VISITORS GUIDE 2015 Visitors Guide www.VisitOmaha.comVisitOmaha.com 1 9443UBCChamberAd_final.pdf 1 11/24/14 4:05 PM 2 VisitOmaha.com 2015 Visitors Guide Face-to-face with OMAHA’S HISTORY! Where GENERATIONS CONNECT 801 S 10TH ST, OMAHA, NEBRASKA 68108 402-444-5071 | DURHAMMUSEUM.ORG 2015 Visitors Guide VisitOmaha.com 3 SAVE UP TO 65% ON OVER 70 BRANDS REMARKABLE HOSPITALITY. INCREDIBLE CUISINE. LOCAL PASSION. BANANA REPUBLIC FACTORY STORE MICHAEL KORS REMARKABLE HOSPITALITY. COACH OUTLET J.CREW FACTORY GAP FACTORY STORE UNDER ARMOUR NIKE FACTORY STORE KATE SPADE INCREDIBLE CUISINE. LOCAL PASSION. 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Vast collection Handmade chocolates, of holiday décor, fudge & other sweet ornaments & gifts temptations for every season Nebraska gifts, COMING Omaha apparel & SPRING 2015: souvenirs, plus Delicious Italian travel essentials pastries, coffee & soft serve ice cream Dolci 10th & Howard Streets 1001 Farnam St • Omaha, NE 68102 (402) 444-4660 • 1 (866) 937-6824 • FAX (402) 444-4511 OMAHA CVB ORGANIZATION Dana Markel Executive Director Dean Miller Director of Operations Judi Jarecki Administrative Assistant Cathy Keller Director of Sales Mark Rath Assistant Director of Sales Nichole Beran National Sales Manager Holland Center Orpheum Theater Vanessa Denney National Sales Manager Bill Slovinski You’re steps away from Group Tour Coordinator Terri Cassel outstanding performing arts. Research Specialist To enjoy world-class entertainment at an Omaha Erin Brungardt price, head to one of Omaha Performing Arts’ two Convention Services Assistant extraordinary venues. With state-of-the-art acoustics and performance halls that range from grand to Deborah Ward intimate, your experience is sure to be outstanding. Director of Marketing /Communications Jasmyn LeFlore JLFRA1-2 For the best of Broadway, jazz, blues, dance, comedy, Assistant Director of Marketing/ family and popular entertainment, we’re your ticket. Communications Lynn Mace Marketing Specialist Luenell John Morgan Sarah Colonna 402.345.0606 Amy Cunningham TicketOmaha.com Graphic Designer Erin O’Brien Rob Little Josh Wolf Social Media Manager Cover Design by Lynn Mace OMAHA PUBLICATIONS 17305 Davenport Street, Suite 201, Omaha Scan for Monique 402-493-8036 | Gift Certificates Available Todd Lemke Gil Cohen Scan for upcoming shows or go to Tammy Pescatelli Publisher Angie Hall www.FunnyBoneOmaha.com upcoming George Idelman Greg Bruns Gwen Lemke shows or Vice President Account Executives David Williams Dawn Dennis Funnybone.com Executive Editor Kyle Fisher Alicia Smith-Hollins Robert Nelson Justin Idelman Full new menu and bar—serving Managing Editor Jessica Linhart John Gawley Sandy Matson laughs in the metro area Creative Director Sales Associates since 1988. Bill Sitzmann Tyler Lemke Director of Photography Technical Advisor 17305 Davenport, Ste. 201, Omaha Kristen Hoffman Jim Heitz Senior Graphic Designer Accounting Village Pointe Shopping Center Rachel Joy Mike Brewer 402.493.8036 Junior Graphic Designer Distribution Manager 8 VisitOmaha.com 2015 Visitors Guide 2014 SEASON AND GROUP TICKETS ON SALE NOW CALL 402.738.5100 OR VISIT a Simulcast Racing From All The Top Tracks Over 600 TV’s • Plus Big Red Keno Have Your Parties and Meetings Here! Free Parking • Free Admission • Smoke Free Happy Hours: Mon-Wed 5PM-8PM 402.731.2900 GREAT LUNCHES & DINNERS! www.horsemenspark.com DAILY SPECIALS! 6303 “Q” Street, Omaha,NE Open 364 Days a Year 2015 Visitors Guide VisitOmaha.com 9 Welcome • About Omaha 10 VisitOmaha.com 2015 Visitors Guide Table of Contents CONTENTS 12 About Omaha Map of Omaha 16 20 What’s Happening Attractions 28 40 Performing Arts Sports & Recreation 46 50 Day Trips Dining 52 Entertaining 66 Nightlife Neighborhoods 72 78 Where to Shop Where to Stay 87 2015 Visitors Guide VisitOmaha.com 11 Welcome • About Omaha Welcome About The Cover his year’s cover celebrates iconic Omaha with photos of the NCAA College World Series, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium and the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. Each Toffers a bucket-list experience you can’t get anywhere else. Omaha’s Henry Doorly, touted as the ‘Best Zoo in