Not-At-All What You Thought Nebraska 2023 Group Tour Planner

explore nebraska like the pioneers did.

Our ancestors got their first glimpses of Nebraska from the rock-hard seats of buckboards, buggies, and Conestoga wagons. They also probably perspired heavily or froze half to death. Thanks to the modern-day motorcoach, today’s travelers enjoy distinct advantages. Luxurious comfort, for example. And by bringing them to Nebraska, you enjoy advantages, too. With everything from frontier trails and unspoiled nature to small-town charm and the lights of the big city, Nebraska has adventures galore. Let us help you plan your next one. Go to visitnebraska.com/group_travel

okay, maybe not exactly like the pioneers did.

WELCOME GROUP TOUR PLANNERS

CHARTER COMPANIES

Arrow Stagelines www.arrowstagelines.com

Corporate Office (Norfolk) 402-371-3850, 800-672-8302

Grand Island Office 308-382-3036

Lincoln Office 402-475-9229 Omaha Office 402-731-1900, 800-731-0727

Holiday Express Bus www.holidayexpressbus.com Grand Island 308-384-1800, 800-652-1950

Navigator Motorcoaches www.navigatorbus.com Norfolk 402-371-1202, 800-634-8696

Windstar Lines www.gowindstar.com Lincoln 402-467-2900

GROUP OPERATORS

Allied Tour & Travel www.alliedtt.com Norfolk 402-371-3840, 800-672-1009

Elite Tours www.elitetours.us Omaha 800-488-2114

Moostash Joe Tours www.mjtours.com Fremont 800-806-7944

Travel Cat Tours www.travelcattours.com Omaha 531-777-2124

Travel with Barb www.travelwithbarb.com Omaha 402-614-9793

AIRPORTS

Grand Island Central Nebraska Regional Airport www.flygrandisland.com

Kearney Regional Airport www.flykearney.com

Lincoln Airport www.lincolnairport.com

North Platte Regional Airport www.northplatteairport.com

Omaha Eppley Airfield www.flyoma.com

Scottsbluff Western Nebraska Regional Airport www.flyscottsbluff.com

FUN FACTS

Topography

Located in the Great Plains region of the United States, Nebraska is bordered by South Dakota on the north, Iowa and Missouri on the east, Kansas on the south, and Colorado and Wyoming on the west. Eastern Nebraska is covered with rugged bluffs, rolling hills and picturesque valleys. The Great Plains stretch westward across 75 percent of the state, featuring rock formations, eroded hills and deep canyons. The Sandhills, North America’s largest grass-stabilized sand dune formation, cover sections of western and central Nebraska and include the Nebraska National Forest, the world’s largest handplanted forest. The High Plains are to the west of the Sandhills. Within this 12,000-square-mile (31,080 sq. km) area, you’ll find the Wildcat Hills, the Pine Ridge and the North Platte River Valley. A small portion of South Dakota’s Badlands also extends into northwest Nebraska.

Time Zones

Nebraska spans two time zones. The eastern two-thirds of the state is in the Central Time Zone and the western third is in the Mountain Time Zone. When traveling on Interstate 80, the time change occurs between the Sutherland and Paxton exits.

Population & Five Largest Cities

In 2020, Nebraska had a population of 1.92 million residents, making it the 37th largest state in the U.S. by population. Nebraska is predominantly a rural state, with the majority of its communities having populations less than 5,000. The state’s smallest incorporated town is Monowi (pop. 1) in north central Nebraska. The five largest cities by population are: Omaha (pop: 486,051), Lincoln (pop: 291,082), Bellevue (pop: 64,176), Grand Island (pop: 53,131) and Kearney (pop: 33,761).

Seasons

Nebraska offers a full fourseason climate. The normal average daily temperatures range from -20˚F (-7˚C) in the winter to more than 75˚F (24˚C) in the summer. Annual precipitation ranges from more than 30” (762 mm) in the southeast to less than 17” (432 mm) in western Nebraska.

