First up, the Omaha Zoo…
Fordy requested the zoo, and we weren’t totally sold (I’m not a big zoo fan), but as we approached the large desert dome we knew it would be a fitting thing to do on such a beautiful spring-like day. You will see the usual suspects: lions, tigers, monkeys and giraffes and a few more unexpected surprises. The swamp exhibit is pretty impressive including a somewhat (actually scary-huge) alligator that gave us thrills and chills by swimming a few feet from us, eyeing us through a wooden fence and somewhat flimsy wire screen. The desert and jungle exhibits organized by continents were very well thought out. We were this close to attempting to take a pygmy hippo home…
Just a side note: It was pretty early for everything to operate; there is a tram that cuts through the zoo grounds, a passenger train, and a pretty large aquarium that we were eager to see but it was sadly closed for repairs (but reopening in early April). As summer approaches, all those amenities will be operating at full force. You can visit the website for dates, here.
Next up even though it was super windy, we decided to fit in a stroll across the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge that crosses over the Missouri River and was built in 2008. Although we could feel the bridge ever so slightly sway to and fro, the sweet view of the Omaha Skyline made it worthwhile. It's a popular landmark proven by the steady flow of people making their way across the bridge. The kids thought it was fun that they could place one leg in Nebraska and one leg in Iowa on the bridge. It's also especially stunning at night!
One of my must things to do was to visit eCreamery, a local ice cream shop which has been splashed across pages of foodie magazines, see here for proof. With purported daily flavors like maple with chocolate covered bacon pieces, Big Mama’s sweet potato pie, and goat cheese, my curiousity was piqued and my taste buds salivating (plus, we could totally justify an ice cream pit stop after walking all day.)
I was enamored with the modern, bright and happy décor of the store; the walls are splashed with lime green tiles and in the summer you can lounge al fresco on what I guess are repro midcentury shell chairs (but you never know with a city with so many antiques). We didn’t so much dig the grim disposition of the guy serving the ice cream (He appeared to be performing an enema than serving ice cream…Dude, you work at one of the happiest places on earth!). Keith thought briefly about tackling the Dundee Dozen Sundae, an Adam Richman-sized monstrosity so his mug could be eternally posted on the billboard of champions (okay, so he did once successfully eat a Farrell’s Trough sundae- anyone remember those?).
Sadly, there was only one flavor of the day which was Banana Crunch Cheesecake and completely rave worthy, but I was hoping to find more unique flavors. Verdict: Worth the stop if you are expecting a ‘Coldstone Creamery’ experience and just a short drive from downtown. However, if there is a future Omaha visit in store for us, next time I will try Ted and Wally’s, an old-fashioned creamery that boasts a large variety of original concoctions. If you’re not in the Omaha area (and I haven’t succeeded in persuading you to visit this fine city) and you don’t mind forking over a few dollars, $49 for 4 pints, you can create your own custom flavors online at eCreamery.
Well, that pretty much rounds up our adventure in Omaha! In all, it was a wonderful city to relax in with much more personality and charm than I ever expected and we had a wonderful time. Thanks for stopping by and have a fantastic weekend!
Posted by Dawn.