the World’ by TripAdvisor, is home to the world’s largest indoor desert, the world’s largest nocturnal exhibit filled with animals that only come out at night, and the country’s largest indoor rainforest. The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge is the longest bridge to connect two states, walk just past the middle of ‘Bob’ and you can stand in two states at the same time. And 2015 marks the 65th anniversary of the NCAA College World Series in Omaha, a summer tradition filled with food, music, tailgating, a fanfest, and the best in college baseball. #OmahaWeekend A blogger from VisitFlyOverCountry.com shared this photo about his visit to the world’s largest indoor desert in Omaha. See what others are saying about their Omaha visit and share your experiences at #OmahaWeekend. Go to VisitOmaha.com to read reviews on Omaha Trip Tip hotels, restaurants and attractions. 12 VisitOmaha.com 2015 Visitors Guide Welcome • About Omaha Welcome About Omaha OfficeOffice of ofthe the MayorMayor 18191819 Farnam Farnam Street,Street, Suite 300 300 Omaha,Omaha, Nebraska Nebraska 68183-030068183-0300 (402)(402) 444-5000444-5000 (402) 444-6059 (Fax) 444-6059 cityofomaha.org/mayor CityCity of of Omaha JeanJim Suttle,Stothert, Mayor Mayor DearDear Visitors,Friends: OnI am behalf very proud of our to serve citizens, as Mayor welcome of Omaha; to Omaha. a city with As a reputationyou look asthrough a great theplace pages to live, of work, this play,guide and we visit! invite you to discover our City’s incredible diversity of cultural offerings, entertainment venues, and dining establishments.On behalf of our residents, No matter we whatinvite youryou to interests discover are,all the Omaha city has has to something offer, from thefor Henryeveryone! Doorly Zoo and Aquarium recently named the best zoo in the world by TripAdvisor, to Omaha-owned restaurants, exquisite Enjoymuseums, your shoppes, stay and beautiful be sure parks, to come and unique back andentertainment visit us again venues. soon. Kind regards. Enjoy your visit and come back again! Warmly, Jean Stothert, Mayor City of Omaha The Basics About Omaha • Metro Population: 925,858 • Largest City in Nebraska • Located in Douglas County • Smoke Free Bars & Restaurants • Bars close at 2am • Sales Tax is 7% The Four Seasons Omaha enjoys all four seasons – pack accordingly Spring – Highs in mid 60°s, Lows in the 40°s Summer – Highs in the 80°s, Lows in the mid 60°s Lewis and Clark Slept Here Fall – Highs in the 70°s, The famous exploring duo helped put Omaha on the map before there were Lows in the 50°s maps. Fifty years later, in 1854, land speculators thought this beautiful Winter – Highs in the mid 30°s, Missouri River valley would be a perfect place to settle down and the Lows in the mid-teens rest is history. 2015 Visitors Guide VisitOmaha.com 13 Welcome • About Omaha Welcome Traveling To & Around Omaha Flying To Omaha Omaha’s Eppley Airfield serves Seattle more than 4 million passengers Minneapolis a year and is conveniently located Chicago New York Detroit close to downtown Omaha. If you’re Washington D.C. Salt Lake City renting a car or hopping in a cab it Denver will take you less than 10 minutes to St. Louis get downtown. Eppley offers non-stop Las Vegas service to top destinations throughout Atlanta the United States, and has more than 200 Phoenix arrivals and departures daily. Dallas Orlando Houston Getting Around Omaha Rental cars, taxis, limousine and shuttle bus services are available at the airport. The majority of Omaha hotels offer complimentary direct transportation to and from the airport, as well as shuttle service within a specific mile radius. E-Hail a cab by just downloading the NexTaxi app. The app allows you to request a cab, track it until it arrives, Trip Tip and even pay the tab, all with your smartphone. Driving To Omaha Omaha is conveniently located in the center of the county and in the heart of the Midwest at the junction of I-29 and I-80. Once you arrive you’ll find the city is easy to navigate. The city streets are set up on a grid system, Dodge Street divides the city north and south, and numbered streets start at the Missouri River and increase as you drive west.