Just to be clear, there are two different places in the area that are easy to confuse--Fort Kearny…read moreState Recreation Area is not the same as the Fort Kearny State Historical Park, even though they are close together and technically the same park. You can not access the hike/bike bridge in the Fort Kearny State Recreation Area from the Fort Kearny State Historical Park. We visited during the Spring Sandhill Crane migration, but since my son was also studying the Civil War, I wanted to squeeze in some history while we were in the area too. First, the Fort Kearny State Historical Park was really enjoyable for me. It was larger than I expected and has clearly marked areas showing where original buildings once stood. There's also a blacksmith shop with a covered wagon and several other historic features to explore along the way. The fort itself still stands, and you can walk inside and even climb up the lookout points on each corner. Inside, there's a lot of Nebraska history and artifacts from that time period. It didn't hold my son's attention quite as long as I had hoped, but I'm still very glad we visited. A Nebraska State Park Permit is required to park here, which can be purchased online ahead of time (what I did) or at the Fort Kearny Visitors Center or kiosk. The permit is good for 1.5 days. The interpretive center is open from 9 AM to 5 PM. This site has a lot of history--built by the Army in 1848, Fort Kearny served as a safe haven for Overland Trail travelers, Pony Express riders, and gold prospectors. Soldiers helped travelers, repaired wagons, and provided protection as people moved west. It also later served as a station for the Pony Express and supported workers building the transcontinental railroad. One unexpected highlight was seeing Sandhill cranes in the surrounding fields. It added a really interesting layer to the experience--thinking about how settlers may have experienced this same migration compared to us today. The cranes have been making this journey for thousands of years, which is incredible to reflect on. Just down the highway is the Fort Kearny State Recreation Area. There's a hike/bike trail with a paved, accessible 1.5-1.8 mile path that leads to a former railroad bridge over the Platte River. This is a well-known viewing area for the Sandhill crane fly-in and fly-out. We visited later in March and didn't see the massive peak migration numbers, but we still saw hundreds of cranes flying into the area at dusk, which was an incredible sight. It does get very crowded near sunset, especially on the bridge itself, so expect a lot of people and limited space. The experience felt a little rushed with kids, but I'm really glad we stayed through sunset to witness it. Watching the cranes come in over the river is something I won't forget.

"You have died of dysentery."…read more OK, if you're a Yelper of a Certain Age, you might remember that delightful game Oregon Trail, all monochrome green or orange in your tiny Apple IIc computer. Fort Kerney brings it to life. Visiting here, you can imagine the old 49ers heading west, stopping here for supplies and a little rest before heading west into the frontier. There's a lot of history here-- the Pony Express, connections to the Transcontinental Railroad, and the Westward expansion. The visitor center is well done, and the grounds have been variably preserved and restored to a condition that whisks you back in time to a very different era of American history. It wasn't all pretty, it wasn't all easy... but it's inexorably linked to who we are, who we aren't, and who we're all striving to be. Worth the stop for a stretch of the legs and the imagination.