Free & Cheap Things to Do in Omaha

Parks & Nature

Omaha's showpiece downtown park covers 9.6 acres along the riverfront and is completely free to enjoy. The recently renovated space features a state-of-the-art playground, interactive splash pad, sculpture garden, food truck plaza, and a large dog park — all set against sweeping views of the Missouri River.

Address: 1302 Farnam St, Omaha, NE 68102

Tip: Visit on a weekend when food trucks line the plaza. The splash pad is a summer hit for families with kids. Free to visit year-round from dawn to dusk.

Arts & Culture

One of the best free art museums in the Midwest, Joslyn offers permanent galleries spanning ancient to contemporary art — entirely free to all visitors, always, thanks to the Holland Foundation. The stunning Art Deco pink marble building is a landmark in itself, and rotating exhibitions keep things fresh year-round.

Address: 2200 Dodge St, Omaha, NE 68102

Tip: Free admission applies during all regular museum hours — no reservation needed. Check the calendar for free family programming and special exhibition events.

Arts & Culture

Omaha's most charming neighborhood is completely free to explore. Wander cobblestone streets lined with galleries, boutiques, and cafes; duck into the magical Old Market Passageway with its twinkling lights and lush greenery; and find the quirky Garden of the Zodiac sculptures tucked into a quiet courtyard. Street musicians and performers add to the lively atmosphere on warm evenings.

Address: 11th–13th & Howard–Jackson, Omaha, NE 68102

Tip: Saturday mornings May through October bring a lively farmers market. The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge is a short walk away — a free 3,000-foot bridge you can walk across to technically visit Iowa and back.

Parks & Nature

One of the country's youngest and best botanical gardens — 100 acres of themed gardens overlooking the Missouri River at the southern edge of Omaha, including a Victorian Garden, a model railroad garden, a 17,500-square-foot conservatory with rainforest and desert biomes, and a stunning Garden in the Glen ravine garden. Open year-round with extended Monday and Tuesday evening hours April through October.

Address: 100 Bancroft St, Omaha, NE 68108

Tip: All ticket prices add 7% Omaha sales tax at checkout (so $18 adults works out to ~$19.26). The conservatory is the highlight in winter; the outdoor gardens peak May–June. Free on-site parking. Thomas Dambo's TROLLS: Save the Humans sculpture installation is included with admission through May 18.

History & Culture

Housed in Omaha's restored 1931 art-deco Union Station — itself a marvel of pink Italian marble, soaring ceilings, and original train-station details — the Durham Museum tells Omaha's story through full-size restored passenger train cars on the original platforms, a working 1940s soda fountain that still serves phosphates, period storefronts you can walk into, and Smithsonian-affiliated rotating exhibitions.

Address: 801 S 10th St, Omaha, NE 68108

Tip: Open Tuesday–Saturday 10am–4pm and Sunday 1–4pm; closed Mondays. The Union Station Great Hall and the train cars on the lower level are the must-sees — plan 90 minutes minimum. Free on-site parking in the lot off 10th and Pierce. The soda fountain phosphates are $5 and worth it.

Quirky Landmarks

A 3,000-foot suspension footbridge across the Missouri River connecting Omaha's RiverFront to Council Bluffs, Iowa — and the most photographed 'one foot in each state' spot in America. The 3-acre Omaha Plaza on the Nebraska side has an interactive water-jet fountain, a sprayground, food-truck plaza, and connects to over 150 miles of regional bike trails. Summer Friday-night live music in the Plaza is free.

Address: 705 Riverfront Dr, Omaha, NE 68102

Tip: Park at Lewis & Clark Landing on the Omaha side and walk halfway across for the classic 'foot in each state' photo at the centerline. Free to walk or bike 24/7. The bridge is illuminated nightly in a slow color-shifting display. Avoid during thunderstorms — the bridge sways noticeably.

History & Culture

One of the ten largest cathedrals in the United States, this Spanish Renaissance Revival masterpiece soars at 222 feet tall with twin bell towers and an interior packed with hand-carved Italian marble, stained glass from Munich and Innsbruck, and 14 Stations of the Cross that took 30 years to complete. Construction began in 1905 and the cathedral was finally consecrated in 1959. Self-guided visits welcome any day outside Mass times.

Address: 701 N 40th St, Omaha, NE 68131

Tip: Open daily during daylight hours; Mass times posted online (Sun 8:30am & 10:30am, Sat 5:30pm, weekdays 11:15am). Free guided tours can be scheduled in advance through the parish office. The acoustic is legendary — the cathedral hosts a free Christmas concert series each December. Free street parking on 40th.

Arts & Culture

A converted warehouse north of downtown Omaha houses three floors of working artist studios — glassblowers, ceramicists, painters, printmakers, jewelers, and sculptors — all open for browsing during regular hours. Watch artists at work, buy directly from them, and tour the on-site galleries with rotating exhibitions. The name refers to the hot-glass furnaces of the Crystal Forge studio on the ground floor.

Address: 1301 Nicholas St, Omaha, NE 68102

Tip: Open weekdays 10am–6pm and weekends 11am–5pm. First Friday Open House events on the first Friday of each month bring food trucks and live demos — that's the best time to visit. Free parking on Nicholas St. The third-floor galleries and the Crystal Forge glassblowing studio are the highlights.