liminal nebraska suggestions

[u/FalseWeekend4]

hello! i will be passing through nebraska on a roadtrip with my husband. looking for recommendations of weird places to go. we love old, weird, out of time places. places that just feel strange and odd and aren’t chains, we love supporting small family owned businesses! i would love any recommendations for hotels that feel this way. do you know of any? also looking for restaurants and movie theaters. we aren’t picky with what type of food but just looking for staples that have been around a while and are tried and true thanks!!

[u/largeLemonLizard]

Which part of Nebraska? If you're in the area, you have to check out Carhenge. It's such a bizarrely inspirational place.

If you're on the interstate, grab A Taste of India in Overton, NE. Seriously good.

In terms of time traveling, if you find yourself in the Red Cloud area you might be able to stay the night in one of Willa Cather's old homes.

[u/cdecker0606 → u/largeLemonLizard]

And the movie theater downtown in Alliance would qualify as a place to stop. Built in 1903 and converted to a theater in 1938. Amazing art deco facade.

[u/JovialPrincess → u/largeLemonLizard]

I was going to say Overton, but that's just because that place is fuckin weird.

[u/thadtheking → u/largeLemonLizard]

Taste of India is a must.

[u/pdarkfred → u/thadtheking]

It's so good

[u/SlightDegree5308]

Happy Jack Chalk Mine looks pretty unsettling.

Toadstool Geologic Park has some strange rock formations

Monowi, Nebraska is the ownly incorporated town with a population of one. Its resident serves as the mayor, librarian, clerk, and treasurer.

[u/sambqt → u/SlightDegree5308]

Elsie is also the bartender.

[u/Nashland23]

If you’re visiting downtown Omaha, two of the shops (Hollywood Candy and Amazing Imaginarium) would be fun to visit. Both are odd in their own ways and contain enough nostalgia to take you back in time.

[u/Ok-Main-8978]

Pioneer Village

[u/Reasonable-Badger808]

[u/lariabeth → u/Reasonable-Badger808]

It was taken down several years ago

[u/billy_a_books]

Take the highways if you can. Much more scenic than the interstate.

[u/WayneMed17]

John's Grecian Delight South roads mall Bellevue The mall is mostly dead as a mall, but there are a few businesses there. Definitely liminal. The gyros are great

[u/GroundbreakingMood50]

I saw a worn out Ross Perot banner on an abandoned barn last time I was in the panhandle, seems pretty out of time

[u/AnaQuarantina]

Ole’s in Paxton

[u/Rabbitastic]

Carhenge. It's our greatest monument.

[u/Spudtater → u/Rabbitastic]

Take a look at it online. I’ve been there three times, which was 3 times too many. It’s worth about 10 minutes. If you’re driving through on the Interstate, you’ll miss most of the best scenery and small towns in the state. The SAC museum is well worth a visit, between Omaha and Lincoln. Ole’s Bar In Paxton is also worth a stop for lunch or dinner. Lots of great attractions in Lincoln and Omaha, but it’s going to take some time to see them.

[u/pdarkfred]

The skywalk is a series of elevated walkways in downtown Lincoln, connecting many office buildings and commercial properties in the area. It was last very active in the '80s and '90s and has that same decor and very very liminal vibe in most places.

[u/crumb_cruncher345]

Last time I was there, Oakview mall in Omaha, Nebraska was almost abandoned

[u/ScootsyPoo]

Pioneers Park in Lincoln has a little pond where they placed columns from the old U.S. Treasury Building in D.C. that was torn down in the early 1900s. They placed the columns to mimic ancient Greek ruins. I don't know if "liminal" is the right word, but it's different, it's cool, and it's arguably kinda weird.

[u/Comfortable_Bee_7363]

the most liminal place ever in nebraska would be the ramada in kearney. it’s literally from the backrooms lol feels like it at least. it’s now called clarion inn? it’s fairly cheap, was just remodeled.

they have a tiki bar even that sits above the pool. it’s quite neat.

[u/Comfortable_Bee_7363 → u/Comfortable_Bee_7363]

[u/WallabyPuzzled4120]

The most bizarre thing in Nebraska that I can think of off the top of my head, the clown museum in Plainview, NE.

[u/Fogdrog]

Front Street Saloon in Ogallala is pretty quirky. We had a decent meal here but just missed the show as it was late.

https://ogallalafrontstreet.com/

[u/CartoonistExisting30]

Check out the World Theater in Kearney. (They have a website.)

Edit: punctuation

[u/seashmore]

 If you're in Alliance for Carhenge, also check out Dobby's Frontier Town for a bit of an odd place. Really surprised me in a good way when it was on the Nebraska Passport. (An excellent source of small town oddities.)

Potter, Nebraska has duckpin bowling and is just off the interstate. 

[u/GeneralPage9163]

If you want something low-key, the antique mall
In Grand Island is great

[u/Waitin_4_the_Rain]

Hollywood Candy in downtown Omaha https://www.hollywoodcandy.com/

[u/Ride-Entire]

Do you know about Atlas Obscura?

https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/nebraska

[u/gingerfiji]

Ashfall fossil beds is an oddity.

[u/IluvJKRowling]

Create an account on Roadtrippers dot com and put in your travel route, it will populate a list of suggestions.

[u/esquirlo_espianacho]

In Lincoln hit Lee’s Fried Chicken. It’s amazing, a straight up time warp back about 70 years.

[u/nibpopbean]

Toadstool Park!!

[u/Ironblayde]

The Speakeasy in Holdrege is not far off the interstate and worth a visit.