Fun Things To Do Near Lincoln Children’s Zoo

This is the last installment of a series about visiting Lincoln, Neb., with children. We took a whirlwind trip to the city recently – read the recap here.

The Lincoln Children’s Zoo is a fun addition to a trip to Lincoln, but if you’re looking for a few extra ideas on what to do after you check out the zoo, I have a few suggestions.

Sunken Gardens

I was pleasantly surprised by our visit to the Sunken Gardens, which is so close to the zoo, you could throw a rock at it, kinda. OK, not really, but it’s really close.

The free public gardens are simply gorgeous. If you’re camera-happy, you’ll be in your element here.

My kids enjoyed the water features, like the waterfall and the two man-made ponds.

I was fascinated by all the plants that I had no idea could easily grow in Nebraska.

For parents of young kids, you’ll be happy to know there are public bathrooms there. Always plan for emergencies, amiright?

Across busy 27th Street, and even closer to the zoo, you’ll find smaller gardens and a large water feature. The signs say “don’t play in the water” but the whole things screams “PLAY IN ME!” I had a hard time keeping my kids out, especially with the handful of kids splashing away in there.

The smaller gardens were reminiscent of French-style gardens (on a much smaller scale).

Another great find for our family was Antelope Park. We were leaving the zoo and the kids were still wired. All hopes for them napping on the way home were pinned to finding another outlet for them to run around and let out energy.

Then we saw it. A massive playground.

Antelope Park

Antelope Park is the biggest playground I’ve ever seen. The kid inside me was jealous of my kids.

I counted 12 slides! The park was also wheelchair accessible, and it had a separate area for children under 5. And there was a sandbox off to the side that is easy to block from your kid’s view.

Find the two places mentioned in this post:

Your turn: What’s near the Lincoln Children’s Zoo that your family loves – restaurants, outdoor areas, shops, etc?

More stories about Lincoln, Nebraska

Want to plan a Lincoln getaway for your family? Here are some posts that will help you figure out where to go and what to do!

24 Hours Of Fun In Lincoln With Kids

Lincoln Children’s Museum

Things To Do Near Lincoln Children’s Museum

Lincoln Children’s Zoo

Lincoln Graduate – A Family-Friendly Hotel In Lincoln’s Haymarket

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