Top Things to do at Arbor Day Farm with Kids
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Arbor Day Farm is the perfect place for families to embrace the beauty and wonder of nature as well as seek fun adventures in the great outdoors.
Located just 45 minutes from downtown Omaha, Arbor Day Farm makes for an ideal day excursion or even for an overnight or weekend stay at the Lied Lodge.

Keep reading to find out the top things to do at Arbor Day Farm with kids in Nebraska City plus uncover what makes this destination so special and beloved by all those who visit.
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What is Arbor Day Farm
Arbor Day Farm is a gorgeous place that is so much more than a farm. It is a fantastic destination for families to visit.
Families can visit Arbor Day Farm for outdoor learning, new experiences, and even some thrills!
Arbor Day Farm is not only a living tribute to Arbor Day, but also is a place that celebrates the beauty and importance of trees through education, adventure, and relaxation.
This amazing destination is home to the Lied Lodge, Apple House Market, Tree Adventure, and the Arbor Lodge State Historical Park.
When you visit Arbor Day Farm you can expect to explore gorgeous orchards, immerse yourself in the Tree Adventure attractions, explore nature trails, learn about the history of Arbor Day, visit the Arbor Day mansion, and participate in various seasonal special events.
Arbor Day Farm Location
Arbor Day Farm is located in Nebraska City, Nebraska.
Here are some driving distances to Arbor Day Farm from nearby cities:
- 1 hour from Lincoln, Nebraska
- 45 minutes from Omaha, Nebraska
- 2 hours and 20 minutes from Kansas City
- 2 hours and 35 minutes from Des Moines, Iowa
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If you are visiting for more than a day, your family and friends can stay at the Lied Lodge which is part of Arbor Day Farm or the Holiday Inn Express in Nebraska City.
Arbor Day Farm Parking
When you drive into Arbor Day Farm, to the left you will see a small parking lot right outside of Apple House Market.
At that same spot you will also see the sign and entrance for Tree Adventure.
The parking lot is free. From this parking lot, you can easily access both the Apple House Market and Tree Adventure.
If the parking lot is full, there is a large grass field to park in as well!
It is not as convenient to park in this lot but still is not too far to walk, and there is a sidewalk from the edge of the grass lot to Tree Adventure and the Apple House Market.
Admission Prices at Arbor Day Farm
Arbor Day Farm attractions that have an admission cost include Tree Adventure as well as the Arbor Lodge.
Admission prices for the Tree Adventure are $14 for adults and $12 for children ages 3-12.
Additionally, on most weekends in April through October there is the opportunity to add a Discovery ride to your Tree Adventure admission which is $7 per person.
This one hour ride provides you with a thorough tour of all 260 acres of Arbor Day Farm.
For the Arbor Lodge, admission prices are $9 for adults and $7 for children ages 3-12.
Must Know Information
Arbor Day Farm including Tree Adventure and the Arbor Lodge is open year round. Make sure to check the Arbor Day Farm website for seasonal hours.
Lied Lodge at Arbor Day Farm
Lied Lodge is the perfect spot for an overnight or weekend stay at Arbor Day Farms.
I personally have not stayed at Lied Lodge, but I would love to stay here with my family in the future.
This lodge offers a few different types of guest rooms.
Unfortunately, for our family of six, we would need to get two rooms as Lied Lodge does not have a suite large enough for our family.
Additionally, Lied Lodge has a fantastic indoor pool area including a separate pool for younger swimmers that is only 18 inches deep. There is also a hot tub.
It also has a couple of different dining options on-site including Timbers and the Library Lounge which offers food from the Timbers menu. Timbers also has a kids menu!
I hope to stay at Lied Lodge with our family soon in order to have some additional time to truly enjoy and soak in all that Arbor Day Farm has to offer.
Expert Recommendation
Enjoy a walk or run on the paved path surrounding the Lied Lodge.
Things to do at Arbor Day Farm
Arbor Day Farm has so many incredible things to do and see that it is difficult to experience them all in one day!
Tree Adventure
The Tree Adventure will be the kids’ favorite attraction at Arbor Day Farm.
In fact, it is so thrilling and exciting, you may have a challenging time getting the kids to leave!
The highlight of Tree Adventure is definitely the Treetop Village, but there is fun to be had throughout the entire attraction.
What to Expect at Tree Adventure
You can purchase your admission ticket right on the premises of Tree Adventure.
After purchasing your ticket, you will proceed through the building and then outside towards the paved Tree House Trail.
The Tree House Trail is perfect for pushing a stroller or wagon.
