Grand Island

Grand Island is a city in central Nebraska. The sleek Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer traces the area’s early history. In restored Burlington Station, Tri-City Model Railroad Association exhibits a sprawling model of mid-20th-century Grand Island. Southwest of the city, Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center offers trails, a butterfly garden and blinds for viewing migrating sandhill cranes along the Platte River.
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Grand Island Trip Planner

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Top attractions in Grand Island

Stuhr Museum
1. Stuhr Museum
4.7
(878)
Museum
History Museums
Exhibits of daily life in Nebraska for settlers & American Indians dating back to the early 1800s.
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Loved our time at the Stuhr Museum. This picture was the only one I took but there were a lot of fun things to look at in the main building. The little town was also very interesting. The staff were very friendly and helpful.
I got an experience where the "sentiments" on display held about as much intrinsic worth as my grandma's rocking chair. And yet that chair has seen more dramatic exits from toddlers than this place will ever see from me. Save your spare cash, you'd get more entertainment from watching paint dry, and probably a better souvenir.
Beautiful place. A lot to see. If you are into Nebraska history this is the place. It's got two main buildings which we saw and then there is a whole lot of out buildings that we didn't get to see because of the constant rain. If we get back here we will return
This museum is like going to 5 museums in one. Also, customer service is by far the best I've ever experienced. Diving in, I didn't know what to expect, and as I drove to the front gate, the lovely lady first honored me for being in the Marines, then explained the museum(s). She directed me to the main building, where I ran into Scott. He gave me a run down of the building and the other experiences I was going to have. I'm so glad I didn't eat before I got there as scott directed me to the old Town where I met another fantastic woman who I asked what she recommended and she said the chicken salad sandwich, which was delious and it was cheaper than McDonald's. She told me to visit the buildings and I ran into another young gal who gave me insight to the town and told me to go to the wood working shop, where I met Jeff who gave me a tour of how they did wood working in the 1890s. Next was the machinery ( which I wasn't into until I walked in). Wow, you have to see it to believe it. As you noticed, there were so many places to tour, and I skipped some for you to discover for yourself. I got there at 11:00 am and left at 5:15 pm in total awe of how many experiences you can have in one museum. Be aware there is something for every age here. Plan on at least 2 to 3 hours of fun and adventure.
I so wanted to give this place a better review! I was there about 10 years ago and the place was much better maintained than it is now. In the village were informational signs missing or damaged, buildings locked, and there was just a general look of the village being unkept. The museum was beautiful and very well maintained. So I wonder if most of the money went into that? The farm wasn’t open to the public either, which was another disappointment. You could walk around it, but not go in the buildings. The staff were very kind and I truly enjoyed their hospitality. The hat maker was so sweet and chatted with my mom and I for a while. Dogs are allowed there if on a leash, but not in *any* of the buildings. So keep that in mind when visiting. It is also a good amount of walking, so bring good shoes and water. There are bathrooms in the museum and the village. To enter, the cost wasn’t too bad.
It is a great museum took 2 days to see it all. The staff is wonderful.
Stuhr Museum is one of the best we have visited....or maybe the best one. The collection on vintage buildings and items can be overwhelming in the positive way. Try to arrive in the morning. Everything is well kept, organized, clean, neat. Thank you
The main museum was very cool and worth the price of admission on its own. Most of the older buildings (the farm and the 1800s town) were locked so we couldn't look inside which was disappointing. I think that part may be more accessible the summer time.
Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center
2. Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center
4.7
(598)
Visitor center
Nature preserve
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Everyone there was super friendly and very knowledgeable about the animals and happy to talk with you. Their preserve has a few miles worth of nature trails that were gorgeous and easy to find and navigate. Their building had a great gift shop and tons of photographs and art pieces available to purchase. They also have a good bit of educational / informational materials about the animals and the land they're surrounded by. I'm so glad I was able to explore their center and trails and would recommend it to anyone looking for a cool little adventure. I was also told the best time to see the birds is in March when they migrate here in huge numbers!
I visited the Crane Trust on my way to Gibbon for the Sandhill Cranes migration. The friendly staff provided great information. Inside, the walls showcase paintings and portraits by talented artists. There's a trail to the river and a chance to see buffalo. Before leaving, you can fill out a postcard, and they'll send it for you.
