the snack, cheese flavor powder or sticky fingers may not be ideal. When the mess can’t be avoided, don’t forget baby wipes are great for finger cleaning. A trash bag already in the car will help with a fast cleanup, just ask your kids to throw wrappers in there instead of on the floor. For drinks pack small juice boxes, since they usually have less juice in them than what a sippy cup can hold. It will quench your child’s thirst without them over drinking and keep the bathroom breaks to a minimum.

2. Get comfy

Pack blankets and pillows in your backseat. This isn’t just a great tip for your child’s comfort but for yours, too! You’re going to be sitting for a while, might as will make your car’s seat into a throne of fluffy comfort (unless you’re in the driver seat). Bonus: if your child happens to fall asleep for a couple hours.

3. Entertainment Galore

Plan on more games than your child will be able to play; this is the make or break of a complain-free zone. Load the iPad with game apps or pack some DVDs for the portable player. Pack books; if your child is younger have an older passenger read to them. You can also play fun car games. Some great ones include:

• Windmill: whoever spots a windmill calls it out and gets a point. This one is great for driving through the Midwest.
• 21 Questions: someone thinks of something and you can only ask 21 questions to figure it out. Whoever guesses right gets to start the next round.
• Spotting cows! Twist the classic game up a bit. Play left side of the car verse the right side. See a cow on your side say “Cows on my side!” See one on the other side before they do, steal their point and say “Cows on your side!” If you see a cemetery say “Ghost Cow” and steal all the other side’s points.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by Mutual 1st Federal.

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!

 

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. 

 

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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!

Many thanks to Arbor Day Farm who is a Featured Listing in our Omaha Area Pumpkin Patch Guide and Omaha Area Apple Orchard Guide.

 

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!

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!

 

 

Find More Fun:

• Where to Stay and What to Do Near Lost Island Waterpark
• Day and Weekend Trips from Omaha
• 15+ Midwest Outdoor Waterparks
• 10 Midwest Indoor Waterparks

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