10+ Free And Kid-Approved Things To Do In The Old Market

I’ve had a love affair with the Old Market for years. The twinkling lights at night, the carriage rides, the sounds of street musicians, the smell of pizza, the lively chatter of the farmers market. I love it. There’s just so much to do in the Old Market.

I used to live there, and even now that I don’t, I bring my kids down there from time to time. bring them because there are a lot of family-friendly things to see and do that don’t cost a dime.

Note: This post was published in 2013 and updated in July 2025. If you know of any things that can be added to this post or know of any closures, please comment and let me know!

Where is the Old Market in Omaha?

The Old Market is located in downtown Omaha. Just a square few blocks, the neighborhood is between 10th and 13th streets and Leavenworth and Farnam streets. The iconic brick roads stem from the intersection of 11th and Howard streets.

Related post: Kid-friendly Restaurant In Downtown Omaha

Free things to do in the Old Market (with kids):

From May to October, you should bring the family down to the Old Market for the Omaha Farmers Market on Saturday mornings from 8 to about 12:30 p.m. There’s live music, samples, usually a balloon man (free balloons, but donations are suggested), and great people watching, all for free.

And dogs. There are A LOT of dogs at the farmers market, if your kids love them. The atmosphere is so lively, I know you’ll have fun. Read about the fun things to find at the Omaha Farmers Market!

You’ll find horse carriages parked in 11th and Howard in the Old Market, weather permitting, for much of the year. The carriage rides aren’t free, but kids love seeing the horses, so go check them out. Last time I checked (and it could’ve gone up), rides started at $25. The most popular carriage is, of course, the one affectionately dubbed the Cinderella Carriage since it has a dome that glows at night.

Almost any time of day or night, you’ll find street musicians throughout the Old Market. Take your time and listen to one that you like with your kids, and drop your spare change into their collection jar.

While you’re walking around the place, there is a lot of unexpected “art” to see, especially on some of the old buildings. My old apartment building on 10th and Jackson has a neat lion fountain in front to see. As you walk, see what else you and your kids can spot.

The Passageway is a cool indoor shopping center to visit with kids. There are fun stores to browse, hallways (the “passage ways”) to explore, and mysterious art work to marvel at. Venture into the second floor gallery called Garden of the Zodiac Gallery. In the rear of the gallery, you’ll find a door that leads outside to small, fascinating garden with sculptures. It’s a hidden gem! You’ll find that the Passage Way is also a cool place to take Instagram-worthy pictures.

Speaking of shopping, there are some neat shops to bring your kids into, though strollers often don’t manage well in many stores, so beware. The second hand shops are full of interesting stuff to see (like the Imaginarium). City Limits is a fun one for older kids.

While it’s free to go in these next two fun places, I doubt you’ll make it out without spending something: Old Market Candy Shop and Hollywood Candy. Read about the arcade and fun things to discover inside Hollywood Candy.

There are a number of art galleries in area that are free and love visitors. My favorites that are full of colorful things for kids to look at are the Artist Co-operative Gallery, 405 S. 11th St., the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 12th and Leavenworth streets, and KANEKO, 1111 Jones St.

Related post: You’ll learn about the free galleries and more museums in this guide to the 20+ Omaha museums!

I like heading to the Bemis Center with my kids when they have open studios – it’s free and a chance for kids to see where the resident artists work and live. Other places to visit include Passageway Gallery and and Garden of the Zodiac.

Know your kids, though. Do they have to touch everything? Maybe wait to bring them to a gallery until they’re a little older, or use it as a good teaching experience.

Free things to do near the Old Market

To the north of the Old Market, you really ought to check out the three parks that make out The RiverFront, Gene Leahy Mall at 11th and Farnam streets, Heartland of America Park at Eighth and Douglas streets, and Lewis & Clark Landing at 321 Riverfront Drive.

Each park has a draw. Gene Leahy Mall has a fantastic playground called The Arches, plus slides, a water feature called the Cascades you can wade through, a dog park, and a green space that hosts a lot of free events each week.

Heartland of America Park‘s main draw is the Skate Ribbon, which is an inexpensive roller skates and ice skate option. There’s an interesting “bridge” structure that really isn’t a bridge, but worth walking to at the park. Many of the larger free events are held at this park, too. Lewis & Clark Landing has a fantastic playground, as well as sand volleyball courts.

Just a short walk north of Lewis & Clark Landing, you’ll notice the large bridge spanning the Missouri River. The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge connecting Omaha to Council Bluffs. Kids love watching the river from the bridge, but by far, the thing to do (and get a photo of) is straddling the state line between Iowa and Nebraska. In the summer time, there’s a water play area on the Omaha side of the bridge. The Council Bluffs side of the bridge has a Great Lawn suitable for running around, picnicking and playing.

On the Omaha side of the bridge, be sure to look for the blue troll named OMAR. It’s a fun photo opp.

Don’t skip a quick visit to the Lewis & Clark National Parks Service Headquarters at the base of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. There’s no admission to visit. It’s small, but has several hands-on and interactive things to do for kids. When we visited, the kids took a quick tour with a park ranger, who told them about the animals Lewis and Clark encountered.