Lincoln Outdoor Activities

Beatrice Country Club’s 18-hole course unfurls across 7,169 yards of Nebraska countryside for a par 72 course that blends elements of woodland golf and a traditional, links-style layout. The majority of the course’s fairways tunnel through tight tree lines that temper aggressive impulses at the tee box like a caddy studying to be an anger-management therapist. Encroaching timbers vanish for a stretch, during which relatively open fairways run alongside water hazards and thickets of tall grass, affecting the landscape of golf’s seminal Scottish links. With five tee options, the course caters to clubbers of all stripes. Arching drives trace the sky at the onsite driving range, where duffers prepare for their round and practice balls efficiently sign waivers before launching themselves into the stratosphere.

When a major flood hit the Missouri River in 2011, it drastically changed the riverfront, creating new sights across its banks. With this fresh face, the river serves as a scenic stage for tours on the River City Star, a riverboat featured in USA Today's August 2009 article “10 Great Places to Stream Through Cities”.

At the wheel of a classic, double-decker riverboat is one of River City Star's two captains, Captain Ken and Captain Steve. Accompanied by an expert crew, the captains ferry passengers over the serene waters that make up Omaha's riverfront. They pass by antique structures such as the historic Old Iowa-Nebraska Swing Bridge, and newer fixtures including the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge, described in USA Today as “a one-of-a-kind design that looks like an art installation across the river.”

On dinner cruises, cooks prepare a lineup of cuisine that changes monthly, as passengers dance to the sounds of live jazz or island music. Back on land, weddings unfold beneath a 40'x80' tent set up at Miller's Landing.

Retrofitted from former city buses, Nebraska Party Bus's six-vehicle fleet conveys revelers about town in limo-like luxury. The air-conditioned transports include a luxuriously upholstered 35-footer with a private party area in the rear, encouraging between-bar tête-à-têtes, whereas a pair of 42-seaters are perfect for ferrying wedding guests to receptions or back to central casting's rent-a-wedding-guest unit. The buses serve Omaha, Lincoln, and Council Bluffs, offering patrons comfortable conveyance throughout the metro area.

At K/B Stables, instructor Donna Stading-Smith imparts the equine wisdom she has been accruing since she first saddled up when she was 3 years old. As a former elementary media specialist and a 4-H teacher for 14 years, she’s experienced in making horseback riding a comfortable and fun activity for both beginners and more seasoned riders. Regular lessons and training prep students to take the reins for casual or competitive rides in English, western, or dressage styles. When they're not supporting budding equestrians, some 20 horses gallop across K/B Stables’ 11 acres. The family-run stable hosts 30 stalls for boarding accommodations by the night, week, month, or whatever period of time the horse’s former girlfriend said it needed to “sort things out.”