Lincoln (Nebraska)

Lincoln is the capital and second largest city of Nebraska, U.S. As the state capital, it offers several historical sites, as well as museums, art galleries, and other cultural venues.

Understand
Lincoln is the seat (1869) of Lancaster County, in the southeastern part of the state, about 60 miles (95 km) southwest of Omaha.

Lincoln was founded in 1859 as the village of Lancaster. Renamed and made Nebraska's state capital in 1867, it's the second-largest city in the state. It's the state's center of government and higher education and is a regional transportation center. Even with a population of 290,000 (2019), it retains a friendly, "small town" feel.

There are several threads running through Lincoln's cultural composition. The university and state government have attracted many rural Nebraskans to the city over the years, reinforcing its small town feel. Its position as a college town also helps shape the city's political culture, which is somewhat more liberal than most of the rest of the state. Once a very ethnically homogeneous city, it has become more diverse since the 1980s, welcoming immigrants and refugees from various parts of the globe.

There is a long-standing friendly rivalry with Omaha, 57 mi (92 km) to the northeast.

Tourist information

 * Visit Lincoln website

By car
The primary route into the city is I-80, with I-180 serving as a downtown connector. US Highways 6, 34, 77 and Nebraska Hwy 2 also run through Lincoln.

By plane
It is often cheaper to fly into Eppley Airfield Airport in Omaha, and hop onto a shuttle from there to Lincoln where it makes stops at some of the major hotels. For shuttle information see.

By train
Amtrak serves Lincoln on its daily California Zephyr route between Chicago and the West Coast. Westbound train stops around midnight; eastbound train stops around 3:30AM. Trains no longer arrive at the historical railway station in Haymarket district, instead they now call at the much less grandiose  on 277 Pinnacle Arena Drive. Downtown is within walking distance, just a few blocks to the east.

By bus
Two bus companies serve Lincoln: Arrow Stage Lines and Burlington Trailways. Lincoln's intercity bus station is southeast of 11th St and Cornhusker Hwy.

Get around
Getting around Lincoln is a mixed-bag proposition. If you are planning on staying near the center of town, you probably won't need a rental. All major necessities except groceries are available in or near downtown.

By car
Lincoln does not have any crosstown freeways or expressways. The city is laid out in a grid pattern; a handful of diagonal streets exist. Major through streets are generally located once per mile; there are generally 14 streets to the mile. Traffic can be heavy on major streets and in downtown during rush hour and on football Saturdays.

By bus
StarTran service runs on weekdays and Saturdays (but only until 6:30PM). Individual fares are $1.75 (have exact change)/seniors $0.85/trips in the downtown zone or on the Star Shuttle are $0.25. Monthly passes are $45; various discounts are available. Passes can be purchased at many businesses around town (primarily grocery stores and banks).

By bicycle
Lincoln's trail system extends throughout the city. A cyclist can travel across the city in an hour or less. Bike rentals at Monkeywrench Cycles, downtown (1225 P St) For a map of bike trails see Great Plains Trails Network.

Theater
Lied Center for Performing Arts (pronounced "Leed"), The Haymarket Theatre, or the UNL schools of Music, Theatre, and Film have performances year-round. During the summer, see the Flatwater Shakespeare Company at Wyuka cemetery, musicals at the Pinewood Bowl, classical performances at the Meadowlark Music Festival, or professional theater at Nebraska Repertory Theatre.

Art
The Sheldon is the largest gallery in town, but to get a look at the work of local artists, be sure to check out the downtown art galleries. By far the most fun time to do this is the evening of the first Friday of every month, when the galleries put up new work. New art is usually accompanied by food, drinks, and sometimes live music.

Music
Music groups that perform all year long include the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra and the Nebraska Jazz orchestra. Some of the best classical music performances can be heard at the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery.

Parks
Try Pioneers Park or Wilderness Park for hiking. Most of these are linked together via the bike trails. Some parks are managed by the University, like Nine Mile Prairie, or Spring Creek Prairie, but these are a short drive outside of town.



Buy
Lincoln offers a wide variety of shopping experiences.



Eat
Indoor work sites are smoke-free in Lincoln, so you'll be able to enjoy smoke-free restaurants and bars.

Drink
Largely due to the university, there is much night life to be found (bars now can close at 2AM). O Street is just a few blocks away from popular student housing and is also one of the longest main streets in the U.S. with a portion covered by local drinking establishments, most in the downtown areas between 12th and 16th Sts. The local music scene is also expansive with live bands playing at many bars in the downtown area.

Wireless
The following locations provide free WiFi Internet access:


 * Scooters Coffee House on 84th and Van Dorn
 * The Mill Coffee Shop in the Haymarket district.
 * Lazlo's Brewery & Grill restaurant in the Haymarket district.
 * The Coffee House on 13th and P St
 * Duffy's Bar on O St
 * Brother's Bar on O St
 * Cliff's Lounge 1323 O St
 * Cici's Pizza on North 27th St
 * The Bricktop at 1427 O St
 * Bagels 'n' Joe at S. 48th and Old Cheney
 * FireWorks Restaurant at S. 86th Dr and Old Cheney
 * Lincoln City Libraries, all locations
 * Foundation Garden, behind the Foundation Center, 215 Centennial Mall South, in downtown Lincoln
 * Indigo Bridge Bookstore, in the Creamery Building in the Haymarket on 7th and P Street, Suite 102

Wired

 * There are computer areas in Love Library on the University of Nebraska city campus and in CYT Library on East Campus which have few public computers.  A variety of software -- including Microsoft productivity software -- is available on those labs.
 * Lincoln City Libraries--all locations have access with a guest pass. Show driver's license to get guest day pass.
 * Although there are no 'internet cafes' in Lincoln, you can often find free wired internet. Check on campus in the Union you can often find open computers for use (which are supposed to be only for students).

Learn

 * University of Nebraska at Lincoln
 * Southeast Community College
 * Nebraska Wesleyan University
 * Union College
 * Kaplan University
 * College of Hair Design

Go next
Lincoln is surrounded by many lakes and state recreation areas.