Smack in the middle of Nebraska’s prairie, Omaha may seem unassuming at first. Instead, Nebraska’s largest city, at just shy of 500,000 people, is a center of innovation and industry.
Omaha consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the United States and is considered an underrated tourist destination. This is due to its low cost of living, family-friendly amenities, great job market, unique cultural experiences, and overall quality of life.
I know you’re wondering, though—what is Omaha famous for? What is Omaha known for?
Omaha is famous for the Reuben sandwich, the Wizard of Omaha, and one of the best zoos in the world. Omaha is known as the Gateway to the West, the Silicon Prairie, and for Omaha steaks, Omaha-style pizza, and corn ice cream.
While Omaha may seem (at first glance) to just be a small city surrounded by cornfields, I’m here to tell you, there is so much more than meets the eye.
I have a feeling you’re going to be surprised at all these facts I’ve dug up about Omaha. I know I was! I mean, who knew that Omaha was bombed in World War II? Or that Omaha has more billionaires per capita than anywhere else in the country?
So, without further ado, let’s jump right into 21 things Omaha is known and famous for. Spoiler alert: these things cover Omaha’s history, things to do in Omaha, and how Omaha got its name.
Table of Contents
1. Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium
Omaha’s Zoo (the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium) is one of the top zoos in the world. Yes, in the WORLD! The zoo is known for its conservation and research, and its intricate and unique exhibits.
One of the highlights is the Lied Jungle, which is one of the biggest indoor rainforests in the world. In addition to the animals in the jungle, like macaws and pygmy hippos, you can also find elephants, tigers, leopards, snakes, lemurs, gorillas, sharks, and many, many more!
2. World’s largest indoor swamp
At the Henry Doorly Zoo, you’ll find the world’s largest indoor swamp. Containing 160,000 gallons of water and covering ¼ of an acre, the swamp is accessible via a boardwalk.
The swamp creatures (that is, native animals that actually live in swamps, not horror-movie things) live in a barrier-free environment and include 38 different species, like alligators and cypress trees.
3. The Desert Dome
Right above the world’s largest indoor swamp at the Henry Doorly Zoo, you’ll find the world’s largest indoor desert. The Desert Dome is located under the world’s largest glazed geodesic dome and has become something of a symbol for Omaha.
The Desert Dome is split into three smaller deserts, based on three deserts from around the world: the Namib Desert in Africa, the Red Center from Australia, and the Sonoran Desert, from North America.
A visit to the Desert Dome could give you a glimpse of some seriously interesting animals, like rock wallabies, rattlesnakes, or meerkats.
4. Omaha steak
There’s steak, and then there’s Omaha steak (and Omaha Steaks, which we’ll cover). Nebraska, often called the Beef State, is known around the world for its quality beef.
The beef industry is Nebraska’s largest industry (not corn! Who knew?), so if you have a hankering for a steak, Omaha is the place to go.
If you can’t make it to Omaha just yet, you can also get your fix through the mail from Omaha Steaks, which delivers all over the world—for good reason!
5. The Wizard of Omaha
Deep in the middle of Nebraska, you’ll find a wizard (well, a financial one) by the name of Warren Buffet. Warren Buffet, known as the Wizard of Omaha, or the Oracle of Omaha, is one of the wealthiest men in the world.
He still resides in Omaha, (even though he could literally live anywhere!) and continues to make money as the most successful investor in history.
6. The Reuben sandwich
Omaha is home to the famous Reuben sandwich. Well, TBH, there are a few theories about where it really began, but one puts its origins right in Omaha.
The story goes that during a weekly poker game at the Blackstone Hotel, one of the players (named Reuben), would order a sandwich made with corned beef and sauerkraut. The chef put it on rye bread, added Swiss cheese, and thousand island dressing. And the Reuben was born!
7. The world’s largest ball of stamps
In Boys Town, Nebraska (a charitable enclave within Omaha) you can find a classic American roadside attraction: the largest ball of stamps in the world. The ball clocks in at 600 pounds and is approximately 32 inches in diameter.
The ball was stuck together painstakingly by the Boys Town Stamp Collecting Club in 1953 and contains a reported 4,655,000 total stamps (all canceled).
When asked why, a writer was reportedly told “maybe it was a long, cold winter.” Whatever the reasons, the ball of stamps has been on display in Boys Town since.
8. College World Series
Like a lot of the United States, Nebraskans love their sports, and the people of Omaha are no exception. Omaha (and Nebraska) are especially big on collegiate sports (see: Cornhuskers football).
Omaha is also the annual host of the NCAA Men’s College World Series. Baseball, ya know (I didn’t know, for the record).
To catch the games, head to Omaha next June!
9. Butter Brickle ice cream
What does the Reuben sandwich have in common with Butter Brickle ice cream? They both originated at the Blackstone Hotel in Omaha (now the Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel).
Butter Brickle ice cream (made from candy of the same name) is toffee-flavored ice cream filled with buttery toffee pieces (that’s the Butter Brickle). Several companies make Butter Brickle and it’s easy to find, but I’m pretty sure it tastes better in Omaha.
10. Raisin Bran
You can thank the good people of Omaha for Raisin Bran. Before 1926, all you could find on grocery shelves was boring old bran cereal. Skinner’s Manufacturing, based out of Omaha, had the genius idea to add raisins, and the cereal world would never be the same.