Sandhill crane cameras on the Platte River you can view live 24/7 on YouTube. They have a Bison (Buffalo) herd of about 150. Nature Center is on 6k acres of land. Bison are in various pastures for about 1,500 acres. Nature trails. Gift shop. Meeting room. Art for sale. Very child friendly with crafts. Just attended a free hayride with Bison evening with s'mores around a firepit. Last month they had Bison viewing, live music and food trucks. People have visited from all over the world to see the Sandhill cranes migrate through here in Feb/Mar. About a 5 mile stretch or so on the Platte River is the center of the hourglass for migrating cranes.
Love the Bison! What a great property run in conjunction with the US National Wildlife Service. Nice visitor center with art gallery, gift shop, snacks and bathrooms. Parking is plentiful and large enough for any size rig or RV. Bison heard happened to be right outside the visitor center. Great hiking trails about the property. I had 3 bars of Verizon 4G LTE Roaming throughout the property.
Great place for a quick visit on your road trip, right off of the highway. Wonderful education center for adults and kids, beautiful art gallery where you can buy prints, gift shop, and a total of 3.5 miles of trail to stretch your legs. The trail has two path options and a great way to get a feel for Nebraska nature and a chance to see bison and other wild life
Great volunteers! Very helpful. Enjoyed the lovely walk to see the bison!
An unplanned but serendipitous stop along Interstate 80. We loved the art gallery, interpretive video and trails and footbridges on the Platte River. The Trust even maintains a small bison herd and monarch butterfly sanctuary. Before arriving we saw tens of thousands of sandhill cranes feeding in the cornfields along I-80 (late March), so when we saw the sign to the Crane Trust, we had to stop to check it out. We were warmly welcomed at the door, given a brief but thorough orientation to the setup of the building and then set free to roam the place. We ended up purchasing a large, framed photo for our living room to benefit the Trust before leaving. Wonderful place doing wonderful work!
Visiting here is highly recommended. Every volunteer and member of staff I encountered was so passionate about the work they do I couldn't help but be excited at every turn. The migration of the cranes is an awe inspiring event that everyone should see in person. The VIP experience is a must do! The cabins have everything you could need, the meals were delicious, and the HEATED blinds made the whole event more enjoyable.
Island Oasis Water Park
3. Island Oasis Water Park
4.5
(538)
Water park
Water & Amusement Parks
Water park with a wave pool, lazy river & high-speed slides, plus a kids' area with spray fountains.
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Great water park!! My kids loved it! The wave pool was a unique feature they hadn't done before. The lazy river had a lot of splash features -- so don't expect to ride it without getting your head wet.
It was SO much fun! The slides were great, the wave pool was great, and the lazy river was fantastic! The lazy river had different ways to go so you can either get hit by water or not. The only part that wasn't great was the big slides, they were so high up that the stairs took quite some time and you got super tired. Other than that it was so much fun!
One of the best water parks I have ever been to. We drove 2 hours to come here and were super impressed! We visited on a Thursday and came from open to close and it wasn’t very busy. No more than a 5 minute wait for slides. #1 lazy river I’ve ever swam in. Food prices were super cheap compared to water parks in Omaha. $2.50 hot dogs, $3 walking tacos. $15 t-shirts! They have the coolest kiddie slide ever it’s like a slip and slide and super cushiony at the bottom which is a big deal to me. I can’t stand coming down a slide or my kids going down a slide and then scraping feet. The life guard at the slide was friendly and would give kids a boost which I thought was nice. All the staff were actually really helpful and friendly. They seemed to actually enjoy their jobs. The park has 2 giant slides, 4 big slides, a wave pool, an obstacle course, lazy river, water basket ball hoops, splash park type area, kiddie slide, sand play area and concessions. $30 for my family of 5 to get in. Very nicely up kept. We will be back and bringing friends! Oh and the decor really gave it a tropical feel. I loved all the pretty flowers and the fake palm trees. 10/10
Tuesday was the perfect day to go. Not too busy with plenty of shady trees to set up under. They had a life vest for my 5-year-old to use, and locker rental was only a buck. Lifeguards were polite, respectful, and diligent. They had big tube slides for kids who aren't strong swimmers and other slides for kids who are. The lazy river and wave pools were a blast. Bring your sun screen and have fun!
Venue offers something for the whole family, non-swimmers included. Staff was relaxed. Everything seemed well-maintained and in good working order despite the park’s advancing age. Slides could have used a bit more water to assist riders and the lazy river was perhaps a little too lazy. Admission and concessions were very affordable and tubes were included—making for a joyous and cost effective afternoon for the family.
Absolutely amazing. I have a 10yr old a 2.5yr old and an 18 month old and they all had a blast a dso did us adults. A lot of fun and great staff at a very good price A+
Had a blast. About the only thing to do in Nebraska to enjoy a family outing. Worth the money. Blow a few hours. Cool off and look at the corn fed bikinis. Not to mention the concession menu has a wide variety of food.
