People from Omaha have the city in their blood. Those born here often leave and find themselves feeling the yen to come back. The city’s gravitational pull on its residents is an open secret, and newcomers quickly feel it too. Omaha’s hidden gem of a music scene, its quaint Old Market in the heart of downtown, the low cost and high quality of life, and the vast array of scenic drives beyond the city’s borders are strong magnets.
I was born in Omaha, and I live there now. Like many Omahans, I didn’t come to appreciate the city until I was older. I left and came back, realizing that it wasn’t just an OK place to live; it was a great place to live.
I’ve also called Lincoln home, as a student at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, the state’s flagship school. Now I work in the capital city, commuting back and forth five days a week between Nebraska’s two largest metropolitan areas.
When I was offered the chance to write a book about Omaha, I almost couldn’t believe it. For three years, I worked as the media relations director for the Nebraska Division of Travel and Tourism, acting as an ambassador for the state both inside and outside its borders. I put thousands of miles on state vehicles, visiting places I’d never even considered visiting, and learning as much as I could about where I was born. The friendly, local experts in tiny towns across Nebraska were my most valuable resource, and with their help I found myself hunting for the highest point in Nebraska, running my fingers over ruts worn from wagons that traversed the Oregon Trail, and hanging out with astronomy lovers searching for stars in some of the darkest patches of night sky left in the entire world.
I brought travel writers and media to the state and introduced them to what it had to offer; those trips focused mostly on Omaha and Lincoln. Usually before they left, they told me two things: that they had no idea what Nebraska was like, and that they planned to come back soon.
I also learned a lot about my hometown during those three years. When I told other Nebraskans I lived in Omaha, they almost always asked me questions about it: where to stay, what to do, where to eat. Non-Nebraskans asked me the same questions, and I wanted to have good answers at hand. I became a de-facto Omaha expert.
For me, this book is truly the perfect assignment.
If you haven’t ever been to Nebraska—truth is, many haven’t—this book is a good place to begin. Nebraskans are known for their honest Midwestern hospitality, and you’ll find that in Omaha and Lincoln both. You’ll also find a large amount of things to do: good restaurants and great steaks, an adventurous live music scene, a strong local commitment to art and architecture, and some of the country’s top tourist attractions.
People come to eastern Nebraska for myriad reasons: to serve at the Air Force Base in Bellevue; to enroll as a student at the University of Nebraska; or to work in telecommunications or health care, two of the area’s largest industries. They hit Omaha in the spring to check out the annual NCAA College World Series, and Lincoln in the fall for a Nebraska Cornhuskers football game. Every summer they descend on Omaha to get some stock tips from Warren Buffett during his annual Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders meeting and convention. (Those “Oracle of Omaha” fans also can’t wait to cut into a juicy steak at his favorite locally owned, meaty outpost.)
Whatever the reason you find yourself in Nebraska, you’ll be surprised. And I guarantee whether or not you’re a permanent transplant or simply a tourist, you’ll leave with a bit of the Cornhusker state in your blood, too.