Aurora's Bark Park is an amazing, free dog park for those in Aurora! There is a smaller dog run for…read moreless active dogs, and a large dog run for active dogs. Each run has benches for humans to sit on as well. They also have bags for waste removal and a doggy drinking fountain. Our dog absolutely loves going here!!

Decent stop for a quick snack and restroom. Very small shop with one stall for men's/women's…read morebathrooms but not crowded and got in and out quickly! They also advertise a dog park outside which would be a pro when travelling with pets!

Stopped at this gem on the southside of I-80 at the Gothenburg exit. Very clean and friendly…read morestaff. Especially appreciative for the wonderful dog park! Our two golden retrievers were able to run free and play while we were filling up our vehicle. If you're travelling with dogs across Nebraska, make Blake's in Gothenburg your stop!

What a beautiful park! We went to take the dog for a walk and a little swim. Lovely walking and…read morebiking trails. Beautiful trees, plants, grassy areas, and artwork/sculptures. Several areas for picnicking and children to play. There's a gorgeous flower garden with a winding path through it. Part of that area included troughs with vegetables growing in it. The produce is used by schools and a community food pantry. There were some buildings in the park, but I'm not sure what they are for. It was well-maintained. Plenty of parking in several spots.

Had a mini reunion with family near the splash pad, everything was wonderful! Highly recommend for…read morefamily, friends, kids, and pets!

We love this beautiful park the best in all of Nebraska . They keep it very well maintained …read more Thanks for the awesome memories. Have a blessed day

Beautiful little park located in Downtown Kearney, NE. Nice place to check out even if you're just…read morepassing through. Easy access from I-80/NE-44. Great views of the lighthouse just off 33rd St and 6th Ave. Also has a Skate Park at this same intersection. Also on site is 3 tennis courts, playground and more fun for the family.

We visited The Archway and came away with mixed feelings--mostly because this just isn't a great…read morefit for families with very young kids. Ours are aged 8 and 2. When you enter, you're given a handheld device to scan exhibit numbers and listen to narration. In theory, it's a cool idea. In reality, it was tough to manage while chasing kids who were already 10-15 steps ahead. The device didn't always work smoothly, and trying to troubleshoot it mid-visit was frustrating. I eventually gave up and just narrated what I could myself. I expected we'd move through quickly because of the kids' ages, but the bigger issue is that the museum really isn't designed for younger audiences. Lots of stuff to read, pictures, very few artifacts, and of course, the handheld narration. That said--the displays themselves are beautifully done. You start by riding a very tall escalator "up a mountain" into the exhibit, which is a memorable entrance. I also went in thinking it would focus mostly on pioneers, but it's actually a broader (and well-done) journey through transportation history--pioneers, the railroad, automobiles, road trips, and more. One of the coolest features is that the museum spans over Interstate 80, and there are windows where you can look out over the traffic below. Where it fell short for me was in representation and storytelling. There was very little inclusion of Black history--only a brief mention of a Black pioneer. When covering the rise of car travel, it felt like a missed opportunity not to include the history of the Green Book. The exhibits often present travel as carefree and joyful, but that wasn't the reality for everyone. There's also a mining activity area (the typical "buy a bag and wash rocks" setup), which felt overpriced. One unexpected highlight: seeing people fishing outside the building. You can actually buy poles and bait inside, which my son was very interested in (we skipped it this time, but maybe next visit).

I've driven past The Archway more times than I can count, and every single time it's a moment of…read more"I've made it to Kearney!" It's one of those landmarks that immediately catches your eye and gives you that sense of arrival. Even though I haven't had the chance to go inside yet, the view of the arch from the highway is absolutely stunning, especially when the light hits it just right. I can already tell that the next time I'm in town, I'll definitely be stopping in to explore what's inside. If the exterior is this impressive, I can only imagine what the inside has to offer.

Good place to go. It's its been raining(a lot) we go elsewhere as it can get kinda deep some places…read moreand are not as usable but then there's usually more available spots cuz most want to go when it's clear and sunshine. We have gone there over the past 20 years always a great place and plenty of breathing room between campers.

This is a beautiful park. The office was closed when we got there, but they have instructions on…read morewhat to do and how to pay for the services you want. We only needed to stay one night since we were just passing through, but we hope to get a chance to visit again.