Fun water park with a multitude of experiences for all ages. Zero depth pool with waves, 6 slides, obstacle course, lazy river, shaded picnic areas, sand and a children's area. An abundance of life guards, snack bar with shaded area, free inner tubes for wave pool.
HVAC Services: Heating & Air Conditioning
4. HVAC Services: Heating & Air Conditioning
3.9
(1979)
Temporarily Closed
Air conditioning contractor
Shopping
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The mall is not open anymore in Grandisland so I didn't go there but the mall was awesome when it was open
Went and saw the new Top Gun movie. They need more employees there. Not very organized. Some of the seats had no arm rest cushions. And the floor in the isles were sticky in some areas and slick from butter in others. The movie was good though.
Didn't visit Utica Nebraska. Google maps has Conestoga Marketplace in Grand Island Nebraska mapped incorrectly.
We shopped Maurice's and Bath & Body Works. Great service, great sales, huge selection!
This mall feels like it is dying, the Hilltop mall in Kearney is way more worth a trip. Not a ton of stores open, lots of empty sites.
The current condition of the Conestoga Mall is an eyesore. What happened?! Back in the day, you could become distracted shopping for power tools and lawnmowers with dad at Sears, realize what time it is, run like hell, make it just in time for your 5:00 movie, and then sit down with the family for a nice dinner from the food court at the end of the day. I remember when I was young and the excitement I would get from seeing Santa Claus sitting on his throne in the center of the mall. I also remember browsing the wonderful world of Radio Shack with pretzel in hand from the PretzelMaker. Man those were the days. To those who recently took ownership of the mall, please don't let the memories be forgotten. Save our mall! Can't wait for that Target store to come in!
The mall has gone downhill. There are a few good stores, IE: Tri-City Furniture, Hot Topic, Rue 21, and a couple others. Can't get new stores in because they charge too high of rent, so very few stores can afford to stay long. I really hope that new group can revitalize the mall, but I hope they keep rental rates decent, can't afford to lose any more stores. It's just sad actually, the mall used to be good.
From a distance this looks like your average mall but as you get closer the lack of care and maintenance is apparent. But that doesn’t compare to the inside of the mall. This place is run down, dirty, and just plain sad. Better off going somewhere else local to shop so that mall can be put out of its misery.
Raising Nebraska
5. Raising Nebraska
5.0
(5)
Education center
Museums
Slide 1 of 3
Interactive exhibit of Nebraska. Great learning experience for the whole family. Great exhibits and an indoor grain silo theater.
Fun, educational facility.
Stolley Park
6. Stolley Park
4.6
(705)
Park
Fun & Games
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They have recently made some changes for the better. Great for walking and seeing the different gardens. Has a large playground for all ages and a splashpad. There is soccer fields, disc golf, horse shoe pits, and pickel ball courts. Plenty of nice clean bathrooms. A large group covered picnic area and small ones around different areas of the park. They do have a small train for the kiddos that runs on the weekends and Halloween/Christmas. Great place for families with kids and or dogs.
Took the kiddo to the spray ground; it is awesome and clean. Well designed and placed with shade right on the edge. The train looks awesome, the garden is well done, and the Hackberry trees are trimmed up to provide shade yet allow air movement
This is probably one of the best city parks I've ever seen. This place was very well manicured along with a very nice playground area for the kids and not to mention the train there. The train is a wonderful addition to this park along with nice restrooms! They also have covered picnic area for family get togethers and birthday parties! We will be back!!
Very nice park! Wish the train had been open to check it out. My kids had a lot of fun on our way through town. There is also a splash pad we didn't get a chance to try. Bathrooms were clean enough for a public park. Well manicured lawns, lots of shade.
Wonderful park, historic. First settlers in area owned this land before it was donated. Tree covered park with historic buildings, pickle ball courts, gardens, splash pad, operating railroad, disk golf, rentable covered picnic area, soccer fields and a great playground built by kids, for kids.
Kids designed this park 😁. Very cool Playground. Like the train too. Lots of covered areas with picnic tables. Restrooms are full plumbing type (not outhouses) with stainless steel fixtures.
Very nice and peaceful to see and enjoy yourself. Seeing the flowers and just walking through a garden. Thank you, Grand Island Parks and Recreation.
Love it! The new splash pad perfect for the little ones to have some fun and parents to distress, great job on this new addition to the park it’s nice and clean! Let’s keep it that way, so we can all have fun in the community. Will be coming back this hot summer!!
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Other notable attractions

Dog Island
Dog park
Sights & Landmarks
Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center
Visitor center
Nature preserve
Grand Island Public Library - Nebraska
Public library
Libraries

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Weather in Grand Island

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Monthly temperature highs and lows in Grand Island
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