Autumn Leaves + Fun in State Parks - Part One
Calling all outdoor lovers, bird watchers, fishing enthusiasts, leaf peepers and anyone with kids or grandkids or is a kid at heart! This blog post is for you!
During 2020, everyone could not wait to get out of the house and do something new. While many things were not an option for that year, our family decided to go to state parks in Iowa and Nebraska almost every weekend when the weather permitted. I was astonished at all the beauty and activities available in both Iowa and Nebraska state parks. So yesterday and today I decided to do a little day trip to see what is new at two of the state parks near Omaha that we visited in 2020. Besides, it was just too doggone gorgeous outside to stay home! 😉 I was amazed to discover all the new facilities and opportunities at two parks - Schramm State Recreation Area near Gretna, Nebraska and Platte River State Park near Louisville, Nebraska. Both parks can be reached via Highway 50 south of interstate 80 and are an easy and beautiful drive from Omaha, especially right now in the Fall. The rolling hills, harvested fields, and the dazzling orange, red, and yellow leaves paint pictures in your mind’s eye everywhere you look on the drive to both parks. Just getting there is half the fun! My heart was happy just enjoying the views from the highway.
On Monday I explored Schramm State Park and was delighted to discover two things. First, the visitor center has been completely redone and is a fabulous place to learn about plants and animals of this area of eastern Nebraska. I just LOVE it when there are activities and areas specially designed for kids and this had plenty. And no worries, kids at heart will learn new things and enjoy the new visitor center too!
The first thing I spotted when entering was a fun reading nook complete with comfy chairs and an enticing maker space classroom area. Nearby I discovered a semi-circular hallway containing numerous aquarium exhibits on both sides. The aquarium contains fish and turtles native to the region, some of which were quite unusual. I have grown up fishing with my dad so some looked familiar, although they were really fine specimens (I.e. the stuff of fish enthusiasts’ tall tales 😂). Near each tank was a digital touchscreen tablet with specific information about each fish or animal in the tank. A sturgeon touch tank was featured near the end of the hallway, something I didn’t get a photo of because it was always busy with kids peering into the tank and squealing when they touched one. The kids adored it. Other areas of the visitor center included tables with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities - everything from playing with wooden puzzles to feeling different types of animal fur, examining insects in glass and under a microscope, designing your own park with legos and Lincoln Logs and creating constellations using Lite Brite-type boards. Near the back of the facility was an adorable play area for young kids with a slide-thru tree and pint-size camping gear. The middle of the center included two bikes for older kids to pedal and view nature scenes on nearby wall monitors. One older student laughed when he discovered he could make the scenes reverse by pedaling backwards. His joy was contagious and it made me smile to myself. The middle of the center also included several live animals to observe such as turtles and snakes. Lastly, there was a comfy and fun bird watching area which I spent some time at. I saw at least three different types of birds and an ornery squirrel raiding the bird feeder and taking baths in a tiny stream built just for them. I enjoyed watching their antics and could have easily stayed longer.
After leaving the visitor center, I headed down the highway a bit and pulled into a gravel circle near the Platte River. The river was beautiful, flowing smoothly. I took more photos. The only thing I was missing was a chair to relax and enjoy the view so be sure to bring one with you.
The rest of the park appears to be under construction, including a drive-thru area surrounded by forest. But that’s OK. That means there will just be more to explore the next time I go! I enjoyed what I saw already, so new things will just be proverbial “icing on the cake!”
I’d encourage you to explore this park if you have some time while the weather is ideal the next week or two. You and your troupe will be glad you did!
Learn about another Nebraska state park in my next blog post. Stay tuned!
