The 14 best things to do with kids in Kearney

Staff is not helpful they are more focused on their phones then helping. They don't help kids buckle belts on go carts I had to help , have to press a button for the hyperdeck to get help and still I had to go up front to get someone to let us play. It's Sunday and not super busy but Staff is definitely just not paying attention. Customer service is definitely not present here. Other than that there's a lot to do.

The prices were steep and slightly deceptive for bowling. Usually you pay per hour for like $12 but here you pay $16.50 per HALF hour, and the shoes were displayed as $3.75, but we were charged $4 each without notice. When we were deciding how to split the bill I caught the discrepancy and brought it up to the front counter to dispute it. The dude working talked to me like I'm stupid and told me that it was after taxes, I showed him on the receipt where it was indeed $4 per rental and THEN it was taxed. Not only did he not try to resolve this, he looked annoyed and said "well now it is $4". Like yeah it's only a dollar and I would have been okay with this if it wasn't for the attitude. We spent over $50 for four people just to bowl for one hour. Usually it's supposed to be under $30. Bartenders were both great and timely, very personable and had great recommendations. Extremely warm and muggy climate, needs to be deep cleaned.

The pricing is a racket. Want to do go carts? Buy a "fun card" for which we charge you 25 cents to "make". Now you don't have a whole dollar amount and can't add only a quarter to do laser tag or ride the outside carts that aren't open. I guess you can try to use up your "fun card" balance in the arcade if you can find games that add to quarter dollar amounts. I am having a hard time recommending you come here.

This place could be great. Now, I was there on a Monday, so maybe the weekends are better. It seems really fun when you get there, it's huge! First thing we tried to do was get some food and drinks at the bar. There were 2 employees working but they did not seem too concerned for our needs. We sat there about 10 minutes, no "hi" or eye contact at all. It was not busy. So we left and went to the food counter. Very nice staff there who were helpful. The food was not great sadly. We had a cheese burger and hot boneless buffalo wings. Eh, pretty low quality. It's quite confusing where you buy what tickets and hard to find someone to buy them from. We bowled, which was fun but they didn't have a great variety of balls. Mini golf was great! Like I said it really could be great! I hope it gets there.

Yesterday we took our grandkids to play the arcade games. Our youngest wasn't in the best mood due to allergies, and a man who worked there noticed her crying (im guessing he was the owner/manager). He pulled me aside and said, "i noticed the little one is having a hard time - i'm going to put credits in this machine for her and she can play until she wins". It was such a small act that really made her day! It was totally unexpected, but really showed how much they wanted the kids to enjoy their time there, not to mention it was just incredibly thoughtful! We'll definitely be back!

Amazing place. Fun for all ages. There's an arcade, vr, bowling. Duck pin, laser tag, beach volley ball, indoor electric go karts, gas powered go karts, mini golf, a full bar, a small consessions stand

Ballocity always stinks of urine. Mini Golf is run down, dirty and so many of the courses special effects don't work. Duck pin isn't clear anywhere that it's standard bowling unless you buy a bracelet upgrade, we wanted to play the angry birds game and was told we didn't buy the right thing. It's not posted like that anywhere! They would not let us pay additional for upgrade, we had to buy the additional bracelet on top of our already paid for lane time even though we hadn't started bowling yet. Everything is expensive, run down, not working, smelly and does not make me leave feeling happy about our visit. The staff is unfriendly and extremely slow to help.

A nice place to walk around! The gardens are beautiful and so well maintained. The tower is worth going up also.

My sister and I stopped here while on a road trip to see the poppy sculptures and were amazed at how much more this park has to offer. Beautiful flowers, lots of nice walking paths and amazing sculptures. We had to hurry as the skies were looking dark and ominous, but we really enjoyed walking around and we loved all of the great sculptures.

I really love this park. It is beautifully designed and extremely well maintained. Loads of things to see and do. We passed through the area and decided to make a stop to stretch our legs. The gardens were outstanding! Flowers and butterflies everywhere. Loved climbing the tower to get a beautiful view of the area. Visitor Center was closed, but bathrooms were still open. Fishing lakes, paddle boats, playground, and garden art along with lots of walking trails, make this place a fantastic location to explore.

