Car Hire Omaha - Mini guide to Omaha

Omaha, Nebraska, is a big city with a small-town feel. Omaha's residents are friendly and laid-back, and the city boasts a world-class zoo and scores of excellent restaurants and cosy bars. One of the most popular attractions in the city is the Joslyn Art Museum, which contains some wonderful works by local artists, as well as a large collection of Native American, Middle Eastern and African art.

Durham Western Heritage Museum is also worth a visit. It is housed in an Art Deco building which was once a railroad terminal; the chandeliers and murals inside give insight into the glamour of rail travel in the past. Exhibits detail the development of Omaha and include an impressive collection of historic coins, maps and documents.

There are some charming old homes worth visiting, including Gottlieb Storz Mansion, built in 1907 and decorated with period furnishings, and the General Crook House Museum, an Italianate house built to entertain presidents visiting the frontier.

On the Missouri River shore of Omaha is beautiful Fontenelle Forest, one of the last forests in the seemingly endless stretches of grassland that make up the American Great Plains between the river and the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The forest has great opportunities for camping, hiking and fishing.

Another interesting site is the legendary Boys Town, where a residential program for underprivileged youths was established by Father Edward Flanagan in 1917. The tour of the grounds includes the Hall of History, which depicts the lifework of the founder.

Two perfectly preserved Navy vessels are on display at Freedom Park: the USS Hazard (a minesweeper) and the USS Marlin (a submarine). If there's time, see the Omaha Children's Museum. Alternatively, the birthplace of former President Gerald Ford features elaborate gardens in the grounds.

The Henry Doorly Zoo should not be missed. It features the Lied Jungle and the Desert Dome, said to be the world's largest indoor rain forest and largest indoor desert, respectively. The Desert Dome offers a nine-metre sand dune and a hummingbird canyon, along with habitats for a variety of creatures including monitor lizards, meerkats, prairie dogs and pumas. The zoo also contains the Scott Aquarium, with an underwater tunnel for viewing sharks up close, and an IMAX theatre.