Bracing the chilly season in Omaha doesn’t have to be a daunting endeavor. As the winter unfolds, it’s easy to feel the walls closing in, but Omaha offers a treasure trove of activities to ward off the inevitable cabin fever. Whether you’re hunting for free adventures or something to spice up your winter days, I’ve compiled an extensive list of things to do in the winter in Omaha, Nebraska. Keep an eye out for the highlighted “FREE” options scattered throughout this guide, ensuring you don’t miss out on the fun that won’t cost you a dime.
UPDATED: This post was first published in November 2018 and has been updated in December 2024 with businesses that have closed. I work hard to keep this list updated, so please let me know if hours have changed or if you know of something new to add!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive payment for purchases made through the links.
You’ll find several sections in this list including things to do indoors and things to do outdoors. And of course, most of the Omaha places on this list are kid-friendly.
Indoor Things To Do In Omaha In The Winter
If you’re looking for unique things to do indoors in the winter, this is your list:
Giant activity centers
These are a lot of fun and are a mix of arcade games, food, and sometimes bowling. Most are located in West Omaha, including Amazing Pizza Machine, Bowlero, and Dave & Buster’s. Get some more ideas below:
- Amazing Pizza Machine, 13955 S. Plaza, Omaha
- Bowlero, 20902 Cumberland Drive, Elkhorn, Neb.
- Chuck E. Cheese, 225 N. 76th St., Omaha, Neb.
- Dave & Buster’s, 2502 S. 133rd Plaza, Omaha
- Spare Time Entertainment, 17202 Lakeside Hills Plaza, Omaha
Bounce houses, gyms & trampoline park
Tire the kids out at Sky Zone Trampoline Park and Urban Air Trampoline Park. Urban Air also has an indoor ropes course and a ninja course. Altitude Trampoline Park is another option, and often has good discount offers. For bounce houses with open play times, check out BounceU. You’ll have to sign wavers before playing at any of these places.
More for younger kids, gyms and indoor playgrounds are popping up everywhere to give kids a chance to run, tumble, and climb safely. For the kids’ gyms, you’ll want to check the open gym schedule before going.
- Altitude Trampoline Park, 5575 N. 90th St., Omaha, Neb.
- BounceU, 11144 Q St., Omaha, Neb.
- Chirpy’s Play Cafe, 2063 Creek Side Drive, Papillion, Neb.
- Core Kid’s Gym, 14242 Fort St., Suite 105, Omaha, Neb.
- The Hub Trampoline & Axe Throwing, 7 S. Fourth St., Council Bluffs, Iowa
- KIDS body shop, 1219 N. Monroe, Papillion, Neb.
- Kids Play, located inside Oak View Mall, 3001 S. 144th St., Omaha, Neb.
- Playful Pines, 7051 S. 181st St., Omaha, Neb.
- Sky Zone Trampoline Park
- Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure, 15364 Weir St., Omaha, Neb.
- We Rock The Spectrum, 10717 Virginia Plaza, Suite 113, La Vista, Neb.
Escape rooms
Escape rooms can be found all over Omaha now. I’ve tried two and would recommend them: Get Out Omaha and House of Conundrum, but there are several to choose from!
Escape rooms, generally, are better for older kids or going there with a group of your friends. Occasionally, one of the Omaha Public Library branches will have a one-day or weekend-long kid-friendly escape room set up during school breaks.
- Entrap Escape Rooms, 7905 L St., Suite 110, Omaha, Neb.
- Get Out: Omaha, 501 S. 13th St., Omaha, Neb.
- House of Conundrums, 2564 Leavenworth St., Omaha, Neb.
- Locked Room Omaha, 741 N. 120th St., Omaha, Neb.
- Mind Meld Escape Rooms, 2819 S. 125th Ave., Suite 353, Omaha, Neb.
- The Escape Omaha, 6315 Center St., Omaha, Neb.
Indoor games from axe throwing to fowling
Friendly competition is a fun thing for groups or as a couple. Whether you want to throw an axe or football, or take a swing at a golf ball (even virtually), there’s a place in Omaha. Most of these activities are fine for all ages, though axe throwing is best left to the teens and older crowd. Archery Games has a minimum age, as well.
- Archer Games, 11106 Q St., Omaha, Neb.
- Axe Games, 11106 Q St., Omaha, Neb.
- Beyond Golf Bar + Kitchen, 12040 McDermott Plaza, La Vista, Neb.
- Craft Axe Throwing, 2562 Leavenworth St., Suite 100, Omaha, Neb.
- Flying Timber Axe Throwing, 1507 Farnam St., Omaha, Neb.
- Fowling Warehouse, 5585 N. 90th St., Omaha, Neb.
