Planning a trip to Omaha

Getting There

By Plane -- Eppley Airfield, 4501 Abbott Dr. (tel. 402/422-6817; www.eppleyairfield.com), is 5 miles northeast of downtown. Most hotels provide free shuttle service from the airport.

By Train -- Amtrak (tel. 800/USA-RAIL [872-7245] or 402/342-1501; www.amtrak.com) provides daily service from Chicago and Denver (8 1/2 hr. from both destinations) to its station at South 9th and Pacific streets.

By Car -- Major routes into Omaha are I-29 from the south (Kansas City, 190 miles) and I-80 from the east (Des Moines, 130 miles) and west (Denver, 540 miles).

Visitor Information

The Omaha Convention & Visitors Bureau, in the Old Market at 1001 Farnam St. (tel. 866/937-6624 or 402/444-4660; www.visitomaha.com), is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 4:30pm and Sunday 1 to 4:30pm. At Eppley Airfield, visitor booths are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Getting Around

Metro Area Transit (tel. 402/341-0800; www.metroareatransit.com) operates bus service Monday through Saturday; bus no. 13 is useful for traveling between downtown and the zoo. The fare is $1.25.

Special Events

Every June, fans from across the nation converge at Rosenblatt Stadium to watch collegiate baseball teams vie to win the NCAA College World Series (tel. 402/554-4404). In September, River City Roundup (tel. 402/554-9610; wwwrivercityroundup.org) features rodeos, concerts, and a parade.