Great place for walking and playing pokémon go. perfectly landscaped and has a great observation tower you can walk up or make arrangements to use elevator to see the area!! you can fish here to and I think rent pontoons

This was such a nice and clean park. I stayed at the hotels down the trail so it was very nice to have this close by.

What a treat it was to visit this park. Tower to flowers, this place is amazing.

Best botanical garden between Lincoln & Denver.

Very clean place, has many things to entertain the little ones and spend an entertaining afternoon with the family. I recommend it. My son liked it a lot.

We traveled from out of state to visit family and decided to have a family day here. It was such a fun experience. My boy never stopped smiling till we had to leave. We were able to play with him and have a great time for the three of us it was about $30. I would gladly pay it again. The lady up front was super nice and even said we could come back that day if we wanted to get lunch. I think that if they added a little place to grab some food and have tables inside, it would only add to the experience. Maybe a napping room for the littles who need it. Idk just spitting ideas. I will definitely come again.

So many interesting activities for kids of all ages and ability levels. Whatever your kid is into they'll find something to capture their imagination. Very safe environment where I felt comfortable letting my kid roam. We went on a non-school day and the crowd was very manageable.

Hanging Rock is a breathtaking destination for nature lovers, hikers, and anyone who enjoys stunning views. The trail to the top can be a bit challenging, but it’s absolutely worth it — the view from the summit is incredible, with endless mountains and forests stretching out in every direction. Along the way, you’ll find waterfalls, unique rock formations, and plenty of local wildlife. The park is well-maintained, with clearly marked trails and picnic areas to relax. It’s the perfect spot to spend the day, unwind, and reconnect with the natural world.

This is probably the best children's museum we've been to. Driving cross-country, stayed for the night in Kearney, we found this little gem. Our little guy loved it! Real-life fire truck and police car, tons of different exhibits that they can play in, an auto-mechanic shop, toy trains and model train sets, a spaceship, and that's only a few of the offerings.

Very impressive for a town this size. We were passing through and stopped to burn energy. It could have entertained for several hours, kids ages 0 to 10 all enjoyed it. Felt clean and taken care of.

We love the mud kitchen outside! So great for kids.

Wish there were more activities for small children like there is in the Grand Island one but other than that it's a great library. Books and movies for all ages, and the staff is great.

This place was wonderful. Updated computers, huge children area and a section for family's with little toddlers. Great place to stop and stretch your legs during a road trip.

Conveniently located desks with comfortable chairs and convenient Outlet.

Awesome library, helpful staff. They have lots of things to do and offer printing service.

Peaceful and comfy on a day as hot as all get out. Wonderful staff. Support your local library--it's a gem

Excellent public library! Very helpful and friendly staff, variety of research materials, nice range of reading materials as well as videos (and open to suggestions). Lots of educational areas/equipment. A tremendous resource for the community. Very generous policies, and readily available rooms for group meetings/events.

A fantastic building. Staff are pretty helpful and nice. The only true downfall of this place that I know of is the men's bathroom. It's bad if you're not using the urinals. Walls are peeling apart and looks like it hasn't been cleaned in quite some time.

Has little to do with Trains. Although there is a train up front. There are several buildings on the property to see. I fortunately they are not doing enough to preserve what they have and already lost a lot. Some of the artifacts are not true to the time period presented. And not well set up to represent the period. But the required guided tour guide was well informed. Not a place I'd come back to unless the updated and tried harder to preserve.

Of you're ever in Nebraska I highly recommend the beautiful Town of Kearney 😊. There's a park off of 11th avenue I believe.. it is the best park I have ever been to in my LIFE!! The team that designed that park thought of everything and then some. I spent several hours there and still didn't get to experience everything they have to offer! There's a 5 story tower in the middle of the park that is very well steel constructed with grated steps that let you see every foot of elevation you gain 😬. There's a trail that runs through the park that I decided to investigate, as there's a creek that runs next to it and I was curious to see if I could find where it begins. The trail is mostly paved and very well manicured passing through different types of neighborhoods with homes varying from modern styled mansions to old school trailer parks, it also passes through several industrial parks and a golf course and guess what?! There's a waterfall! And it does lead to the beginning of the creek! This is must ride for trail enthusiasts. I'm so thankful I stumbled upon this beautiful little gem.

