Top 9 Things To Do For Free In Lincoln, Nebraska

things to do in lincoln for free
Dulce
Dulce 
Updated
| 3 min read

Lincoln is the capital of Nebraska, a US State at the county seat of Lancaster County. Attractions such as Wildlife parks, a visit to the Sunken Garden, a thrilling basketball game at the Pinnacle Arena, visit the Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed that preserves and interprets all the physical significant memorabilia in racing history, and most of all, visit all the museums that preserve the arts, culture and rich heritage of Nebraska, Lincoln. So what are you waiting for? Get your passport and camera ready and book your hotel in Nebraska. Want to keep it cheap, here is a comprehensive list of the things to do for free in Lincoln, Nebraska.

1. Encounter wilderness at the Pioneers Park Nature Center

Pioneers Park (Lincoln) columns 2
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Ammodramus used under CC0

Go wildlife spotting at Pioneers Park Nature Center, a nature preserve. You get a total of eight miles (12.8 km) of trails to enjoy your wildlife experiences such as bison gazing, ponds for aquatic animals and interpretive buildings for various activities. You can simply enjoy nature’s gift to Nebraska. Lincoln is a great place to enjoy, destress and find inner peace of mind while on vacation in this beautiful state.

Pioneers Park Nature Center

Address: 3201 S Coddington Ave, Lincoln, NE 68522, USA

Website: Pioneers Park Nature Center

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 8:30am - 5pm; Sun: 12pm - 5pm

Price: Free (*except Pioneer Campground)

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2. Walk in the gorgeous tulip bloom gardens


Stroll through the tulip blooms in the Sunken Gardens. The garden features a series of rock formations and stone elements, different types of tulips and flower blooms, there are also some animals in this area. The garden is complete with statues that will surely make your photos Instagram-worthy because of its fresh ambiance.

Sunken Gardens

Address: S 27th St & Capitol Pkwy, Lincoln, NE 68502, United States

Website: Sunken Gardens

Opening hours: 6am - 11pm (daily)

Price: Free

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3. Take a stroll across the Nebraska State Capitol


Relish the view from the Nebraska State Capitol. This is considered the seat of governance in the whole of Nebraska. It is located downtown of Nebraska. The Capitol itself was designed by an architect named Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue with great building design. View the entire city inside the Capitol.

Nebraska Capitol

Address: 1445 K Street Lincoln, Nebraska United States

Website: Nebraska State Capitol

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 8am - 5pm; Sat: 10am - 5pm; Sun: 1pm - 5pm

Price: Free

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4. Explore the Historic Haymarket


Discover the Historic Haymarket district, and explore this side of Lincoln, Nebraska. The main attractions of this place are the innumerable eateries and shopping zones. Also, if you are in this area during the weekend, don’t forget to visit the Saturday Farmer’s Market. Discover and purchase souvenirs from a series of retail shops handcrafted by the localites.

Historic Haymarket

Address: 335 N 8th St B, Lincoln, NE 68508, USA

Website: Historic Haymarket

Opening hours: 10am - 8:30pm

Price: Free visit

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5. Marvel in the art forms at the Sheldon Museum of Art


Witness spectacular American art at The Sheldon Museum, showing the rich culture of art of Lincoln. Witness different variations of art form displayed by students, faculties, and professional artists who connect with each other at their creative level. The museum treasures the different arts and installations and mediums of art, essential for satisfying the creative side of you.

Sheldon Museum of Art

Address: 12th and R streets on the campus of the University of, Lincoln, NE 68508, United States

Website: Sheldon Museum of Art

Opening hours: Mon - Wed, Sat: 10am - 5pm; Thu - Fri: 10am - 7pm; Sun: 12pm - 5pm

Price: Free entry

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6. Pick your inspiration from Lewis Art Gallery


If you intend to travel a bit far, you can also visit the contemporary Lewis Art Gallery in Omaha. It offers a wide selection of contemporary art brought out on different mediums and displayed by different artists. It is the oldest and largest art gallery in Nebraska. They also offer a variety of artwork, custom framing, accessories, and decor, just for you.

Lewis Art Gallery

Address: 8600 Cass St, Omaha, NE 68114, USA

Website: Lewis Art Gallery

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 9am - 6pm; Sat: 9am - 3pm (closed on Sun)

Price: Free entry

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7. Take a tour of the Governor's Residence


Take a tour of the Governor’s Residence. Open to all groups for a maximum of 20 persons experience the home and life of the Governor. The tour offers different amenities from the Governor’s Residence and experiences a one of a kind Residence.

Nebraska Governor's Residence

Address: 1425 H St., Lincoln, Nebraska

Website: Governor’s Residence

Opening hours: Thu: 1pm - 3:30pm (closed from Fri - Wed)

Price: Free

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8. Check out the Great Plains Art Museum


Experience the various art forms at the Great Plains Art Museum. Discover fine arts dedicated to the Great Plains in the United States. Gather your cameras and capture every different form of arts such as sculptures, paintings, photography, drawings, etc.

Great Plains Art Museum

Address: 1155 Q St, Lincoln, NE 68508, USA

Website: Great Plains Art Museum

Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 10am - 5pm (closed on Sun & Mon)

Price: Free entry

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9. Hike on the trails of MoPac


Go hiking on the MoPac Trail, and experience the nature with your friends on a vacation. Walk, trail and bike; you can also ride a horse in the undeveloped trail here. You can stroll while breathing in the fresh air in the woods. There is also farmland near this trail which gives you the countryside taste of Lincoln. Also, experience alluring sights and capture every moment in your mind.

MoPac Trail

Address: Missouri Pacific Railroad corridor, Mopac Trail, Nebraska, USA

Website: MoPac Trail

Price: Free

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Enjoy the free little things in Lincoln

Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
Source: Photo by user Hanyou23 used under CC BY-SA 4.0

Enjoy the free things in life, they said because not everything is free. So what are you waiting for? With your visit to Lincoln follow the itinerary which you can avail for free here. Use the listings above to chalk out a budget-friendly itinerary.

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Dulce Tandog is a 29-year-old writer from the beautiful city of Naga.

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