47 lincoln listed
Last updated October 2026
A Novel Idea Bookstore
Two floors (and a basement) of used, rare, and out-of-print books downtown — over 50,000 titles, first editions at paperback prices, and resident cats Charlie and Cricket guarding the shelves since 1991.
Antelope Park
Lincoln's 93-acre central park stretching from 23rd and N to 33rd and Sheridan — home to the Sunken Gardens, the Children's Zoo, the city's largest playground, the Shildneck Bandshell, and miles of trail. The park Lincoln grew up in.
Blue Orchid Thai Restaurant
An elegant Thai restaurant in Lincoln's historic Grand Manse with high ceilings, a patio, and a menu built around the Orchid Chicken, Crying Tiger steak, and some of the best spring rolls in the city.
Copal
A progressive Mexican kitchen in a south Lincoln strip mall that locals call a hidden gem — family recipes, duck tamales, birria tacos, a serious salsa flight, and the pineapple-habanero margarita people think about at work.
Daffodil Mediterranean Cuisine
A family-run Persian and Mediterranean spot on Old Cheney Road where owner Narges Montazer greets you like a friend, offers samples before you order, and serves lamb shank that regularly sells out. Arguably the warmest restaurant in Lincoln.
Dish
An upscale New American restaurant downtown doing contemporary farm-to-table cooking under chef Rachel McGill — the duck breast has a devoted following, and the handcrafted cocktails hold their own against the food.
El Chaparro
A family-run Mexican restaurant at 13th and G that's been feeding downtown Lincoln for years — authentic tacos and enchiladas, free chips and salsa, and late-night hours (till 3:30 a.m. on weekends) that have made it a Lincoln institution.
Engine House Cafe
Breakfast in a 1900 firehouse in Havelock — plate-sized pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and eggs benedict under the original wood-carved ceiling, with firefighter memorabilia on every wall. The line forms before the doors open.
First Friday Art Walk
On the first Friday of every month, Lincoln's galleries throw open their doors with new shows, artist receptions, and free refreshments — a self-guided crawl from downtown to University Place that's been the city's art ritual for decades.
Francie & Finch Bookshop
A woman-owned indie bookstore in a restored historic telegraph building downtown, named for Francie Nolan and Scout Finch — new books, local art, translated imports, author events, and the friendliest staff in the city.
From Nebraska Gift Shop
The Haymarket's all-Nebraska showcase — food baskets shaped like the state, Baker's chocolates, Misty's steak seasoning, and a tasting room pouring James Arthur Vineyards wines. The one-stop shop for sending Nebraska to people who moved away.
Good Evans
A chef-driven breakfast, brunch, and lunch spot in the Clock Tower center — scratch-made everything, from the house-made pop-tarts to the chicken fried steak, served 6:30 to 2:30 daily. The east side's busiest morning table.
Great Plains Art Museum
A free downtown museum devoted to art of the Great Plains, anchored by the Christlieb Collection — Bierstadt, Remington, and Charles M. Russell originals — in a landmark building at 12th and Q. Small, quiet, and excellent.
Handspoken Fair Trade
Lincoln's independent fair-trade nonprofit — formerly Ten Thousand Villages — run mostly by volunteers, selling handcrafted jewelry, kitchenware, and gifts from artisans in developing countries at fair prices.
Haymarket District
Lincoln's eight-block historic warehouse district — brick streets, the 1927 Burlington Depot, Jun Kaneko's oversized head sculptures, and the densest concentration of independent restaurants, bars, and shops in the city. Start any Lincoln visit here.
Haymarket Farmers' Market
Every Saturday morning from May through October, the Haymarket fills with 100+ vendors selling farm-fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, and Nebraska crafts — plus live local music and restaurants opening early. Lincoln's weekend ritual since the 1980s.
