I honestly didn't know what to expect but this is a beautiful, quiet garden in Omaha. There are…read morehistorical markers around, a special garden dedicated to his wife, Betty Ford. There is a statue in both persons honor. It was kind of interesting when we noticed that Betty passed away July 8, 2011. We visited July 23, 2011. Large stone tablets lined the birthplace, etched with all past and present President's names. This would be a great place for photography sessions. We just parked along the street. I'm not from the area but the homes around it looked nice. I didn't feel unsafe. Worth a visit, especially for history buffs. The Gerald Ford birthsite and gardens commemorate the birth of Leslie King, Jr., who later became Gerald R. Ford, Jr. and was eventually sworn in as the thirty-eighth president of the United States of America in 1974. The ornate Victorian house at 3202 Woolworth Avenue was one of the finest homes in Omaha. The three-story, fourteen-room house reflected the status of its wealthy occupants, the King family. The Kings' only son, Leslie, married Dorothy Gardner and, in the summer of 1913, the young couple lived in this house with Leslie's parents as they awaited the birth of their first child. On a hot and steamy July 14, 1913, Leslie King, Jr., was born. Soon afterwards, the new mother took the little boy to live with her parents in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dorothy and Leslie's marriage ended in divorce and in 1916 Dorothy remarried. The three-year-old boy was adopted by his new stepfather and became Gerald Rudoph Ford, Jr. In 1971 President Ford's birthplace home was razed following a fire. Upon Ford's succession to the presidency in 1974, Omaha businessman James M. Paxson purchased the property intending to build a memorial on the site. In 1977 the birthsite was dedicated. The following year a rose garden was added in honor of former First Lady Betty Ford.

There are some nice exhibits and gardens here; however, more maintenance is needed for much of the…read moregrounds. We liked the monument stones which detail past U.S. Presidents, Nebraska governors, etc.; nevertheless, they need to be updated for recent elections. The gazebo exhibit includes several interesting displays of President and Betty Ford along with audio recordings.

It was by sheer luck (good or bad?) that we were able to come to Freedom Park. We had arrived in…read moreOmaha on a Sunday and was supposed to leave early the following Saturday, so would have missed out since the park only opens on Saturday from 10am-3pm. But as luck would have it, our return flight was cancelled and we were rebooked for Sunday, so that left us the whole day free to check out Freedom Park! You enter through Miller's Landing along the Missouri River and pass through a normally locked gate onto a gravel road. About a mile down, you will see a gray ship off to the right, so you realize this must be the place. The ship is a 530 ton minesweeper that served in WWII at the Battle of Okinawa named the USS Hazard. What's curious is that it is on land and behind it is also a submarine, the training sub, USS Marlin. Both are open for self-guided tours, but there are volunteer docents on board to answer your questions. One of the docents had opened the ship's armory and was showing samples of inert ammunition used by all the gun mounts from the 20mm Oerlikons and 40mm Bofors, all the way up to the 3" main cannon at the bow. It was interesting to see many of the compartments onboard have been restored to their original condition showing how life was during its WWII deployment. On the grounds of the park adjacent to the minesweeper are a lot of navy relics not related to the ship but collected over the years and have seen better days. There are missile launchers, larger guns and even 3 aircraft from the 50's-70's, an A-7 Corsair, A-4 Skyhawk and an HH-52 Coast Guard helicopter. Also interesting is the anchor garden and actual ship nameplates of some famous ships cut from their sterns when they were scrapped. All are in bad shape and disrepair. Funding is limited and only volunteers work here. Plus the Missouri River has flooded this area at least twice, causing a lot of damage and nearly floated the minesweeper away. If you do get a chance to visit the park, be respectful to the history and be generous in donating to keep these historic relics from disappearing. A huge thank you to the volunteers that run this place.

As a US Navy veteran I loved this little park. We tried to go a few years ago, but the area was…read moreflooded the majority of that year and the park was closed. This past week took us from the Des Moines IA metro to Lincoln NE...and then back and forth between Lincoln and Omaha several times. I'd almost forgotten about Freedom Park until one of my fellow travelers mentioned it... The park is free admission and staffed by volunteers. The short drive in is on a gravel road. Do check their Facebook page pior to visiting as the park can close for flooding, the heat (there's no AC in anything there), etc. The current centerpieces of the park are the USS Hazard (AM-240) and USS Marlin (SST-2) along with several other displays and aircraft. It does feel a little weird seeing these vessels sitting way up on dry land... I was a carrier sailor on the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) so these are small boys comparatively speaking. Lol Some of the exhibits are kept up better than others... Hopefully you don't mind a little peeling paint and some rust. The equipment bears a bit of a resemblance to us old sailors who are showing our age a bit more now too. The labels and available handouts are helpful and great educational tools for the general public. As a former Navy sailor some of my best memories of this little park will be the conversations with it's volunteers. A lot of them are former sailors themselves. Veteran to veteran there is always common ground... Regardless of which service or era.

I've been visiting Fontenelle Forest since the early 80's, but it has been almost five years since…read morethe last visit. Buying entry tickets was fast and easy with friendly service. The boardwalk systems has expanded since our last visit so it is possible to do several miles just on boardwalk. The dirt trails are better marked than our last visit. With all the recent rain the forest was very green, with lots of flowering plants. We visited the raptor area for the first time and enjoyed seeing the various birds and reading about their history. We'll be buying a membership and hope to hike the trails this fall and winter.

