Affordable Things to Do This Holiday Season in Omaha, Nebraska

Bliss Junkie turned eight years old in November. Thank you to everyone who has visited my little spot on the Internet! I first hit publish on my site when I was a sophomore in college back in 2016.

Now, I'm settled into an Omaha suburb, working in Web Design and Marketing for a nonprofit. That being said, the holidays are HERE and we need some fun things to do to help us unwind! I put together a list of my favorite holiday things to do near Omaha and they're affordable :) 

ice skating at the riverfront

Downtown Omaha is more beautiful than ever. Recently, they transformed the Skate Ribbon at the Riverfront into an ice skating rink and it looks like a scene from a movie! Think towering Christmas tree and fire pits scattered across the grounds. I felt like I was in downtown Chicago.

I skated on a Wednesday night and it was pretty perfect, a good amount of people around, but not crowded. I'd definitely recommend visiting on a week night, less stress and better opportunities for parking. Each skating reservation gives you 30 minutes of skate time and the skate rental is only $5. 

​Tip: Parking was super easy. I was able to find a parallel spot right across the street! I found it under the 480 bridge, near 8th and Douglas. It was $1 for one hour, which worked well with the 30 minute skating reservation. 

best places to see lights

Your Christmas fun doesn't have to break the bank. Driving around to look at Christmas lights never gets old, especially with a hot coffee! There is a house on 66th and Cornhusker in Papillion that has their yard filled to the brim with twinkling lights and displays straight out of Santa's workshop. It's phenomenal, it even caught the eye of local news stations!

Watch the News Story

So far, my favorite suburb to see lights is downtown Papillion. The trees along South Washington Street are covered in beautiful string lights and look like Christmas trees, glowing with hanging ornaments.

​The best way to see these lights is to park at First Street Plaza, which is a park. The park has countless displays, cement walking paths, and indoor bathrooms. This park is on 1st Street and S Washington St. You don't have to pay either :)

TIP: There's a gorgeously lit tree downtown by the ice skating rink. Midtown also has pretty lights up that are worth driving to see.

stay at wild elm cabin

Tucked in an urban forest, lies Wild Elm Cabin. This Airbnb is the perfect spot to relax and rest from the holiday craziness. Pack a book, hot chocolate, and your favorite Christmas pajamas!

The Wild Elm is an affordable getaway near great shops like Cooper & Co. and only a ten minute drive from one of my favorite breakfast places, The Piedmont Bistro. I stayed in October and it was a definite boost for my mental health. It was a nice quiet couple days, alone and surrounded by nature.

order a cinnamon roll latte

Did you know Omaha does not have many coffee shops that offer special winter drinks? I scoured the internet searching for them, lol. I've talked about Coffee Society Cafe before, but I haven't talked about their CINNAMON ROLL LATTE.

It was delicious, Christmas-y, and a good way to warm up from this dry winter weather. I ordered a small and it was $5.80. This coffee shop is a favorite of mine and they're open until 7 PM, a lot later than most places!

Hope this list helps you get into the holiday spirit! And remember, you don't have to do three NEW Christmas things to have a "good" December. It's a hard year. Things are expensive. Pick one thing you'd love to do this Christmas and make it your thing. Love you guys.

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