Location

Nebraska’s central location positions it within a 3- to 8-hour drive from surrounding major cities, including Denver, Chicago, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City and St. Louis.

Nebraska Visitor Centers

Alliance www.visitalliance.com Beatrice www.visitbeatrice.com

Brownville/Nemaha County www.enjoynemahacounty.org

Chadron/Northwest Nebraska www.discovernwnebraska.com

Cass County www.visitcasscounty.com Columbus www.visitcolumbusne.com

Fremont www.visitfremontne.org Gering www.visitgering.com

Grand Island www.visitgrandisland.com

Hastings www.visithastingsnebraska.com

Kearney www.visitkearney.org

Kimball County www.visitkimball.com

Knox County www.knoxcountynebraska.com

Lincoln www.lincoln.org

McCook www.visitmccook.com Nebraska City www.nebraskacity.com Norfolk www.visitnorfolkne.com

North Platte www.visitnorthplatte.com

Ogallala/Keith County www.explorekeithcounty.com Omaha www.visitomaha.com

Sarpy County www.gosarpy.com

Scotts Bluff County www.visitscottsbluff.com

Seward www.sewardnebraskatourism.org

Sidney www.visitsidneyne.com

South Sioux City www.visitsouthsiouxcity.com York www.yorkvisitors.org

IN-STATE DRIVING DISTANCES AND TIMES

2 :10 Norfolk 418 6 :50

North Platte 2 80 4 :00 N orth Platte 1 95 3 :00

Scottsbluff 4 75 7 :00

O gallala 1 45 2 :20

Ogallala 330 4 :40 Omaha 475 7 :00

South Sioux City 9 6 1 :30

S outh Sioux City 45 5 7 :45 Valentine 298 5 :15 Valentine 221 3 :45

GROUP TOUR ROAD TRIP ITINERARIES

NO, NEBRASKA IS NOT FOR EVERYONE, BUT IF YOUR GROUP TRAVELS HERE, YOU’VE GOT A PRETTY SPECIAL TRIP AHEAD OF YOU.

Our state has some amazing group tour destinations, and in this guide, you’ll find a sampling of some of our favorite attractions and highlights. We’ve put together nine itineraries spanning the state, from the cosmopolitan buzz of Omaha and Lincoln and the rolling hills of eastern Nebraska to the great sandhill crane migration in central Nebraska and the Old West and early pioneer history of the state’s western corners. Each itinerary is designed to show you a different part of the state and give your clients memories they’ll cherish for years to come.

SNAP THIS CODE FOR the full trip itineraries!

SCOTTS

BUFFALO BILL’S RAILS & TRAILS WEST

TO EXPERIENCE WESTERN NEBRASKA IS TO EXPERIENCE THE OLD WEST. This is a land filled with history and culture, from the Native American tribes who first settled this wild region to fur traders and trappers looking for fortune to early pioneers searching for a better way of life out west to farmers and ranchers who carved out an existence in this wild and rough landscape. Hear their exciting stories and tales as you explore and experience western Nebraska.

DAY 1:

NORTH PLATTE

Double Dips Ice Creamery

Golden Spike Tower & Visitor Center

Dusty Trails

“Ride with the Wild Bunch” Experience

Lincoln County Historical Museum DAY 2: NORTH PLATTE, OGALLALA, SIDNEY

Cody Park Railroad Museum

Grain Bin Antique Town

Fort Cody Trading Post

Petrified Wood and Art Gallery

Front Street and Cowboy Museum

Crystal Palace Saloon

Crystal Palace Revue

Ogallala’s Boot Hill Cemetery

Mansion on the Hill

Camp Lookout

DAY 4: GERING, BAYARD

Scotts Bluff National Monument

Robidoux Trading Post

Wildcat Hills Nature Center

Chimney Rock National Historic Site

Western Trails Scenic & Historic Byway

Legacy of the Plains Museum DAY 5: HARRISON,

CRAWFORD, CHADRON

Fort Robinson State Park

Hudson-Meng Education & Research Center

Museum of the Fur Trade

BUFFALO, BONES

AND

BOOKS: TRAVELING THE FOSSIL FREEWAY

TAKE THE FOSSIL FREEWAY FOR A SCENIC DRIVE BETWEEN COLORADO’S FRONT RANGE to South Dakota’s Black Hills through western Nebraska. While exploring this highway corridor connecting the region’s rich fossil history, hand-feed bison, explore a natural shortgrass prairie setting and take in stunning views of the Oregon Trail and North Platte River Valley. This route also takes visitors to the remote, windswept High Plains region and Oglala National Grasslands of northwest Nebraska. Become immersed in one of the world’s most significant Miocene Epoch mammal fossil sites and gain a greater understanding of the area’s Native American roots. You’ll hear the many stories and tales of early pioneer and settler life in this tough landscape.

CHIMNEY ROCK NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

BUFFETT, BIRDS AND BEEF: THE GREAT PLATTE RIVER ROAD

START THE TOUR IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA’S LARGEST CITY AND HOME OF BUSINESS magnate, investor and philanthropist Warren Buffett, the “Oracle of Omaha.” Stop by Buffett’s favorite stomping grounds and hangouts. After sightseeing, get ready for birding in Lincoln, followed by the Central Flyway. During the annual spring migration, you will meet face-toface with roughly one million sandhill cranes that roost in this part of the Platte River. Guided sunset and sunrise tours give visitors different perspectives of these majestic birds, also known as living dinosaurs. For a taste of agritourism, venture to North Platte to learn where Nebraska’s beef comes from and how it’s processed, followed by a feast of five delicious cuts to sample yourself.

CRANE TRUST NATURE & VISITOR

COSMOPOLITAN TO COWBOYS: OMAHA TO KIMBALL

THIS ITINERARY FOLLOWS THE PATH OF THE GREAT AMERICAN WEST along one of the nation’s busiest migration and transportation routes, the Great Platte River Road. Today, Interstate 80 follows this route, taking travelers through diverse landscapes and terrains. The cosmopolitan urban centers of Omaha and Lincoln in eastern Nebraska, the fertile farmlands and migratory birding paths of central Nebraska and the Central Flyway and the wide-open and sprawling vistas of western Nebraska make up this exciting land of contrasts.

DURHAM MUSEUM

DAY 1: OMAHA

Guided City Tour of Omaha

Durham Museum

St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church

Lithuanian Bakery & Café

Boys Town

German American Society DAY 2: ASHLAND, GREENWOOD, LINCOLN

Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum

Bakers Candies

Nebraska State Capitol

Lester F. Larsen Tractor Test and Power Museum

UNL Dairy Store

International Quilt Museum

Screamer’s Dining & Cabaret DAY 3: LINCOLN, YORK, HENDERSON

Museum of American Speed

Clayton Museum of Ancient History

Chances “R” Restaurant & Lounge

Wessels Living History Farm

Henderson Mennonite Heritage Park

DAY 4: GRAND ISLAND, KEARNEY

Zabuni Specialty Coffee

Museum of Nebraska Art

Alley Rose

DAY 5:

NORTH PLATTE

Golden Spike Tower & Visitor Center ROAD TRIP ITINERARIES: COSMOPOLITAN TO COWBOYS

Cody Park Railroad Museum

Grain Bin Antique Town

Fort Cody Trading Post

“Ride with the Wild Bunch” Experience

Lincoln County Historical Museum

“Wine with the Stars” at Feather River Vineyard DAY 6: OGALLALA

Lake McConaughy Visitors & Water Interpretive Center

Mansion on the Hill

Petrified Wood and Art Gallery

Front Street and Cowboy Museum

Crystal Palace Saloon

Crystal Palace Revue

DAY 7: SIDNEY, POTTER, KIMBALL

Camp Lookout

Potter Duckpin Bowling

The Potter Sundry

Chuckaboo Station

EJE Ranch

Rocky Hollow Buffalo Company

trip itinerary!