There is great signage throughout the attraction so you will know exactly where you need to go.
Your first stop will likely be the Nature Explore Classroom.
Nature Explore Classroom
The Nature Explore Classroom is an outdoor nature themed play area.
Some of the different exploration areas at the Nature Explore Classroom include:
- Colorful hammocks at Nature’s Tree House
- Exploration table to touch, build, and pretend with many items found in nature
- Wooden block building space
- Messy Materials Area with large logs to build with and climb on
- Natural water play section
- Musical instruments
Top Tip
Our kids really enjoyed the outdoor Nature Explore Classroom, but this is really just a small piece of what Tree Adventure has to offer. If you are limited on time, I wouldn’t spend too much time here as the activities at Tree Adventure keep getting better and better as you proceed on the Tree House Trail. Plus, you want to have plenty of time at the TreeTop Village.
Nature Play Area
There are so many thrilling and adventurous things to try in this section of Tree Adventures! Some of them are listed below.
- Spider web climbing structure
- Zip lines
- Large log teeter totter (seesaw)
- Rope walk
- Hillside slide
- Rock climbing structure
I loved this area of Tree Adventure. It was very shady and had humongous trees towering over you.
Treetop Village
Treetop Village is definitely the highlight for most visitors at Arbor Day Farm.
I have to say that it exceeded my expectations and was absolutely incredible!
You will feel like you are high above the trees as you walk across all of the suspended bridges.
It is kind of exhilarating walking across these bridges that are connected to impressive towering trees.
There are also cute treehouses that you will come to and be able to go in as you walk among the trees.
Expert Recommendation
My absolute favorite thing about Treetop Village was the WonderNet. It is this humongous net that is kind of bouncy like a trampoline. It wasn’t very busy when we were at the Treetop Village so I found a few minutes to lay on the net and look up at the trees. It was so peaceful and relaxing.
Apple House Market
Apple House Market is a charming marketplace with gifts, specialty foods, produce, and a variety of souvenirs.
Additionally, visitors can eat at Porter’s Barbeque located within Apple House Market.
Porter’s is a quick service restaurant where you order at the counter, and they deliver your food to the table.
I highly recommend the honey cornbread at Porter’s. Check out Porter’s Barbeque menu here.
We enjoyed eating at Porter’s because there were so many seating options. They also have a really nice outdoor patio.
Besides Porter’s, Apple House Market also has a full wine bar that serves Arbor Day Farm wine.
Arbor Lodge State Historical Park
Arbor Lodge State Historical Park is a significant historical site. This is where J. Sterling Morton, the founder of Arbor Day, resided.
I highly suggest visiting this gorgeous park.
If you are short on time, I recommend at least stopping by the mansion to take a quick picture of the exterior.
The Arbor Lodge mansion was once home to the Morton family.
People can visit the Arbor Lodge everyday except for Mondays.
Admission is $9 for adults and $7 for children.
Make sure to check the website for seasonal hours and updates.
Besides the Arbor Lodge, visitors can also experience beautiful trails, gardens, flowers, and an arboretum plus some additional historical buildings.
For the kids, there is also a tree-themed playground to enjoy!
Tips for Visiting Arbor Day Farm
- Make sure everyone has on athletic shoes or good closed toe shoes for Tree Adventure especially Treetop Village. There are so many active things to do, and your feet may get stuck in some of the nets.
- There is stroller parking at the Treetop Village so you can bring a stroller to the area.
- Treetop Village has lots of picnic tables and is such a gorgeous setting for a lunch or snack. You could bring your own food and drink, or there are concessions available too!
- Make sure to give yourself enough time to experience everything. You will for sure want to have plenty of time to enjoy the Treetop Village.
Must Know Information
Treetop Village is not handicap accessible. All visitors will need to be able to walk or be carried in a carrier. The walk across the suspended bridges can be very wobbly. That said, the Treetop Village is very doable for kids of all ages and most adults, too!
There is an accessible boardwalk to the picnic tables and rocking chairs underneath the Treetop Village.
This is a great place for anyone who is not going to go on the bridges to wait for everyone else and enjoy the scenery around them!
Plan Your Visit to Arbor Day Farm
Arbor Day Farm is such a special place to make memories and spend time with your family and friends.
Not only does it have a historical significance, but it also is just so beautiful and the perfect place to enjoy nature.
Download my travel itinerary planner to help you plan your visit to Arbor Day Farm or even combine it with a visit to Omaha or another nearby city.
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May you LOVE your adventure! KW