Every little town needs a niche, a gimmick or oddity to give the travelers a reason to stop and…read moreHebron has found it's roadside attraction - The Worlds Largest Covered Swing. It's certainly not worth leaving the major east - west HI ways, but if you're traveling up US81 then take a few minutes to go the 10 blocks into town and get yourself a cheesy tourist photo. Nestled in a well maintained park with lots of shade and children's playground equipment to give everyone a break from the monotony of driving this bland landscape of central Nebraska.

The Largest Porch Swing in the world as it's called is what happens when a bunch of Nebraskans with…read moreextra irrigation pipe and welding equipment got a crazy idea and built a swing capable of seating 24 people all at once. It's a gimmick, it squeaks, yet you will likely turn off Highway 81 and go check it out. Rumor has it this swing has been eclipsed by an even larger swing in Canada, but unless you want to cross the border to find it, this one is located 90 min South of I-80. If you're out storm chasing and need to kill some time waiting for storms to fire this is worth a side trip just for the novelty of saying you've been there, done that.

Pretty park located next to Hastings College! This park consists of trees and grassy areas…read moresurrounding a long pond with fountains. The sidewalk runs between the water and a street lined with historical homes. I was told that one circle around the park is approximately one mile. Heartwell park also features a couple bridges, plenty of benches, swings, a playground, a small swimming pool, and pet waste stations. Cute place to walk, bike, or feed ducks!

What a beautiful park! We went to take the dog for a walk and a little swim. Lovely walking and…read morebiking trails. Beautiful trees, plants, grassy areas, and artwork/sculptures. Several areas for picnicking and children to play. There's a gorgeous flower garden with a winding path through it. Part of that area included troughs with vegetables growing in it. The produce is used by schools and a community food pantry. There were some buildings in the park, but I'm not sure what they are for. It was well-maintained. Plenty of parking in several spots.

Had a mini reunion with family near the splash pad, everything was wonderful! Highly recommend for…read morefamily, friends, kids, and pets!

We love this beautiful park the best in all of Nebraska . They keep it very well maintained …read more Thanks for the awesome memories. Have a blessed day

Beautiful little park located in Downtown Kearney, NE. Nice place to check out even if you're just…read morepassing through. Easy access from I-80/NE-44. Great views of the lighthouse just off 33rd St and 6th Ave. Also has a Skate Park at this same intersection. Also on site is 3 tennis courts, playground and more fun for the family.

Good place to go. It's its been raining(a lot) we go elsewhere as it can get kinda deep some places…read moreand are not as usable but then there's usually more available spots cuz most want to go when it's clear and sunshine. We have gone there over the past 20 years always a great place and plenty of breathing room between campers.

This is a beautiful park. The office was closed when we got there, but they have instructions on…read morewhat to do and how to pay for the services you want. We only needed to stay one night since we were just passing through, but we hope to get a chance to visit again.

This is a very clean little park in the middle of agricultural country, somewhere outside of Salina…read moreKansas, but definitely not close enough to Dodge city for the drive we still had ahead of us when we stopped here. For a nominal fee, visitors can stretch their here, and regard some unique geological features that date back to the Cretaceous period when this whole area was a vast inland sea. The large sandstone spheres that remain here are unique and interesting, covering about a 4-5 acre area. We had a little lunch here and pressed on to our destination. As an old earth science teacher, I nerd out on stuff like this; my kids enjoyed running around the room-sized boulders, my youngest insisting they were fake. Oh well, at least we made the stop and didn't get 1800 miles away wondering what we missed-- incidentally, this is the secret to an awesome road trip. Should we stop? The answer should always be "Yes."

A small park in the middle of fields about 20 miles from the interstate or Salina. I'm not sure I…read morewould recommend anyone taking the trip off the interstate, but if you are in Salina for any reason it's worth an hour of your time. Dozens of spherical rocks that are up to 12' tall are scattered about for viewing, climbing or pondering. The price is right at $3 and has a small gift shop. Another weird geological formation and roadside attraction.

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.

Pioneer Park is one of the best attractions in Nebraska…read more This park has it all (puts on SNL Stefon voice): -History (the pillars that were part of the original treasury building) -Culture (the statue and story of Red Cloud) -Nature (the beautiful scenery and ponds) -Wildlife (the buffalo/deer/etc) And it is just a few minutes from Lincoln and a short drive from Omaha! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who is looking for a relaxing, but still adventurous, activity!

I was looking for another fun park to do some exploring. I found this and decided to check it out -…read morethere is so much here to see. I really wish I had known and found the older exploratory part of the park earlier in the day - I spent too much time on the picnic-y parts of the park, but I enjoyed it. The signs were a little bit misleading - there are parts of the exploritory area that are closed to the public but there was no warning of that when you were heading that way. I actually really enjoyed the bird observatory and the bridge. It was such a hot day but I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

The people at the Camp Office (August 19, 2019) were incredibly helpful when our truck started…read moreoverheating on the interstate and we ended up getting our camper towed to the state park - in the morning, they made sure we had a ride into town. They went above and beyond. The park is beautiful and spacious. We will be back!

Best kept secret! We stayed here for two nights in Appaloosa cabin. Cabins are extremely well…read moremaintained and great fishing areas. The staff is really nice! Cabin area is super quiet and a great place to rest and relax!

Crystal Springs is a 73-acre park just south of Fairbury. It's open year round and offers picnic…read morefacilities, fishing and camping and a playground. Fishermen will find a variety of species, including large-mouth bass, catfish, blue gill and trout. If you like to observe wildlife (as opposed to catching it) you can watch the birds that habitate in and around the park. If you're lucky you might see bald eagles! Birdwatching is also a main attraction of Crystal Springs, as many varieties of migrating birds have been seen at the park. Bald eagles have been seen at the park, attracting birdwatchers. Beauty and serenity surround you for a day or a week.