The Wild Beauty and
Wide-Open Charm of Nebraska
Discover striking sandhills, working ranches, and prairie-born cuisine in one of America’s most unexpectedly captivating destinations
Morning light spills across the rolling Sandhills of Nebraska, the largest dune field in the Western Hemisphere, painting the grass gold. The stillness is broken only by the distant rustle of a bison herd on the move. This is just one breathtaking scene awaiting discovery in Nebraska, home to peaceful backroads, welcoming downtowns, quirky attractions, and plenty of wide-open spaces.
Those sweeping prairies give rise to some of the state’s most striking landmarks. There’s Chimney Rock, the otherworldly spire that once guided pioneers westward in covered wagons, and Carhenge, a decidedly offbeat homage to Stonehenge, just to name two. But Nebraska’s agritourism and ecotourism experiences invite travelers to do more than take in the scenery. At Our Heritage Guest Ranch, Jean Norman welcomes guests onto land first homesteaded by her Swedish ancestors 140 years ago. Located near Toadstool Geologic Park and the Oglala National Grasslands, the ranch offers a true working-farm experience; visitors can help with chores, assist during calving season, set off for the local saloon on horseback, and search for fossils beneath the wide prairie sky.
For bird lovers, Prairie Wind Birding Tours gives front-row access to one of nature’s most captivating displays. Each spring, prairie chickens gather on booming grounds called leks, where the males perform elaborate courtship dances in a flurry of color and sound. Watching the spectacle unfold at sunrise is both exhilarating and peaceful. So, too, is the Nebraskan spin on river tubing known as tanking—that is, floating downstream in a converted livestock tank.
Nebraska’s culinary experiences are equally rooted in nature. Farm-to-table is more than a catchphrase here; it’s just how the people have always done it. Across the state, savor homegrown produce, locally raised meats, and family recipes from generations of farmers and ranchers. Whether exploring working farms, sampling vintages in Nebraska wine country (yes, it’s home to its own wine region), or dining in small-town cafés and urban kitchens, visitors discover the true meaning of fresh from the source.
Chimney Rock National Historic Site.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
VISIT NEBRASKA
His dream for me was to make me an all-around cowboy.
Mo brings plenty
Discover Nebraska at
VisitNebraska.com
VisitNebraska.com
From top:
Toadstool
Geologic Park;
Carhenge.
From left: Niobrara Valley Vineyards;
The Committee Chophouse at
The Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel.
A trip to the thirty-seventh state is sure to challenge expectations and reveal a destination that is as surprising as it is serene. In the stillness of the prairie, the rush of a river, or the graceful flight of cranes at dawn, travelers encounter a uniquely American beauty.