INTERNATIONAL QUILT MUSEUM

PETRIFIED WOOD AND ART GALLERY

THE WORLD’S BREADBASKET: AN AGRICULTURAL TOUR THROUGH NEBRASKA

EVEN THOUGH NEBRASKA BOASTS TWO MAJOR URBAN METROPOLITAN AREAS, it remains a true agricultural and rural state. Center-pivot irrigation was invented in Nebraska, and this unique type of irrigation system provides the much-needed moisture to hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland that make Nebraska the “Breadbasket to the World.” Nebraska’s agricultural roots run deep, and on this itinerary, we’ll cross the state from Omaha to Kimball, visiting many of its agricultural businesses, attractions and farm-to-table restaurants.

DAY 1: OMAHA

Guided City Tour of Omaha

St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church

Durham Museum

Florence Mill

Boys Town

German American Society

DAY 2: NEBRASKA CITY

Kregel Windmill Factory Museum

Arbor Lodge State Historical Park

Arbor Day Farm

Missouri River Basin Lewis & Clark Interpretive Trail & Visitor Center

Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard

DAY 3: LINCOLN

International Quilt Museum

Lester F. Larsen Tractor Test and Power Museum

UNL Dairy Store

Nebraska State Capitol

Valhalla Bee Farm

Pollinator Flyway

Sleepy Bee Lavender Farm

Greenhouse Innovation Center

DAY 4: YORK, GRAND ISLAND, HASTINGS

Wessels Living History Farm

Henderson Mennonite Heritage Park

Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer

Zabuni Specialty Coffee

Raising Nebraska

Prairie Loft Center for Outdoor and Agricultural Learning

DAY 5: KEARNEY, NORTH PLATTE

The Archway

Golden Spike Tower & Visitor Center

Cody Park Railroad Museum

“Here’s the Beef” Tour

DAY 6: NORTH PLATTE

Double Dips Ice Creamery

Miller Farms

Dusty Trails

Buffalo Bill State Historical Park

with the Wild Bunch” Experience

Lincoln County Historical Museum

with the Stars” at Feather River Vineyard

DAY 7: NORTH PLATTE, OGALLALA, SIDNEY

Grain Bin Antique Town

Fort Cody Trading Post

Front Street and Cowboy Museum

Crystal Palace Saloon

Crystal Palace Revue

Petrified Wood and Art Gallery

Camp Lookout

Sidney Boot Hill

DAY 8: POTTER, KIMBALL, GERING

Lincoln Highway Scenic Byway

The Potter Sundry

Potter Duckpin Bowling

Chuckaboo Station

EJE Ranch

Rocky Hollow Buf falo Company

Scotts Bluff National Monument

Robidoux Trading Post

Legacy of the Plains Museum

LEGACY OF THE PLAINS MUSEUM

STUHR MUSEUM OF THE PRAIRIE PIONEER

EASTERN NEBRASKA ENCOUNTERS

JUST WEST OF THE MIGHTY MISSOURI RIVER, EASTERN NEBRASKA IS CHOCK-FULL OF exciting group-friendly destinations to delight any adventurer. From the cosmopolitan buzz of Omaha and Lincoln to the wide-open spaces of northeast and southeast Nebraska, this journey will show visitors why this region of Nebraska is truly an untapped destination for any size or type of group.

ROBBER’S CAVE

OMAHA

Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed

NEBRASKA CITY

DAY 6: ASHLAND, BELLEVUE, PAPILLION

SPIRITUAL ESCAPES

NEBRASKA HAS A LONG HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL DEVOTION among its residents, always welcoming different belief systems and rituals. This itinerary takes us on an educational journey meant to inspire and encourage reflection and peace. Explore the tenets and guiding principles found in many of today’s religions. Visitors can view impressive stained-glass collections, follow along the Stations of the Cross, go behind the scenes to view centuriesold quilts, try Greek dancing or place prayers in a replica of Jerusalem’s Western Wall. To round out the escape, a relaxing airboat ride down the Platte River will remind visitors that we are all one with nature.