I was pleasantly surprised to see how busy it was during a week day! The space in the nature center…read moreif very well organized and is set up for a great flow of customers. I ended up going for a hike which was very nice! The paths are well maintained and well marked. Definitely recommend if you need an outdoor fix!

I have been coming to Bayliss park for years; ever since I was a young lad…read more They redid the water fountain many years ago and that was a really cool update. The city holds a lot of events here, which is cool. It's a nice place to walk around, especially if the fountain is running. All in all, my favorite park in the CB area.

What a gorgeous Park this is! Bayliss Park is named after Samuel Bayliss, who donated the land for…read morethe park in 1854. He was a businessman, entrepreneur and city council member. I enjoyed my visit because this Park is chock full of sculptures, statues and memorials. Still, it is a relaxing place for families to visit and children to play. The water fountains were particularly entrancing to me. They were designed by a sculptor named Brower Harcher, which accounts for their artistically beautiful features. On www.councilbluffslibrary. org., I read that Bayliss Park had a funny way of coming about. "In 1854, Bayliss donated a portion of the land he owned to build a county courthouse; but, when the county inspectors arrived they dismissed his land and instead purchased a plot one block to the south to build on. Despite the fact that the original purpose for his donation had been ignored, the city still began to develop the land for city use. Ten years after the donation the city began to plant trees on the plot and even put up a large wooden fence to surround the park. All of this was done without any known objection from Mr. Bayliss." It was not until 20 years later, that Mr. Bayliss demanded his land back and sued the county, and subsequently the city of Council Bluffs. He died in April 1874 while the trial was still pending & his widow continued the fight! The very Park named after Samuel Bayliss was being sued by none other then the family of Samuel Bayliss! Finally, in 1878, a Judge ruled in favor of Council Bluffs, stating that, although the land was not used as Mr. Bayliss had originally intended, he had still donated it willingly and had never objected to its use before. That's good enough for me. This focal point of downtown Council Bluffs is a very nice Park and a great place to visit, 4 YELP STARS!

What a great hiking spot included with a Fontenelle membership. There's multiple different trails…read moreand terrains from open prairie to heavily wooded and even a gorgeous view of the Omaha skyline. I came here for the first time for a company volunteer event actually and was able to help their conservation team clear brush as part of their habitat rehabilitation efforts. The conservation team was incredibly knowledgeable and made the impact of our work clear, leaving us feeling accomplished at the end of our event. I recommend going here for hiking and also volunteering - check out the volunteer calendar for personal and company opportunities!

Neale Woods is a great place for hiking, flower viewing, and fungi finding!…read more We've visited a few times and seen different neat natural things each time we go. It costs a few dollars ($5 the last we went), but that fee goes to upkeep on the park, so it's a good cause you're paying toward. The only issue we ever ran into was when we hiked a bit and came out of the woods onto a road, and weren't sure which way to go to get back to the main entrance. Luckily, we guessed correctly and went the forest way, but a few signs may help others not make our mistake. If you are looking for a fun activity for the whole family (or just yourself!), give Neale Woods a try!

Dad and I visited the Historic General Dodge House as a bookend to our trip to the nearby Union…read morePacific Railroad Museum. The house was built in 1869 and stands near downtown Council Bluffs as a stunning (and refurbished) architectural marvel. This was the home of Grenville M. Dodge, a Union Army general, politician, and a major figure in the development of the railroads across the American West. He was also a trusted counsellor to Presidents (Grant and Lincoln) and even served a term in Congress. Whether you want to drive by, walk around, or lose a couple hours inside, this place is well worth the visit. Also, don't miss the August Beresheim House right next door.

What a way to spend an afternoon in early November! When we walked up to the Beresheim House next…read moredoor to get tickets, we were immediately greeted and welcomed. What a way to set the stage for a wonderful tour. There were helpful movies to view, gifts to buy, and two lovely houses to see. Free parking across the street made access easy. The Dodge House was completed in 1869. The Victorian Age had traveled across to America; new inventions, ideas, exploration and expansion, and technology were on the rise. This growth and the industrial revolution can be witnessed throughout these museums. There are tour guides and pamphlets to take you back to the time period. The tour guides are well-educated in this period of history and explain details so thoroughly! The trees were in full autumn glory and Christmas decorations were going up! The tour guides are so knowledgeable. And the tour is amazing! The history, rooms, and antiques in this house are very interesting. So much to see; you'll want to come back again!

The eastern side of this riverside park wasn't quite as developed as the western side, but it…read morehoused some intrigue, including a green space facing the sunset and some statue work. Most people seemed to be walking from the Nebraska side here and then heading back over relatively quickly, which is what I did. There were some additional recreational facilities that seemed to be under construction.

Cool statue on the Iowa side…read more Looks like recycled or upcycled soil. Playscape area on both sides. The Omaha side has an extensive play area for sure.

The park is much safer than it used to be. The road that connects the south and north entrance has…read morebeen blocked in the middle and now has a mountain biking trail with 20 wooden ramps. There are also seven hiking trails overlooking the Missouri River. You'll also find picnic shelters and a playground at the park.

The views from the top of the bluff here are incredible, just gorgeous. But I'm not being funny…read morewhen I say there need to be warnings posted at the entrances- if I was even a smidge less attentive or if the lighting was even a fraction more dappled, my car would *literally have been ruined* by the MULTIPLE feet-wide and feet-deep potholes that spanned the entirety of the lane. Luckily I could go around the worst of them by driving into the lane going the other way, but that's also not safe. I white-knuckled my way through the whole park. It was horrible! Omaha roads are not very good anywhere in the city but this is on a completely different level. I would like to cuss someone out for these, for real.