Omaha Archives - Olio in Iowa

December 31, 2018

Olio in Iowa’s Best of 2018

2018 held some pretty big adventures! Read the most popular posts from Olio in Iowa's last year.

Maybe it’s the fact that my birthday also falls around the New Year, but I always enjoy taking time to reflect and look back on all I’ve accomplished in the previous 12 months. While I didn’t travel as much in 2018 as I did other years, I still had some memorable adventures.

I spent a week in Las Vegas, explored new corners of Iowa, and took a fantastic road trip around Kansas. Our year also included some less exciting adventures like having home mold remediation done (twice) and living in a hotel for weeks. But those are stories for another time.

In 2018, all of you really enjoyed posts about food (message received), and loved content that came with a dash of the unexpected. As always, I’m so thankful for your choice to support my adventures and the places I visit by continuing to read. So, without further ado, I hope you enjoy revisiting Olio in Iowa’s best of 2018.

April 6, 2018

Build Your Bucket List With 100 Things to Do in Omaha Before You Die

Over the years I’ve spent a good amount of time across the Nebraska border in Omaha for work. But it wasn’t until recently that I started exploring all of the fun things the city has to offer. Now with a new book titled 100 Things to Do in Omaha Before You Die I have even more places to add to my must-visit list.

Written by Tim and Lisa Trudell of The Walking Tourists, this new book gives a delightful glimpse into the epic eateries, charming cultural attractions, and heaps of historical locations Omaha has to offer.Continue Reading…

July 31, 2017

Discover the Unique History of Omaha with Nebraska Tour Company

Disclosure: I received a free ticket to the Nebraska Tour Company‘s Omaha Gems City Tour in exchange for a review. However, all opinions are my own.

When it comes to getting to know a new city, wandering its streets is one of my favorite ways to get acquainted. But it always helps to have a knowledgeable tour guide. Recently I spent the day in Omaha with the Nebraska Tour Company to learn more about the city’s hidden gems.

The company offers a variety of tours from walking tours to themed brewery or winery tours, but on this particular trip we decided to delve deep into the city’s history. The Omaha Gems City Tour offers a comprehensive look at some of the city’s highlights and begins at the Omaha Visitors Center.Continue Reading…

March 10, 2017

5 Spring Break Inspired Weekend Getaways

Ever since I can remember, all of my classmates and I desperately looked forward to spring break. Not only did it mean a week off school, but spring break always seemed to signify the impending, endless possibilities of summer. Now that I’m out of school and have to be a “real” adult, I don’t get a coveted week off every spring. But that doesn’t mean I can’t plan a getaway of my own to celebrate the warmer weather to come.Continue Reading…

March 25, 2013

Road Trip 2013: Des Moines to Cheyenne

After more than 52 hours in the car, seven days of togetherness and more pounds of gummy bears than I would like to admit, I’m back in Des Moines. Our road trip to San Francisco was a phenomenal success and I can’t wait to share all of our adventures.

Our first stop was in Omaha to photograph Stored Potential for an upcoming article in Think magazine. This 80-foot art installation on an out-of-use grain elevator is seriously cool, especially if you take the time to get up close and personal.

Next we stopped in Boys Town, NE to see the World’s Largest Ball of Stamps. It’s shaping up to be a crazy spring break – I know – but I have a secret love of “world’s largest” things and thankfully my friends indulged me. The ball weighs in at 600 pounds and was constructed over the course of three years starting from the core of a golfball.

To continue our nerdy trip, we made a stop in Lincoln to visit the Nebraska State Capitol. After the most terrifying elevator ride ever to the 14th floor, we walked around the capitol’s outdoor observatory and enjoyed not being in the car for an hour or so.

Always a lover of roadside attractions we stopped in North Platte, NE for dinner and couldn’t resist a trip to Fort Cody – a combination general store and museum just off of I-80. Slightly creepy? Absolutely. But worth a stop? Definitely.