Day Trip: Lincoln With the Kids

When you need a change of scenery but don't want a big trip, Lincoln is the perfect Omaha day trip. It's about an hour west on I-80, easy enough to do and still be home for bedtime, and it's loaded with things for kids. Here's how to spend the day.

Lead with the zoo. The Lincoln Children's Zoo has more than 400 animals, including a Sumatran tiger and a Matschie's tree kangaroo, plus experiences like giraffe feeding and an animal encounter stage where the kids can get face to face with an armadillo or an owl. There's a scale model train that loops around the zoo, and kids love it. It's open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission runs $16.95 for adults ages 13 to 61, $14.95 for seniors 62 and up, and $14.95 for kids ages 2 to 12 (as of July 2026).

For a rainy or too-hot stretch, head to Morrill Hall, the University of Nebraska State Museum. The star is Archie the mammoth, and the whole place is hands-on and built to keep kids curious, with exhibits from the ancient past all the way to space and science.

Got a kid who's obsessed with cars? The Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed is a jaw-dropper. Race cars, engines, hot rods, old toys, and an activity area where kids can race cars on tracks and see how a piston works. Even if you're not a car person, it's a lot of fun.

And squeeze in the Sunken Gardens if the weather's nice. Built back in 1930, it's a gorgeous terraced garden with thousands of flowers, little waterfalls, and reflecting ponds, and here's the best part: it's completely free, with free parking nearby. A pretty, easy stop to stretch everyone's legs.

Here's the tip for a day trip with kids. Pick two, maybe three of these, not all four. Leave Omaha in the morning, hit the zoo first while everybody's fresh, break for lunch, do one more stop, and head home before the meltdown hour. A relaxed day beats a rushed one every time.

Then go make a day of it in Lincoln.

Prices and hours change, so always confirm the latest on each place's official website before you go — the figures in this guide are current as of July 2026.