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.

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!

This business was not open for food service any longer. Post needs more explaination. When we…read morearrived at employee of the golf course said they haven't been open for food service in a long time.

New chef this week and the food was great. A group of us tried steaks and had a very good meal…read more The ambiance is nice and the servers are attentive. Went back a few days later and had the Chicken Fried Steak. Did a good job! Drinks are well mixed and they have a full bar. This could become the best in the area if the new chef keeps on doing what he is doing.

Attended a sold out concert here last night. Wish they had staff or police to direct entrance to…read morethe parking, it was a mess! There are two lanes that can be used for entry but only one was being used because you can't tell from very far away that the second one can be used. They did have officers directing traffic after the show, so my 3 star review went to 4. Once inside the concert, everything was pretty well organized! Easy to see the stage from the seats and liked the screens from the ceiling in the middle of the center. Not sure I would attend another concert at this venue again just due to the parking if I had any other option at a similar distance, unless it was an entertainer with a pretty small following.

"Chad" Cory helped me with renting a suite for my Dad's 60th birthday. He held a suite for me until…read moreI could make it into town because I live in Colorado! He was very helpful and generous to our needs. Thanks for all of your help. You were a pleasure to work with.

Great place to visit, especially if you are here during Sandhill Crane Migration…read more Lots of interesting and informative exhibits, nice gift shop, walking trails, etc. Parking Lot, building, restrooms and such are very accessible. The volunteers are extremely helpful and are obviously very devoted to the cranes, other birds, and the natural environment here. I spoke with Cyndi, warm and enthusiastic, who made my visit here even more special. There are blinds here that you can reserve and ideally can give you an excellent viewing opportunity at dawn and dusk to see the cranes. You have to make reservations for these a LONG time in advance, we hadn't done that so we went to a different viewing area for the dusk return-to-the-river. Our GPS took us on a really roundabout route - absurdly so, really. Which honestly was not a problem, as it routed us on rounds along the cornfields and that's where the cranes are during the day. But if you are in a hurry to get here you might want to see what route your GPS has planned for you.

Came screaming down I-80 with purpose and propulsion this past summer, putting another 8500 miles…read moreon the old odometer. Somewhere in Nebraska, the kids were getting antsy in the back seat, and we needed a place to stretch our legs and eat a little lunch anyway. A poor cell signal revealed we were relatively close to Rowe Sanctuary, and after a couple of wrong turns and the acceptance that things on roads out here are always farther than they look on maps, we found it. Evidently, this place is quite a zoo when the beautiful sand hill cranes migrate through here in early spring (March-April). Really no one here during our visit in July, but enough natural beauty in the restored Platte river habitat, framed by some promising cumulonimbus clouds (we love summer thunderstorms... we don't get much of that in SoCal.) We walked a bit on a trail towards a marshy looking area that was pretty dry considering, then found a shady spot on a bench to eat a picnic lunch. As a card carrying member of the Audubon society, I always appreciate seeing little places like this designed to protect our natural resources.

Great amenities. Love what they've done with it, unfortunately, in my experiences, at least during…read morethe daytime, people have been putting their dogs inside the fenced areas and going back to their cars or over to the port-a-potties and leaving their dogs unattended inside. Which also accounts for all the poop left everywhere. They have excellent walking trails and a great archery range and bike track down the hill. The evening park goers seem to be more responsible in our experience.

It is a very nice dogs park. Lacks some shade though so it's better to pick a cooler temperature to…read morehead there. This is the reason for 4 starts. Other than that the park has everything you and your dog need: water station, playground bag station, shaded gazebo.

I've really fallen in love with this place. Great environment for anybody from children to casual…read moreexercise all the way to professional fighters. Awesome friendly atmosphere and great expertise from the instructors. I highly recommend anybody to check it out!

I was staying in town just for the night and was directed to this place by the local Cabelas. I…read morearrived not long before dark but the young lady at the office said it was ok to do some shooting. They have lighted trap and skeet, but rifle and pistol ranges aren't lighted. The range looks fairly new and very well kept. I was the only one there so I pulled my truck up so I could light the range with my headlights. I shot for about a half hour or so, until after dark. I'm sure I overstayed my welcome and apologized when i left -she couldn't have been nicer telling me "oh don't worry, it's no problem" Highly recommended