International Quilt Museum
The largest publicly held quilt collection in the world — quilts from the 1600s to today, from more than 65 countries — housed in a striking Robert A.M. Stern building on UNL's East Campus. Skeptics go in; converts come out.
Larsen Tractor Test and Power Museum
The only complete tractor test laboratory in the world, on UNL's East Campus — the original 1919 Nebraska Tractor Test Lab turned museum, with 40+ historic tractors including the first model ever tested. A love letter to the machine that built Nebraska.
Licorice International
The largest specialty licorice retailer in the United States — nearly 160 kinds from 14 countries, free samples, and the founders of National Licorice Day (April 12). Yes, Lincoln is the licorice capital of America.
Lied Center for Performing Arts
Nebraska's home for the performing arts — a 2,258-seat Main Stage on UNL's campus hosting Broadway tours, symphony orchestras, dance companies, and marquee soloists. The room where Lincoln dresses up.
Lincoln Calling
Lincoln's homegrown multi-day music festival each autumn — 100+ national and local bands across downtown venues like the Zoo Bar, Duffy's Tavern, and the Bourbon Theatre. Started by a college kid with a love of live music; now the city's biggest music week.
Lincoln Children's Museum
Three floors and 24,000 square feet of hands-on play in downtown Lincoln — a miniature town, a three-story cuckoo clock, a real plane to climb into, and a water table that has ended many an afternoon. Often called the best children's museum in the Midwest.
Lincoln Children's Zoo
A beloved small zoo in Antelope Park built around close encounters — giraffe feedings, a miniature train, penguins, and a butterfly pavilion. Compact enough to do in half a day, good enough that locals buy memberships year after year.
Lincoln Marathon
Nebraska's biggest footrace — a full and half marathon each May that winds past the Capitol, the Sunken Gardens, and the Children's Zoo and finishes in front of Memorial Stadium. Capped at 10,000 runners and it sells out.
LUX Center for the Arts
Lincoln's community art center in historic University Place — five free galleries, hands-on classes in pottery, printmaking, and glass, and a Community Art Alley where anyone can make something. The scrappy, welcoming heart of Lincoln's art scene.
Martha's Bed and Breakfast
A restored 1909 mansion turned luxury B&B — period furnishings, a Louis XVI bed in the Elizabeth Room, gracious innkeeper hospitality, and breakfast in a house that feels like Lincoln's past with modern comforts.
Memorial Stadium
The home of Nebraska Cornhusker football since 1923 and the site of an NCAA-record consecutive sellout streak that began in 1962. On fall Saturdays the 85,000-seat "Sea of Red" becomes the third-largest city in Nebraska.
Morrill Hall
Nebraska's natural history museum on UNL's City Campus, anchored by Elephant Hall — home to the world's largest articulated fossil mammoth — plus the Mueller Planetarium and a hands-on discovery floor. A must for anyone who likes dinosaurs without the crowds.
National Museum of Roller Skating
The only museum in the world dedicated entirely to roller skating, tucked into the back of the USA Roller Sports headquarters in Lincoln. It holds the largest collection of historical skates on the planet — some dating back to the first patented skate of 1819 — and admission is free.
Nebraska History Museum
History Nebraska's downtown museum at 131 Centennial Mall North, with three floors covering 12,000 years of the state's story and more than 125,000 objects in its collections. Small, well-curated, and genuinely interactive — a human-scale museum you can actually finish.
Nebraska State Capitol
A 400-foot Indiana limestone tower in downtown Lincoln crowned by The Sower, the 19-foot bronze farmer that has symbolized Nebraska since 1932. It houses the nation's only unicameral legislature, and the free guided tours are genuinely excellent.
Piedmont Bistro by Venue
A genuine neighborhood bistro in the Piedmont shopping district — seared scallops, a much-loved spinach gouda dip, weekend brunch, and a dog-friendly patio with its own Canine Cuisine menu. The east side's date-night default.
