Can't really rate any memorial to those who have honorably served the country as less than 5 stars,…read morebut this was an unexpected find. I happened to stop at a hotel across the street while road tripping with my dogs, so walking to the memorial was a little more interesting than trying to get the dogs to potty on the strip of grass next to the hotel. While it seems really random to have this memorial just off of an I-80 exit, it is well maintained with some nice statuary. I'm not sure if the park and little lake behind the memorial is considered part of the same site, but I did see some of the smaller trees had plaques honoring veterans, too. While I wouldn't have gone out of my way to come here, it was a nice find.

We've seen this place countless times on our drive to Iowa but he never wanted to stop. This time I…read morewas lucky and he stopped so I could wander around. The sculptures are lifelike and well carved. And even better, a likeness and snippet is provided of the sculptors at the base of the statues. I liked being able to read about both the subject and the person who made the sculptures. It was sad to run my fingers over the names printed on the bricks in the memorial. You can get a brick printed with a veteran's name but I didn't have time to investigate further as we were short on time. But I'm glad we stopped. It's definitely a good stop to remember the cost of war and appreciate the many sacrifices made by our veterans.

He spotted the law enforcement memorial and because of my poor choice of footwear - breaking in…read moreheels for a wedding - and the high winds, he drove me over. Elegant and simple, it brought a wave of sadness over me reading the names of the deceased officers who had made the ultimate sacrifice since 1916. There are four benches donated by agencies so you can sit and contemplate. And the lake it's by makes for a nice view. Very relaxing. It warmed my heart sitting there looking at the memorial and the flags flying overhead. Made me proud of my law enforcement officers and appreciative of their daily service.

We visited The Archway and came away with mixed feelings--mostly because this just isn't a great…read morefit for families with very young kids. Ours are aged 8 and 2. When you enter, you're given a handheld device to scan exhibit numbers and listen to narration. In theory, it's a cool idea. In reality, it was tough to manage while chasing kids who were already 10-15 steps ahead. The device didn't always work smoothly, and trying to troubleshoot it mid-visit was frustrating. I eventually gave up and just narrated what I could myself. I expected we'd move through quickly because of the kids' ages, but the bigger issue is that the museum really isn't designed for younger audiences. Lots of stuff to read, pictures, very few artifacts, and of course, the handheld narration. That said--the displays themselves are beautifully done. You start by riding a very tall escalator "up a mountain" into the exhibit, which is a memorable entrance. I also went in thinking it would focus mostly on pioneers, but it's actually a broader (and well-done) journey through transportation history--pioneers, the railroad, automobiles, road trips, and more. One of the coolest features is that the museum spans over Interstate 80, and there are windows where you can look out over the traffic below. Where it fell short for me was in representation and storytelling. There was very little inclusion of Black history--only a brief mention of a Black pioneer. When covering the rise of car travel, it felt like a missed opportunity not to include the history of the Green Book. The exhibits often present travel as carefree and joyful, but that wasn't the reality for everyone. There's also a mining activity area (the typical "buy a bag and wash rocks" setup), which felt overpriced. One unexpected highlight: seeing people fishing outside the building. You can actually buy poles and bait inside, which my son was very interested in (we skipped it this time, but maybe next visit).

I've driven past The Archway more times than I can count, and every single time it's a moment of…read more"I've made it to Kearney!" It's one of those landmarks that immediately catches your eye and gives you that sense of arrival. Even though I haven't had the chance to go inside yet, the view of the arch from the highway is absolutely stunning, especially when the light hits it just right. I can already tell that the next time I'm in town, I'll definitely be stopping in to explore what's inside. If the exterior is this impressive, I can only imagine what the inside has to offer.

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.

Just Go (#39) This…read morewas the latest "new" state we visited during our road trip to America's heartland visiting the Dakotas. It was a day trip that we included in our itinerary since we were already 'nearby'. On July 7, 2024 we were able to visit: * Scott's Bluff National Monument, Gering NE After stopping by the Visitor Center we drove a 1.6 mile scenic drive on Summit Road and did the short walk at the South Overlook Trail (one of two overlook trails) We skipped the longer hike to the Saddle Rock Trail due to time constraints. The paved trail included educational interpretive signs... the views of the prairie land were vast and amazing. Can't even imagine what the early pioneers endured during their journey to their westward expansion. The Visitor Center has displays of life-size prairie wagons towards the entrance to the park. Entrance is free. * Chimney Rock, Bayard NE We did not make it inside the Visitor Center because they closed at 4:00p (we were an hour late). We drove to another area called "Walk to the Rock" where we could see the Chimney Rock closer. The volunteer who welcomed us gave us the lowdown on "pathway rules" including "... if you encounter a rattle snake." We chose Trail "A" from the four different trails and the path that took us closest to the rock. It was a pleasant hike and we did not see any rattlesnakes シ * Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Harrison NE This was way out in the middle of nowhere in western Nebraska. TIP: make sure to gas up your car and bring snacks before heading out to the monument because the closest gas station is 30 miles out on Highway 29 heading either north or south. No vending machines at the Visitor Center. We watched a short film inside the small theater and checked out the interesting exhibits including a life-size display of ancient mammals. We had to drive to the open prairie where the fossils can be found on quarries where digs were conducted. Unfortunately, we were on a tight schedule and were not able to do the hike. We had dinner at the Flyover Brewing Company in Scottsbluff. We shared a Chicken Artichoke Pizza and a Burnt End Brisket Brat. There was live music entertainment. It was a busy venue. Thank you, Great State of Nebraska, for sharing your national monuments and landmarks,... learned so much about the emigrants as they progressed West on the Oregon Trail. Review #3595

