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/736554
12 NEBRASKAland • NOVEMBER 2016 oted one of the 10 most beautiful towns in Nebraska, this area has scenic golf courses, fun family activities and a beautiful state park. Ashland, Nebraska, located between Lincoln and Omaha, is the perfect break from the large cities it sits between. It's vibrant with a small-town feel that will keep you coming back for more . Spend a long weekend at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, where there is plenty to do in the fall and winter seasons. Stay overnight in a cabin or at the Peter Kiewit Lodge, and enjoy a meal in the Lodge Restaurant or movie in the theatre. In the spring and summer seasons, splash around at the water park, go paddleboarding at the Owen Marina, play a game of mini golf or take a trail ride on horseback. Walk up the water tower and enjoy the views of the Platte River Valley and hike through the many nature trails close by. When it turns cold, enjoy the winter activities the park offers such as sledding, cross-country skiing, ice skating, ice fishing and holiday activities like bonfires and hayrack rides. For wildlife lovers, take the family on a ride through Lee G. Simmons Conservation Park and Wildlife Safari. This park, open April through October, is like an interactive zoo. Drive through the four-mile wildlife adventure and come face-to-face with animals including elk, bison, white- tailed deer, antelope and waterfowl. Ashland is also home to the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum. Visitors can walk through 300,000 square feet of aircrafts, space crafts and exhibits like The Heartland Astronaut, and don't forget to take a ride on the flight simulators to experience the feeling of flying. Golfers can stay and play at Ashland's two public 18-hole courses Quarry Oaks Golf Club and Iron Horse Golf Club. Iron Horse is built around an old rock quarry and the championship course, Quarry Oaks, is nestled in the Platte River Valley. Cellar 426 and Glacial Till Tasting Room are two places in Ashland with award-winning, Nebraska-crafted wines. Cellar 426 is a vineyard and tasting room located on a hilltop overlooking a 360-degree view. Glacial Till Tasting Room carries Nebraska wines that come from the vineyard in Palmyra, located 27 miles south of Ashland. Dine at a local favorite, Cheri O's, that offers breakfast, lunch and old-fashioned ice cream. Round the Bend Steakhouse & Saloon is a family-owned steakhouse, and Parker's Smokehouse serves great BBQ. It isn't a question as to why this part of Nebraska is one of the 10 most beautiful. Ashland has much to offer, so spend time exploring it. For more information go to ashland-ne.com/. ■ By Erin Lenz, Nebraska Tourism Commission Ashland o a b Lincoln Spectacular view from Cellar 426 in Ashland Iron Horse Golf Clu SAC and Aerospace Museum Kids get a look at bison at the Wildlife Safari Park Ashland