Lake Manawa State Park in Council Bluffs has something for everyone who loves the outdoors. Have a…read moreboat? Launch it in the 753 acre oxbow lake for sailing, canoeing, or water skiing. Paddle boats are available to rent. Swim at the lifeguard protected swimming beach. Fish from the dock or from a boat in a quiet backwater. The campground offers modern bathrooms. There are hiking and biking trails that connect to the trail system in Council Bluffs. The picnic area has shelters for bigger groups and the Dream Playground is a wonderful place for kids with abilities and disabilities to really let loose and have fun. Lake Manawa is truly a great spot to enjoy being outside with family and friends.

This is probably the best park we've been to in a while! I love all of the slides and hidden…read morefeatures! Our kids are 2 and 3 and they loved it!

Nice little gem to enjoy peace and quiet and good scenery. Good place to get away from people and…read moreenjoy a hike. Good, clear trails and a great view of the lake as you approach.

I enjoyed the disc golf course at this place! It is not directly location on the lake site, but…read morejust one road over. It's an open area with a fun course with lots of obstacles and the occasional turkey crossing! I wish the parking lot was a little bigger as when it gets busy it's hard to maneuver. Overall good course for Omaha!

Prairie Queen Rec Area is wonderful, a nice little 4 mile loop around the perimeter with no forks…read morein the path that will confuse you (talking to you, Walnut Creek and Chalco Hills, hah). This a perfect place for a run, walk, or bike ride with nice wide paved paths. The lake is good for small boats, kayak, paddle boarding, and fishing. There are some exit points around the perimeter that clearly go into the adjacent suburbs. Not many trees (aka little to no shade), but a nice peaceful walk regardless.

Harrison County's newest attraction with an outstanding Welcome Center located near camping, trails…read moreand a pond for fishing.

This is one of the best parks that I've rented a cabin from in a long time. Both the Park and the…read morecabins are well maintained. The only issue to reach the fire ring you must walk a steep decline with rough ground.

This quaint community is next door to the city limits of Omaha and the Omaha airport. Several parks…read moreopen to the public is available. If you want to have a good view of the lake, barbeque, have kids play basketball, use the skateboard park, or BMX bike course, visit Mabrey Park located on the corner 9f Willow Drive and 18th Street. They close by 10 pm and allow watercraft to be lowered by the ramps into the lake. Outdoor picnic seating is also available around the park area. No swimming is allowed at this park. You will have to visit Wavecrest Park for that.

Carter Lake is a former channel of the Missouri River and was formed by flooding of the Missouri…read moreRiver in the summer of 1877. The city of Carter Lake, Iowa takes its name from the lake and there is an interesting background story to this lake located near the Omaha Airport. In 1930, Carter Lake was incorporated as a city in the state of Iowa, a status it has retained ever since but there has been lots of fighting over it. Carter Lakes Colorful History states that "Carter Lake was once called Cut-Off Island - a fitting name for a place torn between two cities and two states, yet connected to neither." Iowa and Nebraska constantly battled for the city named Carter Lake and it's water feature born of a change of course of the Missouri River. The ensuing legal battle over whether Iowa or Nebraska had jurisdiction over Cut-Off Island went to the Supreme Court. In a 1892 ruling, the court sided with Iowa on the basis that state lines remain the same when a river avulsed, or dramatically altered, its path in 1877. Therefore, the land had never left Iowa, despite its position on the Nebraska side of the river. It is weird driving through the area, as you are in Nebraska one minute and Iowa the very next. Carter Lake has not escaped water pollution problems and in 2005, the lake had reached a crisis level. Due to a number of factors, the lake water level was both dangerously low and polluted with toxic algae. Placed on Nebraska's Section 303(d) List of Impaired Waters for elevated concentrations of nutrients, the lake was no longer a place for recreation and beauty, but a haven for floating contaminants. Interested citizens formed the "Carter Lake Environmental Assessment and Rehabilitation Council," and a community based watershed plan was organized to help improve the water quality. Now Carter Lake is a recreational hub for the area. The park is a great place to launch a boat for water sports and fishing, and also has baseball and football fields, basketball courts, and areas for picnics and larger gatherings. It is a beautiful gem of a lake and worth 5 YELP STARS.