Nebraska City, NE

The award-winning farm-to-table restaurant at Lied Lodge, plating local, seasonal cooking with sweeping views over Arbor Day Farm. It is the dress-up dinner in town, ingredient-led and set among the trees. A relaxed, scenic meal worth planning around.

A casual barbecue spot at Arbor Day Farm turning out tender brisket and pulled pork alongside apple-cider slushies and apple pie from the orchard. It is the easy, family-friendly counterpoint to the lodge's dining room. Smoke and orchard sweets in one stop.

A downtown Mexican restaurant turning out generous plates and margaritas to a loyal local crowd. It is the dependable, casual spot for Mexican food in town. Friendly and filling.

A relaxed pub and grill serving burgers, baskets and shareable bar fare with a cold beer, the easygoing local hangout. It is the casual spot for a no-fuss dinner and a drink. Friendly and unpretentious.

A homey downtown cafe doing breakfast, lunch and good coffee in a warm, characterful room. It is the easy daytime stop for a light meal or a pause between sights. Cozy and welcoming.

The market at Arbor Day Farm, stocked with apple cider, pies and cider doughnuts pressed and baked from the orchard's fruit. It is the sweet stop on a farm visit, the place to taste the apple country in pie form. Casual and seasonal.

Miles of forested walking trails winding through Arbor Day Farm's 260 acres of orchards, woods and hazelnut groves. The paths are gentle and family-friendly, threading past the famous tree-top attractions. An easy, green ramble at the literal home of tree-planting.

A short trail on the bluffs at the Lewis and Clark visitor center leading to an overlook above the wide Missouri. The brief walk earns a sweeping river view that the explorers themselves would recognize. An easy leg-stretcher with a payoff.

A leafy in-town park with easy paved paths, a pond and shaded green space, the convenient option for a flat walk without leaving the city. It is the everyday local spot for a stroll or a family afternoon. Simple and accessible.

A family attraction at Arbor Day Farm built around a three-acre treetop village of elevated walkways and treehouses, plus a discovery ride and a forest marimba to play. It turns tree-planting heritage into hands-on fun for kids. The town's top family outing.

A perfectly preserved early-1900s windmill factory left exactly as it was when the doors closed, machines, tools and order books frozen in place. It is a rare, eerie time capsule of small-town American industry. A genuine and unusual find for anyone curious about how things were made.

A restored 1860s Victorian brick home furnished to its period, paired with an art barn showing rotating exhibitions. It pairs frontier-era domestic history with a working gallery in a quiet, leafy setting. A calm, characterful stop for history and art alike.

A downtown bar and tap house pouring local and regional beers in a relaxed room, the easy evening hangout in town. It is the spot for a pint and whatever crowd is in after dinner. Friendly and central.

The 52-room mansion and arboretum of J. Sterling Morton, the man who founded Arbor Day, set in a park planted with hundreds of tree species. You can tour the grand Victorian house and wander an Italian terraced garden, a lilac collection and tree-lined trails. The leafy birthplace of a national holiday and the town's centerpiece.

A working orchard and vineyard where you can pick your own strawberries, cherries and peaches through the season and taste fruit wines with orchard views. It is a hands-on slice of Nebraska City's apple country, equal parts farm and tasting room. Best timed to whatever is ripe.

An interpretive center on the bluffs above the Missouri telling the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition, with a full-scale keelboat replica as its centerpiece. Exhibits and short trails connect you to the river the explorers traveled. A scenic, educational stop over the big water.