NEBRASKA’S MISSOURI RIVER VALLEY AND CAPITAL CITY

FORMING NEBRASKA’S EASTERN BORDER, THE MISSOURI RIVER IS ONE OF THE nation’s great rivers and has helped shape and grow the Great Plains region over the years. This itinerary follows alongside the mighty Missouri River through Brownville to Nebraska City, Omaha and the Winnebago Nation before finishing near the Siouxland region of South Sioux City. Enjoy delicious homemade fare, unique cultural immersions, top-notch entertainment, an insightful look into our nation’s national security and examples of responsible environmental stewardship.

NEBRASKA STATE CAPITOL

NEBRASKA’S SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION

THEY SAY WE’RE ONLY SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER BY SIX HANDSHAKES. See how connected you may be to some of our state’s most famous locals, both past and present. On this trail, you will discover how the actions of great Nebraska business leaders, entrepreneurs, authors, politicians, filmmakers, entertainers and visionaries helped to guide and shape the state. Explore Warren Buffett’s stomping grounds, learn how celebrity Johnny Carson was shaped by his Nebraskan upbringing, walk in the footsteps of Husker Football legend Tom Osborne at UNL Memorial Stadium and tour the home of Arbor Day founder and Nebraska visionary J. Sterling Morton.

JOHNNY CARSON MURAL

HUB & SPOKE TOURS

Drop your bags and belongings off at the hotel and go explore everything Nebraska has to offer. The following eight itineraries feature short, drivable day trips to surrounding attractions — perfect for tour groups that prefer to remain in one overnight location. Most of these itineraries are three to four days, but can be combined to create remarkable tours filled with a variety of unique Nebraska destinations, from history museums and nature centers to pioneer sites and must-try local eateries.

A True American Treasure

There’s a square mile in Nebraska where miracles of the heart happen every day. It’s a community of caring where kids are saved, families are healed and despair and darkness are conquered by the promise of a brighter future.

At the Village of Boys Town, we welcome more than 100,000 visitors from across the United States every year. Be our guest and experience Father Flanagan’s vision for changing the way America cares for children, families and communities at world-famous Boys Town today!

Whether Omaha is your travel destination or a just a stopover, be sure to make the Village of Boys Town part of your itinerary!

Hall of History Museum Dowd Chapel

Historic Father Flanagan House World's Largest Ball of Stamps

NORTH

EXPLORE SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA

KEARNEY:

LINCOLN: THE STATE CAPITAL

GERING: DISCOVER NORTHWEST NEBRASKA

JOHNNY CARSON TOUR

Begin the day at the Elkhorn Valley Museum.

The featured exhibit includes the Johnny Carson Gallery where you can see the history of Norfolk’s famous son.

Next stop is the Johnny Carson Mural. This large series of paintings by artist Karl Reeder, shows the progression of Johnny’s career.

Enjoy lunch at Black Cow Fat Pig. Black Cow has a polished casual atmosphere, with an emphasis on locally-sourced food and a scratch kitchen. Everything is made in house, from its hand-cut fries to homemade desserts.

Tour Johnny Carson’s childhood home in Norfolk. Owner, Jim McKenzie, will speak about the history of the house and items found along the way while bringing it back to its original condition.

Tour and taste at the Norfolk Arts Center. The Norfolk Arts Center brings people and the Arts together. Enjoy a wine tasting event.

In June take in the Great American Comedy Festival.

The Great American Comedy Festival was created in 2008 to pay tribute to the legacy of Norfolk’s favorite son, Johnny Carson.

Special accommodations can be made for bus tours. Sleepover at our place. Book your rooms at one of Norfolk’s plush hotels.