- The Hub Trampoline & Axe Throwing, 7 S. Fourth St., Council Bluffs, Iowa
- Smash Park, 8121 S. 125th St., La Vista, Neb.
- Topgolf, 908 N. 102nd St., Omaha, Neb.
- X-Golf, 808 N. 102nd St., Omaha, Neb.
Indoor putt putt
Like the idea of playing mini golf around a pirate ship, dinosaurs or glow-in-the-dark stuff? Omaha has several indoor putting options, most of them stick to a really creative theme:
- Prehistoric Putt, 2500 S. 120th St., Omaha
- Medieval Putt, 20915 Cumberland Drive, Elkhorn, Neb.
- Pirate Putt, 1718 Madison Ave., Council Bluffs, Iowa
- The Fat Putter, 111 N. 10th St., Omaha, Neb.
Climbing Walls
The long-awaited Venture Parks’ new rock climbing walls at Mahoney State Park are open now at the park’s Activity Center (must pay state park admission fee, as well as fee for climbing). Approach Climbing Gym is another option for the public, as is MW Climbing, the area’s newest indoor climbing center.
UNO also has a climbing wall and its free for UNO students, and pretty inexpensive for non-students (kids must be at least 5 years old).
- Approach Climbing Gym, 4923 S. 72nd St., Omaha, Neb.
- Mahoney State Park,
- MW Climbing, 2809 S. 125th Ave., Suite 297, Omaha, Neb.
- UNO climbing located inside the Outdoor Venture Center, 6001 Dodge St.
Ice skating
Indoor ice skating in Omaha include Motto McLean Ice Arena, Moylan Iceplex, and Baxter Arena Currently, there’s outdoor ice skating at the Skate Ribbon at Heartland of America Park and free ice skating at Winterland at Heartwood Preserve in West Omaha.
- Baxter Arena, 2425 S. 67th St., Omaha, Neb.
- Motto McLean Ice Arena, 5015 S. 45th St., Omaha, Neb.
- Moylan Tranquility Iceplex, 12550 W. Maple Road, Omaha, Neb.
- Skate Ribbon, Eighth and Farnam streets, Omaha, Neb.
- Heartwood Preserve, 144th and Pacific streets, Omaha, Neb.
Play with cats & drink coffee
Yes there is a cat cafe in Omaha, and yes, you need to go (assuming you like cats). You order your coffee separately at the coffee shop next door, and then head to Felius. Pay for the amount of time you want to sit in the room, playing with the cats. It’s a relaxing place…again, assuming you like cats.
- Felius Cat Cafe, 5015 Dodge St., Omaha, Neb.
Bowling
There are several bowling alleys without the frills if you’re looking for inexpensive fun, and then there are a few with flashy add-ons like laser tag or a huge arcade. In recent years, duck pin bowling has been added to the mix. Classic bowling alleys in Omaha include Maplewood Lanes, West Lanes Bowlatorium, Papio Bowl, Chops Bowling Alley, and Western Bowl.
- Bob & Willie’s Wonderbowl, 10730 Pacific St. and 3724 Farnam St., Omaha, Neb. (Farnam location is 21+ only) (duck pin)
- Bowlero, 20902 Cumberland Drive, Elkhorn, Neb. and 1900 Madison Ave., Council Bluffs, Iowa
- Châm Pang Lanes, 910 Harney St., Omaha, Neb. (duck pin)
- Chops Bowling Alley, 2518 S. 13th St., Omaha, Neb.
- Maplewood Lanes, 3030 N. 101st St., Omaha, Neb.
- Papio Bowl, 204 E. Lincoln St., Papillion, Neb.
- Smash Park, 8121 S. 125th St., La Vista, Neb. (duck pin)
- West Lanes Bowlatorium, 151 N. 72nd St., Omaha, Neb.
- Western Bowl, 4725 S. 131 St., Omaha, Neb.
Indoor Ferris wheel
You don’t have to wait for summer and all the county fairs to find a Ferris wheel in Omaha. Head to Scheel’s at Village Pointe and you’ll find one. Rides are pretty reasonably priced.
- Scheel’s, 17202 Davenport S.t, Omaha, Neb.
Swimming
Omaha Parks and Recreation has three indoor pools: Common Ground, Mockingbird and Montclair. You can get a day pass or a punch card to these pools. The Kroc Center is another place that offers day passes to use the aquatic center. Another option is Goldfish Swim School, which holds Family Swim Hours a few days a week.
- Common Ground Common Ground Recreation and Aquatic Center, 1701 Veterans Drive, Elkhorn, Neb.
- Goldfish Swim School, 2502 S. 133rd Plaza, Suite 102, Omaha, Neb. and 10601 S. 72nd St., Papillion, Neb.