An awesome inventory of historical items to help us remember eras gone by... Great volunteer staff providing informative tours with knowledgeable background on each display, expertly answering questions that arose along the tour. Keep up the good work.

This is a great museum, I would recommend the full tour and see all the buildings. If you have ever wondered what the inside of the caboose looks like this is your chance to see it.

Awesome museum! Great Tour!

The setup is nice. Enjoyed going through all the exhibits.

Gwen did a wonderful job taking us around all of the different buildings and telling us about each one of them. She was very pleasant and informative. We would highly recommend taking the guided tour!!! Thank you Gwen!!!

Great place to buy local Produce, honey, beef, pork, Baked goods, adult beverages, coffee and crafts! They have a information booth where you can get market cash as well as SNAP cash and Double Up Food Bucks. Something for everyone!! Dog friendly!

Wonderful farmer’s market! Little Town Gardens is my favorite stop! Everything is delicious, vendors are friendly, wide selection of items. Pet friendly. Usually a food truck or beverage truck & sometimes live music.

I love fresh produce and spending my money locally.

Dad, seriously only 45 ears 🌽 of corn what happened to 50!

Fun place, find things that you need {&don't need but work out wonderfuly!}.

Very nice selection. I really appreciate getting to purchase fresh from the garden produce.

Very nice and clean. People were very nice to talk to and do business with

This is a park that is a good place for families to gather with a children's playground and picnic tables. There are places to throw out a yoga mat and get a practice in. There's fishing and frisbee golf, walking trails, and a "nature barn," which, upon investigation, seems to be a place where you can see farm animals when it's open. I've seen a little swimming beach that looks enjoyable. There may be rentals for paddle boats and a concession stand, but I have not used these services. The reason for not giving 5 stars is because when I drove there, parked, and started out on my bicycle ride, intending to use the bike trail, it was closed with no signage! Fortunately, I was familiar with the area and knew how to go a back route on the road. When I came back into the park, I saw 3 huge turkeys! A man came over as I was loading my bike and said that he saw a heron. There were the usual geese there as well. I travel for my job, and I would say, Kearney does have a very nice variety of parks. They do have restrooms. I have not seen a place where you can fill your water bottle. Therefore, I have had to stop and purchase water at the Scooters which is located on the trail.

I've always enjoyed walking around this park park and spending time out in nature! Had a wonderful spot that I even got to propose at! If you're looking for a nice place to enjoy some time of peace and quiet, or even go on a picnic, I highly recommend this place!

It was Beautiful, I choose to explore the Outlook across from the pond. It just a dirt road back in the fields behind the trees. This really was one of the most peaceful, quiet, and beautiful park drive I have ever seen. I was driving my rental car Nissan Altima, there's a very, very, steep road up and to the left of the entrance, this is the only path I saw that leads out into the field. Then it opens up and you can take an easy enjoyable ride along the dirt Road. It winds up and down, in and out of a line of trees. There is a lot of room out there you can walk or drive, but I will Caution there is a long, DEEP, divot just after the curve around the back, along the fence, just before the next Grove of trees is the Divot. This !!!!!CAN NOT!!!!! be seen from the road AT ALL!!!! The divet starts at the edge of the dirt, on the Right side. Then travels in a T shape, down the hill dropping deeper and deepaer, along the way. There is grass covering the hole!!! If your tire catches it you will end up in the hole. That happened to me the other day. There are no warning signs, to prevent this, even though , the locales know about it. It was a beautiful experience, until I meet my doom upon a cinder block, that was in the hole, covered by lots of grass. Also not visible!!!

We biked the Kearney (Kar-nay) Hike and Bike Trail. Began at Cottonmill Park, rode through Yanney Park (didn't spot any Sandhill Cranes :( )and ended at the Archway Monument. Beautiful country!

Nice place to take a break. The prairie trail is great for walking, biking, and bird watching.

Lovely place to lose Yourself meandering the various trails, do alittle fishing, biking, swimming there's a jungle gym for kids and area's for picnicking. I've taken many beautiful photographs at Cottonmill

This lake is very family friendly. There is a shallower lake for kids and another lake for things like paddle boarding, canoeing, and riding on small boats. There is also wildlife like fish and turtles. Great for fishing as well. 10/10 recommended.

