We stopped by Fonner Park on our way to Kearney to catch some live thoroughbred racing, and it made…read morefor a fun and memorable spring stop. A few quick tips: admission is free, gates open at noon, and races usually start around 1:30 PM. There is a hut looking thing at the gates where you can pick up a program for $1 but it's not necessary if you're not bidding. Now, something I think more people should know: horse racing isn't as fancy as it sometimes looks on TV. The horses are beautiful, and yes--you can dress up and lean into that vibe--but the setting itself is pretty casual and real. Think concrete floors, the smell of horses, smoking, and plenty of people enjoying drinks while they watch the races. It's more laid-back, community hangout than polished event--and honestly, that's part of the charm. We arrived early and visited the paddock first--it's a great spot to see the jockeys prepping the horses and gives kids (and first-timers) a closer look at the action. The paddock area is fairly simple (just an enclosed space on the lower level with a wall of windows), but still worth checking out. On this floor, you'll find concessions, picnic tables, and access to the paddock. The upper floor is where the indoor seating and restaurants are. Seating can be a little confusing at first--there's a mix of benches, first-come spots, and reserved sections--but if you stay flexible and ask questions, you'll figure it out. We ended up watching races from the outdoor area on the lower level, which we preferred. The crowd is a mix of all ages, and it felt very family-friendly overall. We grabbed lunch at the on-site Finish Line Restaurant. The food was just okay, but the service really stood out--our servers were busy but one gal went above and beyond for our kids (the applesauce and cookies were a nice touch). We stayed for a couple of races and headed out, but it's easy to see why this is a go-to spring tradition for a lot of people. Whether you're there for the horses, the atmosphere, or just a casual day out, it's a unique Nebraska experience.

Race tracks. This one draws packed houses on a regular basis. Live races run in the spring. Bar…read morefood, bud lights, and bad bets flow freely. If you are into horse races, come and try it. I am not, so I am a bit dazed and confused by this all.

Since the nags are running again on February 13th, I thought I should stop by for an update…read more Simulcast racing and keno still going strong. it's an OTB and not a brew pub, so beer selections are limited to domestic stuff, but they do have Boulevard Wheat (don't even try the 312 Wheat beer, it sucks). The thing I like about the OTB is that it's quiet, no jerk-offs shooting their mouths off. Focus on your betting. If you hear a cracker Southern accent it is someone who knows more about horses than you will learn in a lifetime. And it's not all old men hanging around, it's 40% women and most are smokin and any woman who loves horses and a shot of Bourbon makes my day at the races Once you leave the plush-ass club-house area it's a real racing track, with the old-time tote boards and everything. As one of my gals said to me: "This reminds me of Fair Grounds in New Orleans." Damn straight.

Food was surprisingly good I had chicken sandwich with Swiss cheese and bacon wife had a wrap…read morebartender I think his name was Caleb very polite and right there asking if you need anything else we had a good time

Nice facility that we went yesterday to work 2 of our barrel race ponys for a short session in…read moreoutdoor arena. Was perfect for our needs and closer than other options we have available.

We are at the State Cheer and Dance Competition and a dancer vomited on the performance floor and…read morethe staff used a dry towel to smear the vomit alll over the several places she vomited while dancing. The staff did not adequately clean the performance floor and allowed subsequent numbers to perform on the floor after. I called the event staff and they said they would take care of it but they DID NOT. If this were a baseball game and a player vomited on the floor, it would have been cleaned appropriately . It took them 20 minutes to bring a wet mop to the floor and then they did not even use the wet mop on the floor or clean anything it at all. Disgusting!!

Really cool place where they held former indoor arena football, concerts, and basketball events…read morelike the Heartland Hoops Classic which was the reason for my stop here. Place holds 6,000, and it was up to capacity with courtside seats and suites as well. The arena is also set up with several concessions and a cool box office area. Plus a great LED message board and video boards as well. Was incredibly warm, the staff was friendly, and speaking personally- they had a great accommodation for media personnel and those who were there to either cover or broadcast the games.

Still the best (and now only) theater in town but uncomfortable seats keep it from perfection. With…read morean Art Deco style that is immediately eye-catching, a quality screen, loud sound system, and great pricing, this is a great single-screen theater that's only open on weekends. It's also the only theater in town at the time of this update. The only downside is the seating. Despite being updated, they are not modern, reclining plush seats. I get why this was done, so as to not clash with the retro vibe, but the nearby Rivoli theater in Hastings updated to more modern seating despite being old-school as well, and its charm and vibe remained intact so I do wish the same would've been done here because the seats can get very uncomfortable after a while. Worse, if a showing is particularly busy, you'll be so close to someone that you may as well be sitting on their lap due to how close the seats are to each other. Skinny legends need not worry, but RIP anyone who is tall, broad, or even a little plus-sized because you will be shoulder to shoulder. Still, despite the shortcomings of its seating, this theater is still excellent. Tickets are inexpensive at $5 a pop and concessions are also very affordable. It's definitely great place to catch a movie, just keep in mind it may be a little uncomfortable. Oh, and also a little annoying if there are any rowdy kids around.