My Beloved is a fan of astronomical curiosities…read more We've driven hours towards the desert to watch the Perseid meteor shower, and we're planning a 2018 European trip, probably to northern Norway, to watch the aurora borealis. For this year's Christmas and Valentine's gifts, I gave her a total solar eclipse. To be more precise, I gave her a weekend in Denver, and then a week-long road trip that began with eclipse-watching at a spot in western Nebraska that was in the "path of totality", followed by a week of driving around the prairie, looking for good steak and corn, nice people, and whatever interesting things we might find. ********** Several small Nebraska towns, some partnering with larger neighbors, formed the 2017 Nebraska Eclipse Coalition to attract and entertain tourists like us with events, speakers and promotional materials that guided our decision to visit. We left Denver at 4 a.m., stopped in Scottsbluff for breakfast at Shari's Café & Pies - a sort of mashup of Denny's and Marie Calendar's - then crossed the highway to wait for darkness in the parking lot of the local Target store. I must thank Target's management for allowing our group of 30-or-so cars to tie up space for the couple of hours it took for the eclipse to happen. Not only that, Target was good to their employees, allowing them to step outside during totality so they wouldn't miss the remarkable event. The topper: their group took a staff photo, all wearing their eclipse glasses. ********** Some other notes: - We discovered a couple making very drinkable wines in north-central Nebraska, at Niobrara Valley Vineyards. - I'd previously swapped email with Robert Joseph, owner of the Peppermill & E.K. Valentine Lounge in Valentine. He's a smart, funny businessman whose understanding of social media is effective and entertaining. We made it a point of stopping to visit with Robert and to enjoy a steak dinner - one of the two best I had in a week that featured five such meals. What's more, as I told people in other parts of the state that we'd eaten at the Peppermill, located in a town of 2000 people in north-central Nebraska, several of them knew the place, and had eaten there. If I thought I had anything better to offer Robert, I'd ask him to come help me with marketing, but frankly, though we have better winters, I think he's got the better gig. - Omaha was cool. Seriously. Like Buffalo, Baltimore and Milwaukee, it's an older, formerly industrial city that has been revitalized by "clean" business, and, along the way, its architecture, dining and other social markers have improved, even as the locals have preserved the best of the old stuff. I particularly enjoyed a great cortado at Culprit Cafe and Bakery, where I was happy to meet pastry chef/owner Luke Mabie and especially his chef, Ben Jordan, formerly of San Diego's Prepkitchen, a coincidence that opened the door to a nice chat about here and there. - I'd gone to the prairie expecting lots of Trump-related nonsense, but found little public idiocy. The most offensive thing I saw all week was at the Nebraska State Fair, where the right-to-life whackjob exhibit at the Expo Center covered a table with plastic models of fetuses. This was done in a way that children would see, which went beyond inappropriate, edging into disgusting. But 1A, so whatayagonnado? - The Nebraska State Fair is a no-carry event, a fact that earned it a spot on the "Unfriendly Business List" compiled by the Nebraska Firearms Owners Association. These are the same armed dickheads who gripe when they can't take a gun into their endoscopy appointment. It's ok with me that they boycotted the Fair. It made the event feel less 'Murica and much more American. - Finally, surprisingly, we played hell finding sweet corn, in the country's third-largest producer of corn. I finally found what I wanted at the Nebraska State Fair, at a stand called "Manny's Sweet Corn On-A-Stick". Manny sold elotes, which is comfort food for me, and which, I imagine, must seem a very strange and magical thing to Nebraskans. ********** Shari's Café & Pies: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sharis-restaurant-scottsbluff Target (Scottsbluff): https://www.yelp.com/biz/target-stores-scottsbluff Niobrara Valley Vineyards: https://www.yelp.com/biz/niobrara-valley-vineyards-nenzel Peppermill & E.K. Valentine Lounge: https://www.yelp.com/biz/peppermill-and-e-k-valentine-lounge-valentine City of Omaha: https://www.yelp.com/biz/city-of-omaha-omaha-2 Culprit Cafe and Bakery: https://www.yelp.com/biz/culprit-cafe-and-bakery-omaha Prepkitchen: https://www.yelp.com/biz/prepkitchen-little-italy-san-diego-2?hrid=9kr8SXXu6KYmubepFhUuuA Nebraska State Fair: https://www.yelp.com/biz/nebraska-state-fair-grand-island?hrid=XsNGzA2CjYFzPOlrDVVD5g Nebraska Firearms Owners Association: https://nebraskafirearms.org/wp/unfriendly-business-list-3/ Manny's Sweet Corn On-A-Stick: http://www.statefair.org/business/mannys-sweet-corn-stand

