I absolutely loved Indian Cave State Park. It had everything: history, nature, fun activities -…read moreeverything you could want in a park! The entrance to the main cave is located right on the river, so you get a beautiful view of that to begin with. You can climb up a neat wooden boardwalk to get right up to the cave wall and see prehistoric ancient petroglyph carvings. There are also tons of activities you can do in this park - swimming, fishing, hiking, camping. You can also walk through the old ghost town village of St. Deroin, which is super interesting. This is honestly one of the most interesting natural/historic places I've been in Nebraska!

Once reservations were made on line we got to Indian Cave State Park and again paid for park pass…read more Web site lets you believe water and electricity and at your camp site.......not so. Beware. When you arrive you must go and fill water tanks then back to your campsite. Very inconvenient. Then if you wish to use their showers, you'll pay 75 cents for every 3 minutes, so just about anything you want there is going to cost you!!

To Everyone reading - This location should definitely receive more love and appreciation for its…read morebeautiful views! After living for 8 years in Kansas City, this was the year I actually got to know about it and I had to immediately visit. Loess Bluff National Wildlife Refuge has a 10-mile one-way auto route to see the stunning views from different angles, which is absolutely breathtaking. There are also sections for viewing eagles, then snow geese, and many more spots along the way. The refuge area is well kept and very peaceful. The auto loop is really useful because hiking the whole area would honestly take a very long time, so the loop sections make it easy and educational to explore. The stops are clearly marked and there are many pit stops where people can take photos or simply enjoy the wildlife. I was very lucky to see thousands of snow geese along with one bald eagle. I also saw white swans, ducks, and our regular city geese just chilling out there haha. March is the main time to see migratory snow geese. I have also heard that from December to January there is a bald eagle season where people can see thousands in a day only if you are lucky and I honestly can't wait to revisit... Overall, I loved how calm the drive felt with the open land and skies, and so many different types of birds. Whether you are a birdwatcher or not, you will definitely enjoy this place. Amazing spot to just relax and unwind. Note: Bring food and water since the loop takes some time to complete if you stop at each section to enjoy the views. Also bring binoculars or a zoom lens camera if you want to see the birds up close.

I'm going to be real and say my review for this is quite incomplete, but I still want to put…read moresomething out there. I was taking work calls as I cruised down the highway and decided to venture over here to see what it was all about, and hopefully see an eagle or two. So the reason I say it's incomplete is I was on that work call and didn't really stop, get out, get the lay of the land, or even know what I was looking at. I sort of just started driving where the road led me and did a big loop around the lake. I saw swans, and some massive gaggle of smaller white birds, but can't say what they were. It was nice, although sometimes I got stuck behind someone going 1 mph. Next time I will be a bit more intentional and read up on it, hike a bit, and be more single-minded. It's definitely a cool spot and I know the migratory birds often set up here late in the winter, so that would be a fun time to get out and see it.

Saint Joseph's only privately owned public park! The owner/caretaker was there maintaining some…read morecement steps so we got to learn a little about the area. There used to be a school (no longer there). Two of the four picnic tables are new (but they all look brand new to me). He has maintained the open pavilions above the tables too. The grounds and structures are well maintained and everything is clean. This is a great place for a little picnic! Be aware that you need to walk up a few stairs to get to the nice, flat, level area.

Fun family time looking at the lights! Enjoyed the new displays this year!!!…read moreFamily tradition to go to Holiday Park every year, honk in the tunnels, and get our cherry mash at the end! Santa is there on Friday and Saturdays, with drive through concessions.

I have lived here for my entire life and the Christmas Lights are always a treat. Just a shame its…read morealways such a nightmare to go through there though.

We usually drive through this park when we are in town. It's very pretty throughout different parts…read moreof the year. There are some nice views too. We like to park, have lunch, and look out at the Atchison bridge. My hubby grew up here and said there used to be a lot of activities here like a magician and such. I am not sure if they do anything anymore. I can't wait to visit again once we come back in the summer.

This park is pretty nifty, and is larger than you would think! Sweet place to hang out with friends!read more

Visiting in February, much of the park was brown but still beautiful. We went to see Stan Herd's…read moreAmelia Earhart permanent artwork. It was hard to see the image as there was no hill quite high enough to see the true image of Amelia. I grabbed a pic from the internet which shows the artwork from high above and took one from the viewing patio when we visited. Stan Herd is an amazing artist. He did Van Gogh's olive trees in Minnesota. It was not a permanent artwork but amazing none-the-less. It's so interesting to view the art from super close up and from afar to see the choices he makes in materials and how that translates into a floral artwork. I included a pic of the MN artwork here too for fun, again one I grabbed from online.

Nice area to walk through. Has a small pond not far into the area with water fall. The walking…read morepath is pretty nice. At one point there is a small bridge over a creek that you can go to a nice rocked pathway and walk. Overall nice area.

Our favorite playground to visit in town, especially in the summer when the splash pad is…read moreoperating. Nice playground set and neat play boat section. Always clean. Downsides are it isn't really as toddler-friendly as it could be and no swings. Otherwise, a great place to hang out and take the kids to get some energy out!

Our visit was quiet and fun as our littles completed their scavenger hunt. The exhibits were…read moreinformative and entertaining with recorded audios and soundscapes. A few sections could use some attention and cleaning, but overall well-kept. We had a good time and enjoyed the riverwalk afterwards.

This place is truly one of the best gems in Saint Joseph. We have been bringing my daughter here…read moreonce a month for nearly three years and it never gets old. The location is right next to the Missouri River and has a gorgeous view. There is a lovely little porch with chairs and picnic tables. The center provides binoculars and books to help identify local birds. My daughter loves the huge fish tank display of native fish. She also enjoys the tortoises and the snakes in the Snake Room. They are almost always having a scavenger hunt for the kids with prizes. Personally, I enjoy browsing the reading material in the little store and have bought several books. There is a very detailed exhibit on the history of Saint Joseph which is really interesting. It includes details that I have not read about anywhere else. So if you enjoy history, you should definitely pay this place a visit.

Cute kids playground Good spots for the campers. It's quiet…read more The bathroom facilities are great! Nice loop for rent camping. Easy to find Privacy is good.

We camped in a cabin for couple of nights at Waubonsie State Park near Hamburg, Iowa. It's about…read moreten miles from Nebraska City. We had cabin #4 which at one time was part of a Girl Scout camp that got added to the existing park in the Loess Hills. For $60 a night we rented a two bedroom cabin. We could also bring our dogs. It didn't have running water or a bathroom but conveniently, a vault latrine and outdoor water pump were in close proximity. A regular bathroom with showers was a short walk away. There were two sets of bunk beds in one room and a full-sized bed in the other. Renters must provide their own bedding, pillows, towels, toiletry items, cooking utensils, pots and pans, and dinnerware. With a microwave and coffeemaker but no other appliances, some cooking was done outdoors. It did have a couch, a couple of chairs and a dinette set, as well as a picnic table outside. Waubonsie is a hikers paradise with lots of trails including equestrian trails and camping. If you're into fishing, Lake Virginia is 7 acres with largemouth bass, bluegill and channel cat. You can launch your boat (electric motor only) or peacefully canoe. Waubonsie is not for you if you like an action-filled vacation. It's a beautiful, quiet and peaceful retreat from stressful living. Not surprisingly, do watch out for ticks in the spring.