Pinnacle Bank Arena
Lincoln's 15,500-seat downtown arena, home to Husker basketball and the biggest touring concerts in the state. The cornerstone of the West Haymarket redevelopment — it turned a rail yard into Lincoln's entertainment district.
Pioneers Park Nature Center
A 668-acre nature preserve in southwest Lincoln with eight miles of trails, a real bison herd, elk, owls, and live-animal exhibits — all free. The easiest way to see Nebraska prairie without leaving the city.
Sheldon Museum of Art
A Philip Johnson–designed modernist landmark on UNL's City Campus holding nearly 13,000 works of American art — and admission is always free. The year-round sculpture garden alone, with pieces by Oldenburg, Serra, and di Suvero, is worth the stop.
Star City Pride
Lincoln's annual LGBTQIA2S+ pride weekend each June — a free Pride in the Park at Woods Park, a parade around the State Capitol, and a street festival downtown with vendors, performers, and drag shows. The city's biggest celebration of queer community.
Sunken Gardens
A 1.5-acre terraced garden in the middle of Lincoln planted each year with 30,000 annuals in a brand-new theme — the only Nebraska garden on National Geographic's list of the 300 best gardens in the U.S. and Canada. It's free, and it's Lincoln's favorite wedding photo backdrop.
The Bay
Nebraska's largest indoor skatepark — a 20,000-square-foot nonprofit youth hub at 2005 Y Street with free and low-cost skate sessions, Skate School, a coffee bar, and an all-ages music venue. Mike Smith's "show young people what's possible" in action.
The Green Gateau
An upper-scale neighborhood restaurant in downtown Lincoln doing French-influenced contemporary American food for over 25 years — Beef Wellington, Nebraska Wagyu, stained-glass ceilings, and the brunch locals plan weekends around.
The Mill Coffee and Tea
Lincoln's original craft coffeehouse — family-owned since 1975, roasting small-batch coffee in the Haymarket with a covered porch, a wall of donated library books, and the lavender latte locals swear by.
The Oven
Lincoln's go-to Indian restaurant in the Haymarket — North Indian classics from a tandoor oven, a serious wine cellar tucked downstairs, and the spinach-stuffed naan that regulars order without looking at the menu.
The Parthenon
Lincoln's authentic Greek taverna since 2002 — run by brothers George and Mike Kazas, with tableside-flamed saganaki, slow Saturday nights of live Greek music, belly dancing, and the occasional plate-breaking. Opa indeed.
The Railyard
Lincoln's outdoor entertainment plaza on Canopy Street — 13+ restaurants and bars wrapped around a public courtyard anchored by the Cube, a giant LED screen that shows Husker games, concerts, and movie nights. The West Haymarket's living room.
Uncle Sam Jam
Lincoln's free city-run Independence Day celebration at Oak Lake Park — live music, a flag-lowering ceremony, and a professional fireworks show set to music on the radio, all with thousands of your neighbors on blankets.
UNL Dairy Store
The University of Nebraska's student-run ice cream counter on East Campus, scooping handmade ice cream since 1917. Alumni plan road trips around it; students invent the flavors.
Vincenzo's Ristorante
A locally owned old-school Italian restaurant in the Haymarket doing homemade pastas, veal classics, and Nebraska beef tenderloin — with half-price bottles of wine every Sunday and bread people talk about.
Yia Yia's
Lincoln's beloved pizza-and-beer joint downtown — thin-crust pies like the Around the World, made to order, plus a legendary 375-bottle beer selection. The place Lincoln graduates measure every other pizza town against.
Lincoln FAQs
What is Lincoln known for?
The Haymarket district, Husker football Saturdays, a strong local food scene and one of the country’s best trail systems for a city its size.
How many days do I need in Lincoln?
Two days covers the highlights: Haymarket, the Capitol, Sunken Gardens and the food scene. Add a third for day trips.
When should I visit Lincoln?
Fall for football energy, late spring for farmers markets and patios.