Things to Do in Nebraska

After beads etc.'s helpful, friendly staff helps students find the best beads among its selection of more than 250,000 pieces, eager beaders will then spend 90 minutes boning up on the basics in Intro Jewelry Making 1. Once students have gained the beads' trust, they'll be free to advance to the next tier of adornment creation with the 90-minute Intro Jewelry Making 2 class, in which students will make a dangle key chain and one pair of earrings with six- and eight-millimeter Swarovski crystals. The enrollment for this second-level course includes costs for all necessary materials.

Slattery Vintage Estates takes fermented-grape lovers on a whirlwind tour of more than 50 Nebraska wines and then offers them a convenient place to lay their heads at the end of the juice-drenched day. Like the swanky tent that Queen Elizabeth stayed in during the Buckingham Palace renovation, the B&B Bungalows ensconce overnighters within charming, antique surroundings. Wooden decks with porches that overlook the vineyard elevate the private 10’x14’ tents, sporting ornate rugs, vintage dressers, and softly swaddled, full-size antique beds, accommodating every comfort concern. Each tent is fully equipped with electricity, with lamps, lanterns, and fans or heaters getting a charge from their own brand of juice.

As the government begins testing alien aircraft technologies, routine flyovers will cause magnets to lose their attractive powers, littering kitchen floors with cherished "A" papers and family photos once stuck to the face of the fridge. Precious Treasures arms customers with an arsenal of scrapbooking supplies to protect and archive memories in a way that's fun and artistic. The expert cutters and pasters provide a welcoming experience for visiting customers and lost Vikings with tons of upscale papers ($0.49–$2.99) and hand-painted door décor ($39.99). In addition to scrapbooking supplies, Precious Treasures offers handbags ($9.99–$99.99), jewelry ($2.99–$49.99), stamping supplies, and flux capacitors. Spiff up any photo album, passport, wedding invitation, and quarterly earnings reports with eye-catching flair, or use your Groupon toward the shop's imprinting services ($7 per line and $6 per design) for scrapbooks, albums, stationery, wallets, and much more.

Nearly 50 years old and recognized as one of the Best Zoos for Kids by Parents magazine, the Lincoln Children's Zoo continues to foster an exciting educational atmosphere that encourages kids to interact firsthand with their furry, scaly, and leafy neighbors. There's already an ample, varied herd of animals that will be joined by the rare Humboldt penguins—the zoo is one of only 16 zoos nationwide to feature the warm-climate tuxedoed birds—and the mischievous squirrel monkeys. Curious kids and professional petters will want to flock to the hands-on exhibits. Feed a llama from your hand and listen closely for his penny-stock tips at the Firsthand Farm, or watch a friendly ZooCrew handler parade small creatures before youngsters at Critter Encounter. Because plants and animals are still reconciling creative differences, you can visit bodacious buds separately at the nearby botanical gardens, where a wide variety of plant species bedeck their expansive green areas.

Award-winning dancer and teacher Shelley Fritz opened The DelRay Ballroom and Lounge to share her love of dance with the Lincoln community. Her space hosts music, cocktails, and ballroom dance lessons every night of the week, and is staffed by experienced dance instructors such as herself who aim to share their passion for waltz, cha-cha, Argentine Tango, and West Coast swing with students.

Amid the lime-green and burnt-orange walls of Creation Station, an encouraging staff inspires visitors to follow their artistic impulses as they use pottery as their canvas. Seven days a week, experienced and casual artists alike can plunge their brushes into a rainbow of paints and let loose on a variety of mugs, figurines, and dishes. Once colorized to the artist’s content, finished bisque pieces visit a fiery kiln, where colors become more vibrant and snowmen melt into carrot-and-coal soup. Revelers can also gather at Creation Station to celebrate special occasions, such as birthdays, or make Christmas ornaments during the winter season.