There are a few spots to see on the Omaha side of the Missouri River, all of which are connected via a pedestrian/bike trail. It’s a bit of a hike; there’s a very reasonably priced bike share program in Omaha that you may wish to take advantage of if you choose to visit these locations.
Just south of Old Town is a campus of buildings primarily housing offices of food conglomerate Conagra Brands. East of those buildings is Heartland of America Park which has an enormous lake with a water feature in the center, which continuously sprays water straight up into the sky at alternating heights. When it reaches its highest peak the wind tends to sweep mist across the park — a refreshing treat on a hot sunny day.
Heading north through the park there’s a series of World War II memorials. Even after reading the plaques I wasn’t exactly sure why these memorials were located here, they just felt… out of place?
So I wasn’t too surprised to learn there’s already a plan to move these to a dedicated memorial park.
Continuing further north there’s a long wooden bridge that goes over a train line and under a freeway overpass. Some parts of the bridge feature covered sections, which are a bit redundant since the bridge itself is partly covered by the overpass. I assume this is more of an homage to America’s past than a functional aspect of the design.
On the other side of the bridge is a red and white paved area called Lewis and Clark Landing. During my visit this was partly under construction and not very active aside from some joggers using the space.
Continuing north along the path you’ll head under a curvy suspension bridge named after former Nebraska governor and senator Bob Kerrey. He’s somewhat of an albatross as a successful Democrat politician in a red state — his views on abortion seem a particularly touchy subject among the locals.
The bridge itself is only open to pedestrians and bicyclists when weather permits. So what makes the bridge interesting?
In Omaha the Missouri River is the border between Nebraska and Iowa. This is marked on the bridge’s pavement and is a popular photo spot. Indeed, I had to wait a while to take the inevitable “standing on a border” photo myself.
My recommendation: I think there’s three key reasons to see these three attractions: exercise, seeing the Missouri River, and going over the Bob Kerrey bridge to stand in two states at once. It’s a pleasant way to spend an hour or two outdoors if you’re in the area.