- Mockingbird Hills Community Center & Pool, 10242 Mockingbird Drive, Omaha, Neb.
- Montclair Community Center & Pool, 2304 S. 135th Ave., Omaha, Neb.
- The Salvation Army Kroc Center, 2825 Y St., Omaha, Neb.
Omaha Attractions and Museum for the winter
Staying, somewhat, with the indoor theme, check out some of these area attractions that are great to visit in the winter:
The conservatory at Lauritzen Gardens offers two different climates to experience while walking a path through lush gardens. If you visit during the holiday season, you can enjoy additional decorations and the impressive poinsettia tree. Kids love the model trains that have been moved indoors over the winter.
With five indoor attractions near the main entrance, it’s easy to see a lot of animals without spending much time outside at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium. Plus, the Desert Dome and indoor rainforest are fine places to go to forget about winter drearies. I love visiting in the winter so much, I wrote Five Great Things To Do At Omaha’s Zoo In The Winter.
Expect the Durham Museum to be busy between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve since it’s decked out for the holidays. After the New Year, it quiets down and you can enjoy exhibits without the crowds. Bring kids here to see the trains (full-size and model).
If you’ve got kids younger than 9, Omaha Children’s Museum is the best place to let them loose. After a few hours of playing, building, and learning, they’ll be all tuckered out. Kiewit Luminarium also has a climbing area that appeals to younger kids, but the entire museum itself is great for all ages.
Most winters, it’s great to head to Do Space for hands-on tech activities for kids. Check out kits to test out robots and play games. Adults head here to use the computers and 3D printer. Best of all – it’s FREE!
Joslyn Art Museum is my go-to for a calming experience. I just head right to my favorite galleries and seek out new details in familiar paintings. When I’m with my kids at Joslyn Art Museum, we headed to Art Works or checked out an activity backpack and do all the activities. Don’t forget, Joslyn is FREE.
There are also several other museums and creative art spaces that are wroth a stop, especially in the dead of winter when you could use a pop of color in your life. I included a few of those in this list as well.
- Do Space (located inside Omaha Public Library’s Abrahams Branch), 5111 N. 90th St., Omaha, Neb.
- Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge St., Omaha, Neb.
- Kiewit Lumiarium, 345 Riverfront Drive, Omaha, Neb.
- KANEKO, 1111 Jackson St., Omaha, Neb.
- Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St., Omaha, Neb.
- Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S. 20th St., Omaha, Neb.
- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, 3701 S. 10th St., Omaha, Neb.
- Schramm Park Education Center, 21502 W. Highway 31, Gretna, Neb.
- Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum, 28210 W. Park Highway, Ashland, Neb.
- The Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St., Omaha, Neb.
- Union Pacific Railroad Museum, 200 Pearl St., Council Bluffs, Iowa
Where to go in Omaha for outdoor winter activities
Bundle up for these outdoor activities you can do in Omaha in the winter.
Sledding
Popular hills include Memorial Park, Walnut Hill, Spring Lake Park, and Zorinski Park. Schools with great slopes include Black Elk Elementary School, Holling Heights Elementary School, St. Robert Bellarmine School, Papillion-La Vista South High, Portal Elementary School, Ralston Middle School, Laura Dodge Elementary School, Bryan High School, and Bellevue East High School.
It’s kind of stating the obvious, but sledding is FREE.
Mahoney State Park is another option for sledding, but you will need to have a state park permit on your vehicle (daily or annual) to get into the park. Likewise, Hitchcock Nature Center has the Chute Trail that’s perfect for sled rides, but you’ll need a park permit.
Snow shoe hiking
I don’t personally own snow shoes, so I seek out places that rent them. Two near Omaha are Hitchcock Nature Center in Honey Creek, Iowa (about 20 miles from Omaha) and Fontenelle Forest in Bellevue, Neb.
- Fontenelle Forest, 1111 Bellevue Blvd. N, Bellevue, Neb. (if you have young kids, don’t miss the lower level of their Visitor Center)
- Hitchcock Nature Center, 27792 Ski Hill Loop, Honey Creek, Iowa (if you have young kids, don’t miss their Visitor Center)
Skiing and snowboarding
The area’s only ski slopes, Mt. Crescent is located in Crescent, Iowa. You can rent skis and snowboards, plus sleds. Their sled hill is the only one I know of in the area that has a chair lift to get you to the top of the hill.
Tip: If you’re up for a longer drive, Seven Oaks Recreation is a great weekend ski trip destination in central Iowa.
- Mt. Crescent, 17026 Snowhill Lane Honey Creek, Iowa
Fun Winter Activities In Nebraska
Get out of Omaha for even more winter activities! There are a number of winter activities throughout Nebraska…outdoor ones, if you’re up for it.
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