Purchased tickets online the day before for a 1:15 showing. Drove 35 miles to the theater. Arrived at 1:00. Was told the movie had started 5 minutes earlier. Was offered a refund. This was the main reason we came to Kearney. Decided to stay for the movie. There was plenty of time to stop the movie and start it over again at the advertised time (which was also on the paper ticket we were given when we arrived and is still shown on your website). You can do better. Enjoyed the movie. Would still like to see what happened in the first 5 minutes!

I know the staff was pretty busy but the employees were very short and a little rude. The movie and the seats were great, the huge yellow smudge on the screen was a distraction though...

Honestly really clean theater from my previous experiences, but I am very let down at the lack of variety. It's the same 3 movies everywhere, and this place is no exception. Even movies I've seen a lot of excitement about online seem to not be an option here. Very disappointed about this. 😕. If I want to see a movie, I have to drive 2+ hours to a place that will show it.

Nice staff members, amazing popcorn, great movie, drink, and snack selection. Overall, it's the best place to go to watch a movie in theaters. 🍿😋🥤

lady took my candy and i got ided before i went and this lady walked all the way to us and asked for our ids again 💀 like bro no way you care that much. I let her keep my lifesavers to 🥀.

Love this theatre!! Great seats that can be purchased in advance and you can pick exact seat you want!

I love the seats man they were really pretty cool to lean back in while watching a movie

AxeHoles is an excellent spot for a family day out. The service is top-notch, and the atmosphere is incredibly fun. Whether you’re looking for a fun activity with friends or a company outing, AxeHoles is the place to be. We’re definitely planning to check out the paint splatter room next time we visit because it looks like a blast!

Today we hosted our daughter’s 9th birthday here with 14 kids and 8 adults (bold move right?!). From the initial contact email to the end of the party, we were taken care of, safe, and having a BLAST. We did axe throwing and the paint splatter room. We will be back!!!

Axe Holes Kearney is a truly special place. We were greeted by the owner and given excellent training on how to safely toss the axes for the best results. He was super kind and incredibly helpful. They were a little short staffed but he stepped up and took care of everyone with a genuine smile. It was absolutely amazing to watch. . The facility was clean, and the barriers between axe throwing booths made us feel safe. The attention to detail on this place is just excellent. We will 100% be back and tell our friends to check it out. If you can't quite get the hang of throwing an axe or want to switch it up, they have these rad ninja stars you can use in all of the Axe games. . Thanks so much for everything! God bless ya!

Went last weekend with a couple friends for a birthday and it was nothing short of amazing. The girl that worked the counter was super nice and it was a really fun experience. Definitely would recommend again.

The UNK LPAC (Loper Programming Activities Council) had a great time. Great service.

I have gone to a few ax throwing places but nothing like Ax Holes in Kearney. The games are on tablets and projected onto the boards. Super fun experience and highly recommend!

We lined this up with Derek for members of our family reunion. It was so much fun!! Derek took the time to train us and spent extra time helping out the young children. He was wonderful to work with!!

High dive for the win!! Where we live, there aren’t community pools OR diving boards. Totally lame. So this was an amazing experience for my girls. 3 diving boards, 1 of which is a higher dive, and 1 slide that was so much fun! A big, clean pool that goes deep. Reasonably priced snacks/treats and an affordable admission. We had a blast!!

A beautiful day to discover a park for an impromptu picnic. Quickly realized it's a popular destination for photographers as there was a wedding party and two other family groups all taking photos in various places.

I walked there at 9:50 am online it said they were open at 10 I waited for a few minutes to see if they opened at 10am they didn't so I wasted my time yo go there if they don't open at 10 am on Sunday they should update there time online

Awesome slide, must be 48” tall to go on it. Amazing staff, very attentive life guards who take safety seriously and good communication. Very well managed pool. A+++

Great pool. Safe. Lots of lifeguards.

We love this pool! Get there right when they open to have a chance at a lawn chair. There are rest breaks 10 minutes before the top of every hour, until the top of the hour. You're allowed to bring in outside food, as long as nothing is in glass containers.

