Welcome to Nebraska! Covering more than 77,000 square miles in the central U.S., Nebraska is a land of contrasts. Tall, densely wooded bluffs tower high above the mighty Missouri River along the state’s eastern border. And while the river has changed greatly since the days the first Plains Indians, fur traders and explorers dared to discover its treasures, their legacies and spirits still linger there today. Central Nebraska has some of the best farmland in the state, charming farmsteads, and row after row of corn, soybeans and other crops that help feed the world.

Further north, the remote and vast Sandhills of north-central Nebraska are the largest grass stabilized sand dunes in the Western Hemisphere and a place where cattle far outnumber people. In western Nebraska, the rugged Pine Ridge and Wildcat Hills will astound you with their timeless beauty, especially at sunset. Mighty buttes and bluffs that afford an incredible view as far as the eye can see are well worth the drive.

Nebraska’s two largest cities, Omaha and Lincoln, offer urban chic and a cosmopolitan atmosphere where you can enjoy a relaxing latte and biscotti at a sidewalk café in a historic district during the day and a Tony Award-winning musical in the evening. Getting away from it all and relaxing has never been easier than in Nebraska. But if bright lights and big cities are not your thing, you’re also in luck! Affectionately known as “Greater Nebraska” the area outside Lincoln and Omaha offers small town charm where the coffee pot’s always on and the tall tales are always flying at the local café.

As for water, Nebraska has an abundance of that too. More than 2,500 lakes dot the countryside, including the massive 55-square-mile Lake McConaughy near Ogallala. Hiking, biking, bird watching, tubing and “tanking” are some of the many outdoor recreational pastimes that Nebraska is famous for. Contemplate life as you float down the river in a tank with your buds, admire the breathtaking and majestic sight and sound of hundreds of thousands of Sandhills Cranes taking flight at once in the early morning hours, or spend a week bicycling across Nebraska.

The information in this group tour travel planner is designed to help make planning and operating your tour through Nebraska as easy and profitable as possible. If you need more information or assistance please contact the group travel manager with the Nebraska Travel and Tourism Division.