The Old Market is where every Omaha visitor ends up, and for once the tourist trap is actually good. The brick streets and converted warehouses — on the National Register since 1979 — house a dense cluster of independent restaurants, galleries, bookshops, and bars. It’s the rare historic district that still feels like a neighborhood instead of a theme park.
This is the best base for a first-timer: you can eat, drink, shop, and catch a show without moving your car. M’s Pub, La Buvette, Hollywood Candy, Jackson Street Booksellers, and the Passageway galleries are all within a few blocks. The street performers and horse-drawn carriages in summer are corny in the best way.
Go hungry and give it an evening. The daytime is for browsing; the nighttime is when the district earns its reputation. Parking is the only real hassle — use a garage and walk.