Only cplat is I want to know if they allow coins

Love the quality of plants and also the variety. They are very knowledgeable and they don't make you feel dumb for asking a common question. I love goin here to look around my kiddo loves cece the cat. Thanks for having a local small business for plants

Had my dying snake plant repotted by Diego, who was very kind and friendly. He very thoroughly explained when to water and repot again. I've been doing exactly what he said! Imagine my surprise when I saw new growth!!! I literally kill EVERYTHING, this is big for me. I love Rooted! Everyone is always so kind and knowledgeable. I will always recommend Rooted Plant Co. to everyone.

Such a cute plant shop. Nice variety and the prices were very reasonable. Kudos to Diego on his knowledge and helpful tips. I will definitely be back!

Hey anyone and everyone!! Diego thank you so much for helping me get my mom's plant back. this plant y'all is 27 years old, my family and I were on a cross country road trip and I left this plant at the hotel, by the time we released is we were at least 3 days away! But thanks so Diego and his family I got her back. Not only did he take it personally to the post office they wrote my a card and changed her soil cause she needed some TLC! Thank you for getting her back to me Diego, she made it in one piece!

Fun place to plant shop. Very knowledgeable and helpful, so they are able to answer your plant care questions. I also really like their potting mixes. You are missing out if you don’t shop at Rooted Plant Co. It’s a great Veteran owned, Family owned, small business!

Absolutely love coming here for all our plant needs and some of their private events they have held! It's a family owned facility with other employees that are all amazing🤩 We first came here by chance when my daughter really wanted plants at home. We are trying to live a cleaner life style so I asked about plants that detox the air and help with certain things. All the staff we have encountered, which is all of them have been so kind, so patient, understanding, and over all welcoming! A few reasons we will always come here! *The Staff is so patient and kind * We let them know our budget and they make it work. Sometimes it's only $20 but they will find a plant, a pot and soil that fits in that budget. *If something is wrong or we need to repot our plants. We simply bring them in and they do it for us! * They are so friendly and nice to my kids. Let them help out and answer their questions! * They have really fun private events! My husband and I did a paint your partner class that was really fun! Great price too! Overall this is where you want to come for plants! Always met with kindness, respect and knowledge. I could go on and on but that would literally take forever! Trust me, you want to go here! I even brought my entire summer camp from Gothenburg here for a field trip! Worth every cent!!:)

I always get the best plants at Rooted! The staff are super knowledgeable. They call me by name. Best of all, the plants look great years later! Some of my favorite plants have come from Rooted!

Absolutely loved my Zumba class with Britnie and Nadia! Their energy and enthusiasm were infectious, perfectly complemented by the upbeat music. It made the workout both fun and effective. Can't wait for the next session! Thank you, ladies!

Update: The new addition is amazing. Great workout facility. The negative is they added no additional gym space. During Youth Sports season its impossible to find an open space to do anything. Youth Sports has become a nightmare in recent years. The failure to properly train officials or hire ones that care more than just earning a paycheck is incredibly frustrating. They also allow select groups of people to hand select their teams. I don't understand the nature of this when certain teams are winning by 4-6 touchdowns each game, or volleyball teams have 10+ players when others struggle to field 6 to play a game. If this is the goal they are shooting for this needs to be advertised as a bring your own team scenario like leagues in the Hastings YMCA. Moving forward we plan to move our children to club sports where it's expected to care more about putting your best foot forward than coaching athletes of all abilities.

I would give 100 stars if I could after what happened today! I always lock up my things in a locker when I'm there. Well, somehow I lost the key to my padlock. I explained the situation to Trevor Peterson at the front desk. He kindly offered to try picking the lock. He worked hard but he just couldn't get it. Another staff member suggested using the bolt cutters that they have. Trevor took the bolt cutters and cut the lock in no time. I couldn't thank him enough! He really went the extra mile to help me out! Thanks again, Trevor!

A very welcoming environment. Staff is always friendly and there to assist you with you questions. Locker rooms to secure you items (bring a lock). Showers to clean up afterwards if you want. Pool, courts, running track, cardio equipment, free weights and machines are at your disposal as well. Other patrons are friendly and dont mind working in with them in the lifting areas. Seperate rooms for Spin classes, stretching, core related workouts if you need. Large area in the back for kids to hang out as well. Stop by and check it out.

