NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1196382
60 Nebraskaland • January-February 2020 WILLOW CREEK STATE RECREATION AREA NEAR NORFOLK PHOTO BY JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY MIXED BAG By Erin Lenz, Nebraska Tourism Commission VISIT NORFOLK Discover Norfolk, the heart of northeastern Nebraska. Shopping and nightlife downtown, exciting outdoor adventures and a whole lot of charm and hospitality can be found here. Explore downtown Norfolk and find a wide variety of shopping, dining, nightlife and local experiences. Shop at Magnolia's Home Décor and Design for the perfect decoration to add to your home, or if you love to quilt, shop at I Bee Quiltin for fabrics and patterns. For art lovers, take an intimate guided tour of the Norfolk Sculpture Walk, a revolving sculpture attraction that features beautiful art pieces and showcases the downtown area. For more, head to Ravenwood Art Gallery to view professional prints and paintings from a variety of local artists. Getting hungry? At Black Cow Fat Pig everything is made in house; all meat is cut and smoked on the premises, and the menu is seasonally inspired to support local ingredients with menu items such as braised pork belly and steak bruschetta. Or warm up with a latte at Downtown Coffee Company, where you can stay for lunch and enjoy soup, salads and/or sandwiches made with freshly baked bread, and then finish your meal with a dessert or pastry. A trip to the Norfolk isn't complete without a visit to the Elkhorn Valley Museum. Home to the Johnny Carson exhibit, the museum also features a restored first home of Norfolk, a Square Turn Tractor, one room school house and more. Visit the Norfolk Arts Center to view exhibits, attend events and be a part of various educational classes. Stay overnight at Norfolk Lodge & Suites. With several fireside gathering areas, an indoor atrium-style pool and 18-hole miniature golf, this is the perfect place to stay after a day of exploring. The hotel is connected to the SandBar & Grill and Divots Brewery, Norfolk's only brew pub serving handcrafted beers. Enjoy the great outdoors on the longest rail-to-trail project in the United States, the Cowboy Trail. With the trail head located in Norfolk at Ta-Ha-Zouka Park, the Cowboy Trail is a great spot for biking, hiking and horseback riding. Or stay where you are: Ta-Ha-Zouka Park features a public campground, softball fields, fishing, a disc golf course, off-leash dog recreation area, sand volleyball courts and more. For outdoor time on the water, head to North Fork Outfitting to rent kayaks, tubes, canoes, stand-up paddleboards or paddle boats for experiences on the Elkhorn River or Skyview Lake. North Fork Outfitting also offers bike rentals for the Cowboy Trail and a free shuttle to get you to your starting point. If hunting is more your interest, Top Flight Hunts offers 1,110 acres of private and CRP hunting grounds along the Elkhorn River. They specialize in pheasant, quail, turkey and deer expeditions and can accommodate hunting groups of up to 20 people for hunts that range from a half-day to five days. Whether you're planning to spend a day downtown shopping and eating or a day in the great outdoors, Norfolk has what you're looking for.