I’ve been wanting to visit this Lincoln landmark for awhile now, and it did not disappoint when we finally toured it as a family. It’s fascinating that such a place exists literally under our feet. Tour guide Joel Green shared many interesting stories from Lincoln’s past, all of them filled with colorful characters and sketchy details. (My favorite being that Lincoln was once home to a secret society called the Iron Sphinx that conducted their initiation ceremonies in the cave.)

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to the SAC Museum over the years, but every time I go, I’m still fascinated by the planes and the world history they represent. In addition to the planes, there are several excellent exhibits on topics ranging from the early days of the Space Age to the Berlin Airlift to the Holocaust.

This 850-acre prairie grassland preserve is located just outside of Lincoln, and with its gorgeous scenery, is one of our favorite places for hiking and birding.

As a military aviation buff, I could spend hours here. IIRC, you could climb into some of the planes when I was a kid, but no longer. Still, I get chills every time I see the B-47 Stratojet up close.

One of our favorite Omaha museums. The train exhibits are endlessly fascinating (and make me want to ride the rails) and they currently have an excellent Nelson Mandela exhibit.

There’s a reason why this is considered one of the world’s best zoos. Highlights include the aquarium and the “Asian Highlands” exhibit (complete with red pandas and snow leopard).