We were visiting North Platte on the way to Denver and checked Yelp, TA, and Atlas Obscura for…read morethings to do and see and this place had some great reviews and comments. Plenty of parking, and a little bit off the main drag, so it was not too crowded. The girl at the front desk was very helpful and took the AAA discount. When I went to purchase some gifts there was a YELP Discount offer which she had not seen that before, she ended up giving it to us, but I think she didn't know how to ring it up in her system. I should have brought my camera, but at least I got some pictures with my cell phone. Some great views of the trains nearby and the surrounding area. There is a lot of information about trains, history, WWII, and the area. A neat place to visit in North Platte for sure. There is a fee to get in but you get to see everything inside and you can take an elevator to go to 2 different observation levels, which have a lot more information and history, and offer 2 different vantage points. There is also a train car outside on the ground level, as wells as a small wooden train, and a bunch of state flags with some interesting facts on the base of each flag.

Everyone at this tower was super friendly. All of the employees were nice and informative about…read moreeverything there. We only paid $10 for our ticket to go up the tower and it was a very pretty view. They told us that we could come back all day with the ticket so if we wanted to get food and come back and picnic there we could! The view from the tower was really nice and the tickets they gave us was like a train ticket so it's really cute. A very good stop!

My dogs love this dog park! There's plenty of room for them to run around and there is fresh water…read moreavailable for them at the park. There are also shaded benches for the humans to sit on.

Large dog park that has plenty of shade and doggie agility toys scattered around. There are some…read moreparts of the fence that could use a little mending. My fatty dogs couldn't get through, but a small chihuahua probably could. Also, I'm not sure how good the dirt/rock/burr ground is for the doggies' paws since I wore sandles and things kept prickly my feet as we were walking around the park. I still gave it 4 stars because I appreciated the shaded park for my girls on a hot summer day. Also, the small dog area is about 1/4th the size of the large dog area.

What a gem of a museum. While many city and county museums are suffering from constantly dwindling…read morefunding and staff, the Dawson County Historical Society museum is doing a great job. They understand what it takes to interest the next generation in history and the staff and volunteers greeted my wife and I on our visit from CA and made us feel very welcomed. We enjoy stopping at smaller museums to get a sense of what shaped the community and how it has changed. They put a lot of thought into the displays and they do a lot with what they have. Totally worth a visit - don't forget to make a donation so they can continue their mission.

This is the most awesome museum ever. They constantly working on the exhibits & rotating them so…read morethat you have new things to see every time you are there. Come see it when you are either here or passing by.

The city of Broken Bow is located in Custer County, Nebraska (Basically right in the middle)…read more The town is small but has lights and stuff. Paved roads with slow speed limits. The main drag is on E Street (East/West) between 7th and 9th Streets (North/South). This where the city hall, town square/park and county museum is located. It's crazy how the park square is filled with women w/ babies and stuff chatting with each other. The main drag also has bunch of restaurants and bars. What's there to do in Broken Bow? Jack Sh*t~!!! Sarcasm aside. The main attractions are: 1. Custer County Historical Society & Museum, and the 2. Boneyard Creation Museum. Throughout the town are remnants of Solomon Butcher (photographer). Other than that, this place has a lot of sh*t as in fertilizer. The economy is based on cattle so it smells like it too. For the most part, I just drove through cause when am i ever going to be in central nebraska again. I mean if i have to go to omaha, im flying! since omaha isn't that special either. Food sucks here. Just beef and beer. Safe travelings peeps.

Citizens of Broken Bow allowed a feed lot to be constructed very close to the town, and as a…read moreresult, the downtown square where we were staying at the Arrow hotel smells strongly of cow feces. The flies have also noticed the smell and they are completely out of control.