Lake Manawa State Park in Council Bluffs has something for everyone who loves the outdoors. Have a…read moreboat? Launch it in the 753 acre oxbow lake for sailing, canoeing, or water skiing. Paddle boats are available to rent. Swim at the lifeguard protected swimming beach. Fish from the dock or from a boat in a quiet backwater. The campground offers modern bathrooms. There are hiking and biking trails that connect to the trail system in Council Bluffs. The picnic area has shelters for bigger groups and the Dream Playground is a wonderful place for kids with abilities and disabilities to really let loose and have fun. Lake Manawa is truly a great spot to enjoy being outside with family and friends.

This is probably the best park we've been to in a while! I love all of the slides and hidden…read morefeatures! Our kids are 2 and 3 and they loved it!

Chris was awesome! He provided everyone with sunglasses so you don't lose yours!…read moreHe also provided sunscreen, water and dry bags for your phone! Went above and beyond! Had a blast enjoying Standing Bear Lake on a paddleboard. Did a little exercising with a lot of just relaxing and hanging out! I would definitely recommend and will go again!

Had the best time they gave us good instructions, took good pics they posted on Facebook for us,…read morewe will definitely will be coming back

This was our first time to a NE beach. The water wasn't too bad and the beach was sandy. It is a…read moresmall lake so a good place to come with little kids. We came during MDW and it wasn't too busy. I am used to the ocean and clear blue beaches so I personally wouldnt get in the water by my kids had a blast. Would be a great place to go camping and fishing!

I have visited Two Rivers in Summer and Spring, but my most recent visit was in early winter - and…read morethe winter season, while different from the fun of summer days - is still a cool time to visit and see the changes the season has made on the park. The water at Two Rivers stays strikingly blue no matter which season you visit, so I think it's definitely one of the cleaner parks in the regions, when it comes to water quality. There also was no litter that I saw, so whoever is maintaining the park is doing a great job. Two Rivers has great walking trails around the lake, so it's a wonderful place to go get some exercise in a cool surrounding. It's also never been busy when I visited, so if you like a more tranquil walk, it could be a good option for you. They also offer camping, fishing, swimming, and other outdoor activities (probably more for in the summer season), as well as horse trails if you happen to have a horse! For boating, they only allow non powered boats, so keep that in mind if you're wanting to fish off your boat. While this isn't a huge park compared to a few others in the Omaha/Iowa area, it does offer a lot of activities and cool scenery for being a smaller park! Definitely worth a visit, even if it's a short one.

We had a blast on our airboat ride! Kyle is a great guide who has been airboating on the Platte his…read moreentire life. His passion for the river is contagious. Pricing is reasonable, and there ended up being additional people on our ride, which lowered our cost considerably. Definitely something to check out if you've never done it before!

Wow what a great time!! My group took our first boat tour with River Life and had nothing but fun!…read more So relaxing to fly down the river and Kyle is such a great guide! He would stop to point out Eagles and their huge nests. He even schooled us on how to identify the ages of eagles and whether they are male or female. Stopping on a sandbar to dip your toes in the river was nice too! His landing has picnic tables that I believe you can rent for get togethers, and and a handy porta potty! It's a bit of a drive from Omaha to Cedar Bluffs but a fun and scenic drive once you hit the country fields! Really only about an hour drive. Can't say enough about this company! What I can say is I will be back and hopefully very soon!!! Thanks Kyle!!

Cool day trip, however, read the full thing. I had heard…read morethis was a cool day activity and had wanted to do it for over two years. John took me for my birthday in the middle of the week. He planned everything and was in contact with Brock, the owner who was super responsive and helpful. He sends out emails with information, packing list and makes sure the weather is good for tubing. When we got there, btw place is easy to find using his address, we signed a waiver and were loaded on a school bus. We were dropped off at a river crossing location and our tubes were attached as well as a tube for our cooler, we were given a paddle and that was all. We were on our own for this 4 h adventure down the river. I should pause to say most people that do this have a different plan and they usually have a big party with a big group and loud noise water guns etc. Our plan was a little different, more of enjoying the river and the scenery. The river itself is dark since the bottom is muddy so no clear waters, but it's clean, there are some tree branches here and there, but no trash itself. There are sandbars along the way where you can stop. The trip usually lasts about 4 hours which is significantly more than what I would've been on the tube if I would have had the choice. We applied sunscreen repeatedly and we still were pretty tan by the end of the ride. Bottom line: well organized and good idea, it gets 4 stars because the river is not the prettiest and the ride is too long (for my taste) maybe offering a half ride from like the bridge on Center might be a good idea. Oh, I almost forgot, bonus points: we saw our first bald eagle!!

I have been going to this tubing company since they opened, I probably going tubing at least 3…read moretimes a summer! The owner and the employees are always so nice! Also everyone that works for the company takes CPR and other safety classes! This place is a must check out, trust me you won't regret it!!

Overall very nice place, just need blinds on the windows up top. Very annoying sitting and watching…read moremy kid but being blinded by the sun.

ive been diving with adventures for 15 years and each experience has been great. They know the art…read moreof safe and fun diving. The staff is beyond compare and such fun. You wont be disappointed.

I love this lake and the 1.5+mile trail. It has a good size pavilion with grills and tables. Lots…read moreof fishing ( it's a no wake lake). If you like birds you never know what you will see. The usual geese and ducks but on the right day you may see bald eagles, herons, cranes, pelicans ( yep pelicans), giant swans and more. The trail is crushed stone with partial shade in parts. For those with dogs note there are 2 grated bridges to cross. The NRD does a wonderful job keeping up the area.

My family rents a spot here every summer, and it's one of our favorite places to relax on the…read morewater. The swimming area is always the perfect temperature, and our campsite comes with a little private beach which is great for laying out in the sand or just enjoying a swim. The campsites are generally clean and well-maintained, and there are plenty of picnic tables available. They also offer public swimming areas with buoys for safety, which is great for kids. However, I'm giving it 4 stars because the public beaches could be better maintained they just aren't as nice as the private spots included with the campsites. Overall, if you're looking to camp or park your RV close enough to Omaha for convenience but still want to get away, this is a great place. It's never been too crowded when we've visited, and it's perfect for soaking up the sun, enjoying the outdoors, and spending quality time by the water.

Went tent camping here on a spur of the moment decision one Friday evening so we only had a few…read morespaces to pick from as they were almost booked up solid. I don't know why this place is so popular. It was pretty gross. The sites for tents were mowed ok but there was garbage everywhere. Garbage in the grass, garbage in the trees, and garbage floating in all of the lakes. Even the swimming beach was covered in trash. It was way too packed to feel any sense of seclusion either. We were listening to kids screaming at their parents, parents threatening their kids, and blaring stereos all evening. I guess if you owned a boat or a jet ski and somehow couldn't afford to drive it anywhere better then this place might have some appeal but there are so many nicer places in eastern Nebraska to camp at and spend time outdoors.