Life is transient and impermanent. "Everything passes like the flowering waters of a steep…read morewaterfall." This is the only existing downtown movie theater, dating from pre-WWII. The other theater which continued to the 1980's, The Capitol, was built as a Vaudeville theater and had a groovy 1920's balcony. It is now a parking lot, and I suspect it will remain in that state. Every city in America has the same sob story. The Grand, however, survived. It even has its share of first-run movies, and the local volunteer network who works on its upkeep likes to do nice things like replace and repair the art-deco lights and generally make it a decent place to go see a show (including the occasional live music performance).

We made the mistake of attending the archway museum before coming to Hastings museum, expecting to…read morehave the same experience. It ended up being not nearly as exciting, however, there is soooo much to look at, it would definitely take at least 4 hours to look at every single item. The museum itself definitely needs a major update. I felt like I was back in public elementary school in the early 90s all over again. The musty smell, the chipped floors, the open storage areas for the public to see...ahhh nostalgia! It was not a busy day so it was a little ominous. There was a handful of teenagers creepily/obnoxiously running through the hallways screaming very loud while playing hide and seek. The parents ignored their screams while staring at the gun collections. Coincidence? I think not. The kool-aid exhibit was pretty cool. Definitely educational, and like the other review said, it would have been nice to try some, especially considering it's so cheap and easy to make. One thing that was super upsetting is that we asked for military tickets. I showed my ID and I didn't check the receipt until after we left and the lady only gave us 1 military ticket even though there was 2 of us that are both military. I guess she assumed that my partner didn't look military, or maybe I should have specifically said both of us are, but I usually never have to do that at other places so that added to the lack of excitement for this place. This museum was recommended from a lot of fellow travelers, and I would not recommend going out of the way unless you really need something to do on a rainy day. If you have children that you don't like to keep an eye on and let them roam unsupervised and crazy, this is a fantastic place for your family!! I also saw they have movie showings and a planetarium which may be some extra fun if you have time.

Driving from Portland, OR to Ann Arbor, MI -alone- is a helluva chore. I started losing it in…read moreNebraska. Nebraska is a LONG state and it takes all day to get through it on I-80. Fortunately, just about the time I was starting to hallucinate, I saw a roadside sign that announced "Kool-Aid Museum, Next Exit". I'm so there. Actually, this is the Hastings Museum "of Natural and Cultural History", but i'm sure the museum's marketing guy understood that nobody is gonna pull off the highway to spend the day learning about the great cultural history of Hastings, Nebraska, so it's better known as the Kool-Aid museum. The Kool-Aid exhibits (yeah, plural) take up good portion of the lower level in the museum, and have GREAT catchy names like, "Kool-Aid Days", the "History of Kool-Aid" and of course, who could forget, "Kool-Aid, Discover the Dream!" (i'm not just makin this stuff up!) Kool-Aid was invented in Hastings by some guy named Ed Perkins. For $6 it's worth your time and money, especially if you need a break from behind the wheel to regain your sanity. Did I mention that Nebraska is a LONG state? Not much to see out the window, either. That same $6 gets you into the rest of the museum as well, but be forewarned, the other exhibits have names like, "Festival of Trees" and "Groundwater Discovery Adventure" and "People of the Plains States" No really, you can't make this stuff up. Take a pass on the "Coin Room" too. If i were to go again (and I won't), I'd go the first weekend of August to coincide with the annual Kool-Aid festival and parade (http://www.kool-aiddays.com) where it's free all-you-can-drink Kool-Aid. Smuggle in a pint of Seagram's gin and it could make a lovely summer afternoon. I gave this place 2-stars because it was sorta fun and it was the perfect break I needed from the road. I woulda given it 3-stars if they would have actually SERVED ME SOME DAMN KOOL-AID while I was there. When I asked where I could get some Kool-Aid, I was told, "oh it makes a mess and stains the floor". Pffft. No wonder Ed Perkins moved the Kool-Aid HQ to Chicago.

One of our favorite tack and supply stores in our area. Always more of every type of ranch and…read morerodeo and racing equipment here.

A small business that I have used for years for veterinary supplies, bits, blankets, and everything…read morein between! Always great service and I especially like the call and pay ahead options offered during this time! Only local place I can find my favorite fly spray.

Where do I start, way overpriced for what it is. 8 dollars for kids and 7 dollars for adults…read more What do you have for adults to even do? Half of the exhibits weren't even working, no paper or crafting supplies in areas designed for that. Not organized at all, especially in the store. Made the mistake of spending money here for 30 minutes. Go to the park instead way more to do.

I've only been here once, but was amazed what a cool place this was for children. Our little one…read morehad plenty of activities and/or toys to play with and we haven't even done everything yet. We'll be definitely visiting again with our little one to see if we can do the rest of the areas or re-visit our favorites.