I can't say enough positive things about this facility The staff are all amazing, motivated by your health - not money. I've only been a member a few weeks and working with a personal trainer has proved to me the power of positive support! I know I will achieve and maintain my goal!! Thank you for your empowering support, time and awesome facility 😊

After having closed my old Google Gmail account earlier this year all of my reviews were lost as a direct consequence. Hence, will re-write mine for this exceptional YMCA. It is the cleanest, friendliest, and most service-oriented Y ever experienced in my 67 years. During deep summer of 2019 I was seeking critical medical services at the Grand Island Veterans Administration Medical Center, being 300+ from my last apartment and with few funds to be able to see it all through those 4 weeks. Had found myself sleeping in my old minivan in Walmart parking lots in Grand Island as well as in Kearney and different parking areas with restroom facilities nearby, generally trying to not be a burden or a pest to anyone. This YMCA received me so well, graciously granting me showers when needing them before I'd go for another VA medical appointment. Those little acts of kindness will never be forgotten. Alas, I ended up returning to the Nebraska panhandle to re-lease the very same apartment I'd previously rented last before heading to G.I. for those few months. Thank you Kearney Family YMCA for everything. You truly helped to make a difference in this veteran's life. Illegitimi non carborundum (from the many Covidiots, that is to say). .

I lift at the YMCA frequently and I love the new weight area arrangement. No more complaints when I do deadlifts!

There really isn't much to see here. A lot of grass and trees. The fort, well kids might get something out of it. They do have some really cool cannons, I wish they were a little better displayed. Anyway, don't stop here if you don't have a state park sticker, as it is not worth paying for one to see this.

This site was of huge importance in the settlement of the American West but obviously not so much in the eyes of your parks department. There was a blacksmith shop there which was difficult to really see anything because of the lack of lighting. The wooden fort had pieces of it that had Fallen down and in need of repair. Most of the informational signs were Illegible as they are weather damaged. The park needed mowing and just looked in a disarray. I would think that Nebraska would respect its heritage more than this. We were very disappointed in this park. We reserved a camping spot and the following day after we arrived, a park official came to our campsite asking of we had a park pass. We were a bit confused, as we had paid online to reserve a campsite. The guy tells us that we have to pay an additional $ 14 per day for a park pass...never heard of this before. Plus if you want a shower, you have to pay $1.00 per 4 minutes of water. I sure would like to know who is padding their pocket with these extras fees, as obviously they are not going into the park system.

My husband and I were out and about touring different places on the Nebraska Passport and since we were close by we decided to stop here and have a look around. The outside areas and scenic and clean. The gift shop was nice to look around in and the woman working there was super friendly and knowledgeable.

The visitors center/ museum was nice. I was disappointed with the blacksmith shop. The displays were not arranged and clearly deteriorating. There was a young man working on cleaning it up but you could tell it had been a while since any form of maintenance was done. The fort it’s just the walls with guard towers on the corners. No reconstructed buildings. They did have a walking path with the old foundations marked out and info boards. I feel it has historical interest but should really be repaired.

Fort Kearney was built to protect, shelter, and resupply settlers traveling the Oregon, California, and Mormon trails. The visitor center is staffed with friendly people, has a nice display of historical documents and artifacts, and an excellent video detailing the history of the area and fort. This historical park will appeal to avid history buffs, but the casual traveler will find it lacking. The period fort buildings are minimally cared for, the signage along the walkways are illegible and weather worn, and the reconstructed fort is poorly maintained. Amenities are few and the restrooms are deplorable.

Interesting part of US history and the Oregon Trail. This is a State Park but really should be a National Park or US site. Museum was small but had many artifacts to view. The upkeep seems a little lacking and my understanding from other posts is possible budget cuts within the state of Nebraska May be the cause. Great afternoon for a walk around the grounds. Be sure to watch the movie inside the welcome center as it provides Perry information before walking the grounds. I would pay extra for a guided tour to understand what we were viewing. Not much information available as you walk, no map with information either.

Compared to similar historical sites there is not much here. There is a small museum, an informative video along with a blacksmith shop and a bare bones wooden fort. The history of this place is very relevant to multiple topics and for me was essential. The thing that rubbed me raw is that Nebraska charged me 8 dollars for a permit for the state park and 4 dollars for the museum. I gladly gave the museum their money but the permit fee is obnoxious for parking in the lot for just an hour.