It might surprise you to know that in addition to its deep-rooted Western heritage, Nebraska also features a host of top-rated attractions including a world-class zoo, aquarium and tropical rain forest. If your kids are into old bones, then you've got to take them to see some of the largest animals of the Pleistocene, from giant mammoths and mastodons to a recently unearthed herd of ancient rhinos. There are I-MAX theaters, wildlife parks, scenic rivers, history and art museums galore, vineyards, guest ranches and more.

Pine Ridge Country
Pine Ridge beckons to those who love a dramatic, mystical landscape with a past to match. The terrain will test the skills of backpackers and hikers of every level. Developed horse trails and camping areas help you meet Mother Nature up close and personal. Study the most fascinating sagas of the Old West, carefully preserved in museums and other attractions.

Trails West Country
Tour some of the most spectacular terrain within the state as you relive the days of the pioneers along the Oregon and Mormon Trails. The North Platte River yields life-giving irrigation to keep fields green and fertile. The lush cropland contrasts sharply with the rugged buttes that signal the beginning of mountainous terrain to the west.

Sandhills Country
Gentle rivers meander along pine-studded canyons, towering waterfalls and a veritable ocean of prairie grasses alongside America's largest man-made forest, a wildlife refuge of gigantic proportions and cattle ranches that are better comprehended from the air than the ground. It's a wide-open landscape. A landscape that inspired Mari Sandoz to produce some of this country's finest fiction. A landscape you'll enjoy exploring by car or canoe.

Prairie Lakes Country
In 1820, Stephen Long, explorer and military man, called this area the Great American Desert. Today, he'd be shocked to discover dozens of man-made lakes and huge reservoirs complementing the grassy plains of the region. Nowhere is the relationship between man and the land more poignantly realized than Nebraska's Prairie Lakes Country. This relationship becomes even more evident in the excellent museums, historic homes and memorable personalities of the area such as Willa Cather and Senator George Norris. It's a country rich in history and personality that you'll enjoy getting to know and returning to year after year.

Land of Lewis & Clark
The mighty Missouri River defines the northern and eastern borders of this region, first explored by Lewis and Clark in 1804. It was the winding road navigated by trappers, traders and Native American Indians. For centuries, it has fed and shaped the personality of this fertile land. Poet John Neihardt was greatly moved by the river and the spiritual heritage of the Native Americans of the region. His work chronicles and preserves the richness of the Sioux and Omaha Indian cultures. It's a land of beauty and wonder that is sure to bring out the explorer in anyone.

Land of the Prairie Pioneer
From original homestead cabins to the architectural wonders of the State Capitol, the Land of the Pioneers is a rich and exciting land to explore. Historic attractions and events in the river towns of the east complement the prairie experience, ethnic cultures, and modern highlights found in towns and cities to the west.

Great Platte River Road
Nebraska's Platte River Road represents a route followed by pioneers and the Pony Express, Native Americans and North American explorers, stagecoaches and steam locomotives. It's a verdant, natural roadway that runs parallel to the river after which it is named. It's the land of the Oregon and Mormon Trails, The Overland Stage, Boot Hill, The Pony Express, Buffalo Bill and Robert Henri.

Eugene T. Mahoney State Park
Eugene T. Mahoney State Park overlooks the picturesque valley of the Platte River near Ashland. Managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, this premier 700-acre park is open year-round, and its location on I-80 between Nebraska's two largest cities makes it readily accessible for all-season outdoor recreation.

Lake McConaughy
Located 8 miles northeast of Ogallala, Nebraska, Lake McConaughy is formed by Kingsley Dam, built by the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District to impound the waters of the North Platte River for a vast irrigation and power generation system. Obviously, such a fine piece of water provides excellent fishing and boating. But, Big Mac also has become a favorite of campers, hunters, sailboaters, windsurfers, swimmers, picnickers, ice boaters, water skiers, scuba divers, and many others seeking outdoor fun.

Fishing has always been the primary drawing card at Lake Mac, with its cool, clear, deep waters. Game fish vary from the sporty rainbow trout to the every-day channel catfish. Prized most highly by the local angler is the walleye, and Nebraska's current state record of 16-lbs., 2 oz. came from Lake McConaughy. Also top ranked is the white bass fishing. In recent years, wipers, a white bass/striped bass hybrid, have been stocked in the lake, offering a tackle-testing contest the angler will not soon forget. A few large striped bass still remain in the lake from stockings in the 1970s and 80s.

Henry Doorly Zoo
You're in for a wild time at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo. Thundering waterfalls and exotic plants and animals abound in the world's largest indoor rainforest—the Lied Jungle. Watch sharks and stingrays swim over your head as you walk through a 70-foot long underwater tunnel in the Scott Aquarium. Also visit North America's largest Cat Complex, a four-acre open-air aviary, penguins, gorillas and more. In our Lozier IMAX Theater, see larger-than-life movies on a screen as tall as six elephants. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo covers 130 woodland acres with 13 major animal habitats and many smaller exhibits.

Located 22 miles west of the Omaha Zoo, the Lee G. Simmons Conservation Park and Wildlife Safari covers 360 acres of Platte River hill country; half is being used for conservation and breeding purposes and half for North American nature experiences. In accordance with their mission statement, their collection focuses on the preservation, conservation and propagation of rare and endangered species.

Carhenge
Six local families on the occasion of their family reunion constructed this unique replica of the world-famous Stonehenge—out of old cars in 1987. Carhenge, consists of the circle of cars, 3 standing trilithons within the circle, the heel stone, slaughter stone, and 2 station stones, and the Aubrey circle, named after Sir John Aubrey who first recognized the earthworks and great stones as a prehistoric temple in 1648.

State Capital: Lincoln.

State Motto: Equality before the law.

Population: 1,623,000.

Flag: A banner for the State of Nebraska shall consist of a reproduction of the great seal of the state, charged on the center in gold and silver on a field of national blue.

Entered the Union: March 1, 1867 as the 37th state.

State Bird: Western Meadowlark.

State Flower: Goldenrod.

State Nickname: Cornhusker State.

Origin of Name: From an Oto Indian word meaning flat water.

State Tree: Eastern Cottonwood.