11. World War II bomb
I’m sure you’ve heard of the Pearl Harbor bombing by the Japanese in World War II…but did you know that Omaha had a bombing incident, as well?
Near the end of the war, in April of 1945, an experimental Japanese bomb exploded over the Omaha neighborhood of Dundee. Some saw a flash in the night, some saw a ring of fire, and some thought they heard fireworks. Luckily no one was injured, but it was covered up by the government until the end of the war.
It turns out that the Japanese had deployed these balloon bombs to float over the United States, to random locations, and cause panic and media attention. Around 26 others imploded over various parts of the country, and one was even found recently (in 2014) in Canada.
12. Bob the Bridge
The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge in Omaha, known as “Bob the Bridge,” crosses the Missouri River at the Nebraska-Iowa border.
Bob the Bridge, which covers 3,000 feet and has its own Instagram account, allows visitors to stand in two places at once (both Nebraska and Iowa, of course).
13. Dwellers on the Bluff
Omaha got its name from the Omaha tribe, who resided on the same banks of the Missouri River. Their name means “dwellers on the bluff.”
Sadly, the Omahas, who had lived near the current site of Omaha for generations, were forced to sell most of their land to the U.S. government. Unlike most other American Indian tribes, however, they were able to keep some of their ancestral lands, and still live there today.
14. Farm-to-table movement
As Omaha is surrounded by farmland and ranchland, it makes sense that it is one of the pioneers of the farm-to-table (or Farm-to-Fork) movement. To find the freshest ingredients and most innovative creations, try out restaurants such as Gather, Big Green Q, Kitchen Table, or the Inner Rail Food Hall—just to name a few!
15. Corn ice cream
Two ice creams on one list?? Sure, when one of them is corn ice cream! Nebraska is practically synonymous with that sweet, sweet corn (it is the Cornhusker State, after all).
Not only does it grow there, but Nebraskans also like to experiment with corn in a variety of different dishes. One of these is corn ice cream! You can find this delicious concoction in several creameries around Omaha, but perhaps the most famous is at Ted & Wally’s.
16. The Silicon Prairie
The Silicon Valley is so over—these are the days of the Silicon Prairie! Omaha has gained this nickname in recent years as the cheaper rents, central location and open space have attracted large companies.
Warren Buffet famously headquarters his Fortune 500 company, Berkshire Hathaway, out of Omaha, but other tech companies and banks now call Omaha home.
Start-ups particularly are fond of Omaha, as the founders can afford to rent office space and buy a house.
17. Lone Tree Ferry
The city of Omaha began as a single ferry crossing known as the Lone Tree Ferry (eventually called the Council Bluffs and Nebraska Ferry Company).
In 1849, when headed west on the California trail, William Brown saw an opportunity for the industry. Using the only tree visible on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River as a landmark, he started a ferry crossing, using a flat boat with oars.
The Lone Tree Ferry became a gathering spot for settlers headed west, and eventually, Brown (using illegally obtained land) started the beginnings of what is now Omaha.
18. Gateway to the West
Thanks in part to the Lone Tree Ferry, Omaha played a pivotal role in the development of the western United States. The famed trails west all used this ferry spot at what would become Omaha: the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, and the Mormon Trail.
The first transcontinental railroad also began its journey west right out of the Union Pacific headquarters, which is based in Omaha to this day, which gave Omaha the moniker “Gateway to the West.”
19. Historic Old Market
The Old Market area of Omaha was once the epicenter of this bustling “Gateway to the West,” and was full of old factories, buyers, and transporters.
When the 1950s rolled around, the area was in disrepair. A local businessman began converting the abandoned warehouses into restaurants and apartments, and the Historic Old Market neighborhood was born.
Now, the Old Market is once again the epicenter of Omaha and includes the most photographed spot in the city, the Old Market Passageway.
20. Joslyn Castle
Joslyn Castle, one of Nebraska’s most famous homes, was built in Omaha at the beginning of the 20th century. Built by George and Sarah Joslyn, the mansion is built in the Scottish Baronial style (just what you expect to find in the middle of the Nebraskan prairie) and clocks in at just under 20,000 square feet.
Nowadays, Joslyn Castle is on the National Register of Historic Places, and its grounds are part of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.
21. Omaha-style pizza
It seems that the definition of “Omaha-style” pizza is a little controversial, but most agree that the “official” pizza of Omaha (and Nebraska) is cheeseburger pizza.
The most well-known version of cheeseburger pizza starts with a fluffy crust, and a red-sauce base, all topped with cheese (of course), ground beef, and onions.
And, don’t forget the pickles! It’s no cheeseburger (pizza) without pickles.
Conclusion
There you have it! The Gateway to the West, the home of Bob the Bridge, the Silicon Prairie, whatever you want to call it, one thing is true: Omaha is thriving as Nebraska’s biggest city.
Not only am I wishing I could visit again, but I’m also thinking…I might want to move there! Omaha, you had me at “low cost of living!”
Did you know all of these facts about Omaha? Which one surprised you the most?
Corn Ice Cream, never heard of this ice cream. The history of the Native Americans the name Omaha is from, and Joslyn Castle. I am from Omaha, NE, and I loved the articles about Omaha. I moved from Nebraska in 1978 to Georgia.
Isn’t there a camping site in Omaha of the Corps of Discovery?