Budget
Getting there: Frequent one-way sale rates start from $119 on Frontier Airlines with one flight connection in Denver; 10-day advance purchase.
Stay: Element Hotels feature cleverly designed studio to two-bedroom accommodations that feel like home. From ambient lighting, large windows, custom closets, sleek bathrooms, signature bedding to fully-stocked kitchens, this brand is ideal for a weekend stay. Rates for a studio at the Omaha Midtown Crossing start from $79 per night; 3253 Dodge St., 402-614-8080, www.starwood.com.
Eat: Chefs at the Wave Bistro blend traditional Asian cuisine with a modern European twist. The crisp decor reflects the same. For being considered Omaha's finest Asian restaurant, the menu is pleasantly affordable with starters from $6-$10 and entrees from $13-$17; 4002 N. 144th St., 402-496-8812.
Experience: The Durham Western Heritage Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian, is located in the beautifully restored Art Deco-style Union Station. Exhibits highlight the railroad history of the region. Through July 10, catch the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs ever shown in the states. Adult admission $7; 801 S. 10th St., 402-444-5071, www.durhammuseum.org.
Moderate
Getting there: One-way rates on AirTran start from $124 with one flight connection in Milwaukee; 14-day advance purchase.
Stay: Hilton Garden Inn is ideally located in the vibrant Old Market Area. The hotel features newly renovated guest rooms, an indoor pool and whirlpool, fitness center, 24-hour lobby Pantry, complimentary airport transportation and complimentary WiFi. "Bed and Breakfast" rates starts from $134; 1005 Dodge St., 402-341-4400, www.omahadowntown.stayhgi.com.
Eat: M's Pub, one of the city's oldest, has a European bistro feel and is located in the heart of the Old Market District. A vast menu and daily specials will satisfy any taste. As the menu runs the gamut from famous soups, light plates, chops, seafood, pasta, dry-aged steaks to lahvosh (thin flatbread), so do the prices. Starters are from $5.75; entrees to $40; 422 S. 11th St., 402-342-2550, www.mspubomaha.com.
Experience: Highlights at the 100-acre Lauritzen Gardens include a Victorian Garden, a rose garden, a bird sanctuary and the Song of the Lark Meadow with native wildflowers and grasses; $7 adults; $3 for a narrated one-hour tram tour; 100 Bancroft St., 402-346-4002, www.omahabotanicalgardens.org. The world-class Henry Doorly Zoo includes the world's largest indoor tropical rainforest, a Gorilla Valley and the world's largest geodesic-enclosed arid desert and the nocturnal caverns. Adults (ages 12 and over) $13.50; 3701 S. 10th St., 402-733-8401, www.omahazoo.com.
Splurge
Getting there: Round-trip Economy Class airfare on Delta (nonstop) starts from $356 with a 21-day advance purchase; from $556 with a one-week notice.
Stay: The Magnolia Omaha features contemporary boutique-style guest rooms and suites and amenities such as breakfast buffet, evening beer and wine reception, airport and downtown transportation, 24-hour fitness center and a bed-time cookies and milk buffet. The "Culture Shock" package includes overnight accommodations, a welcome bottle of wine, valet parking, admission for two to the Joslyn Art Museum and dinner for two in the hotel's restaurant. Rates start from $179; from $246 in suite accommodations; 1615 Howard St., 402-341-2500, www.magnoliahotelomaha.com.
Eat: Opened in 2009 in a circa-1887 brick factory, The Boiler Room is an impressive space. Diners, too, are impressed with inventive and daily changing menus featuring farm fresh ingredients. Prices vary, but average $4-$15 for appetizer; from $20 for entrees. The wine list is extensive; service is tops; 1110 Jones St., 402-916-9274, www.theboilerroomrestaurant.com.
Experience: The historic Old Market is a must-see downtown arts and entertainment center with unique shops, boutiques, pubs, restaurants, bookstores, bakeries, galleries and more; www.oldmarket.com. Stroll the cobbled streets or take a one-hour horse and carriage tour along the riverfront, Old Market, Heartland Park, the Warehouse area and the newer downtown area; $100 per couple (children 12 and under free); 11th St. & Howard; 402-453-6745, www.mjcarriage.com.
Clara Bosonetto is a retired travel consultant.
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