Just to be clear, there are two different places in the area that are easy to confuse--Fort Kearny…read moreState Recreation Area is not the same as the Fort Kearny State Historical Park, even though they are close together and technically the same park. You can not access the hike/bike bridge in the Fort Kearny State Recreation Area from the Fort Kearny State Historical Park. We visited during the Spring Sandhill Crane migration, but since my son was also studying the Civil War, I wanted to squeeze in some history while we were in the area too. First, the Fort Kearny State Historical Park was really enjoyable for me. It was larger than I expected and has clearly marked areas showing where original buildings once stood. There's also a blacksmith shop with a covered wagon and several other historic features to explore along the way. The fort itself still stands, and you can walk inside and even climb up the lookout points on each corner. Inside, there's a lot of Nebraska history and artifacts from that time period. It didn't hold my son's attention quite as long as I had hoped, but I'm still very glad we visited. A Nebraska State Park Permit is required to park here, which can be purchased online ahead of time (what I did) or at the Fort Kearny Visitors Center or kiosk. The permit is good for 1.5 days. The interpretive center is open from 9 AM to 5 PM. This site has a lot of history--built by the Army in 1848, Fort Kearny served as a safe haven for Overland Trail travelers, Pony Express riders, and gold prospectors. Soldiers helped travelers, repaired wagons, and provided protection as people moved west. It also later served as a station for the Pony Express and supported workers building the transcontinental railroad. One unexpected highlight was seeing Sandhill cranes in the surrounding fields. It added a really interesting layer to the experience--thinking about how settlers may have experienced this same migration compared to us today. The cranes have been making this journey for thousands of years, which is incredible to reflect on. Just down the highway is the Fort Kearny State Recreation Area. There's a hike/bike trail with a paved, accessible 1.5-1.8 mile path that leads to a former railroad bridge over the Platte River. This is a well-known viewing area for the Sandhill crane fly-in and fly-out. We visited later in March and didn't see the massive peak migration numbers, but we still saw hundreds of cranes flying into the area at dusk, which was an incredible sight. It does get very crowded near sunset, especially on the bridge itself, so expect a lot of people and limited space. The experience felt a little rushed with kids, but I'm really glad we stayed through sunset to witness it. Watching the cranes come in over the river is something I won't forget.

"You have died of dysentery."…read more OK, if you're a Yelper of a Certain Age, you might remember that delightful game Oregon Trail, all monochrome green or orange in your tiny Apple IIc computer. Fort Kerney brings it to life. Visiting here, you can imagine the old 49ers heading west, stopping here for supplies and a little rest before heading west into the frontier. There's a lot of history here-- the Pony Express, connections to the Transcontinental Railroad, and the Westward expansion. The visitor center is well done, and the grounds have been variably preserved and restored to a condition that whisks you back in time to a very different era of American history. It wasn't all pretty, it wasn't all easy... but it's inexorably linked to who we are, who we aren't, and who we're all striving to be. Worth the stop for a stretch of the legs and the imagination.

Always a great place for families/couples/kids. Just all the way around a great experience. Clean…read moreand very well maintained play equipment.

Wow what a diamond in the ruff! We were passing through stopping off highway 80 for a break from…read moredriving and we found this gem. To our surprise when we arrived there was a miniature train running around the park. We bought 4 tickets, $1 for kids, $2 for adults. There was even a man dressed as the train conductor, tooting the horn and getting the kids excited for the ride! Once we were done with our train ride we headed over to the playground that was fairly large insize. Lots of bridges, ladders, hideouts and slides. Was a blast for my kid. We finished the stop up with a popsicle from the concession stand. Also worth noting there are indoor bathrooms, although extremely dated and poorly designed. That is about the only negative on this fun stop. Highly recommended detour if you are headed down 80.

Great place to visit, especially if you are here during Sandhill Crane Migration…read more Lots of interesting and informative exhibits, nice gift shop, walking trails, etc. Parking Lot, building, restrooms and such are very accessible. The volunteers are extremely helpful and are obviously very devoted to the cranes, other birds, and the natural environment here. I spoke with Cyndi, warm and enthusiastic, who made my visit here even more special. There are blinds here that you can reserve and ideally can give you an excellent viewing opportunity at dawn and dusk to see the cranes. You have to make reservations for these a LONG time in advance, we hadn't done that so we went to a different viewing area for the dusk return-to-the-river. Our GPS took us on a really roundabout route - absurdly so, really. Which honestly was not a problem, as it routed us on rounds along the cornfields and that's where the cranes are during the day. But if you are in a hurry to get here you might want to see what route your GPS has planned for you.

Came screaming down I-80 with purpose and propulsion this past summer, putting another 8500 miles…read moreon the old odometer. Somewhere in Nebraska, the kids were getting antsy in the back seat, and we needed a place to stretch our legs and eat a little lunch anyway. A poor cell signal revealed we were relatively close to Rowe Sanctuary, and after a couple of wrong turns and the acceptance that things on roads out here are always farther than they look on maps, we found it. Evidently, this place is quite a zoo when the beautiful sand hill cranes migrate through here in early spring (March-April). Really no one here during our visit in July, but enough natural beauty in the restored Platte river habitat, framed by some promising cumulonimbus clouds (we love summer thunderstorms... we don't get much of that in SoCal.) We walked a bit on a trail towards a marshy looking area that was pretty dry considering, then found a shady spot on a bench to eat a picnic lunch. As a card carrying member of the Audubon society, I always appreciate seeing little places like this designed to protect our natural resources.

Pretty park located next to Hastings College! This park consists of trees and grassy areas…read moresurrounding a long pond with fountains. The sidewalk runs between the water and a street lined with historical homes. I was told that one circle around the park is approximately one mile. Heartwell park also features a couple bridges, plenty of benches, swings, a playground, a small swimming pool, and pet waste stations. Cute place to walk, bike, or feed ducks!