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HDR Engineering Brings 1,300 Attendees Downtown
Omaha's reputation as a meeting-ready city continues to grow with the return of HDR Engineering, Inc. for its Fall Business Group Conference, taking place November 9 to 11 at CHI Health Center Omaha. The global engineering and architecture firm will bring an estimated 1,300 attendees to the metro. Among those attendees, 90 percent will travel from outside the region, filling downtown hotels. Headquartered in Omaha, HDR employs more than 13,000 professionals across 200-plus offices worldwide. Conference programming will use CHI Health Center Omaha’s meeting space and highlight the city’s walkable convention district, where visitors can easily access restaurants, attractions and shops within steps of their hotels. Attendees will explore Omaha’s thriving hospitality scene, spend tourist dollars and experience why Omaha is a first-class destination for business events. You could say HDR is engineering a late-fall visitor boost for the city. Discover how Omaha is building more meetings...
See the Old Market Through a Tourist’s Eyes
When was the last time you wandered the Old Market like a visitor, seeing it the way someone new to Omaha might? Start at the twinkle-lit Passageway between 11th and 12th streets and take a selfie in front of the brick walls and hanging plants. Step into the quiet Garden of the Zodiac courtyard for a moment of reflection, then grab a cone at Ted & Wally’s and revel in the sounds of street musicians. Browse the shelves at Jackson Street Booksellers, play a few rounds of pinball at Hollywood Candy or ride a horse-drawn carriage down the cobblestones. Before heading home, stop by the Omaha Visitors Center at 10th and Farnam and say hello. Head to VisitOmaha.com for more ideas on how to enjoy your city like a visitor.
Omaha Hosts Air Medical Transport Conference
Omaha welcomed the Air Medical Transport Conference October 27 through 29 at CHI Health Center Omaha. Organized by the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS), the event has drawn about 1,700 attendees from across the United States and around the world. AAMS represents professionals in the air and ground critical care transport industry. The annual conference offers training sessions, an exhibit hall and networking opportunities focused on improving safety and patient care. Attendees are staying at downtown hotels, and with open evenings built into the schedule, many are exploring local restaurants and attractions during their free time. The conference brings national attention to Omaha while supporting local businesses and hospitality workers. It’s another sign that the city continues to soar as a top meetings destination.
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Omaha’s Creepiest Selfie Spots
Omaha has plenty of perfect places for a spooky selfie or a fall photo adventure. Eerie locations show off the city’s mysterious side. At Elmwood Park Grotto, the stone arches and stairways look like something from a haunted fairytale, especially at sunset. Prospect Hill Cemetery, one of Omaha’s oldest burial grounds, invites quiet reflection and maybe a glimpse of the ghostly woman in white said to walk the grounds. Across the river in Council Bluffs, visitors can wander through the labyrinth of Squirrel Cage Jail, one of the country’s last rotary jails. Back in Omaha, Joslyn Castle offers a moody backdrop that feels straight out of a Victorian ghost story. Brother Sebastian’s Steak House mixes candlelight and legend for a dining experience with a chill. In October, Dundee’s Halloween displays turn neighborhood streets into a showcase of spooky creativity. For more family-friendly scares, visit Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, where the dimly lit Kingdoms of the Night exhibit...
Omaha Shines on the Global Stage at IMEX America
Visit Omaha is putting the city in the spotlight this week at IMEX America, a trade show for the global meetings and events industry. Three members of the Visit Omaha sales team, along with a partner from Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (CHI Health Center Omaha), are meeting with about 100 convention and event decision-makers. That is twice as many people as last year. IMEX brings together 15,500 people, including 5,700 buyers and 3,500 exhibitors from around the world. Omaha’s booth highlights the city’s downtown growth and the convention district’s exciting updates. Visitors can learn about Omaha’s transformation and relax with a free chair massage between meetings, exemplifying that Omaha is Where Work & Play Meet.
Omaha Attracts Nearly 15 Million Visitors
Tourism in Omaha continued to grow in 2024, benefitting residents and local businesses. A record 14.7 million people visited Omaha last year — up nearly 3 percent from 2023. Visitors spent $1.6 billion eating in restaurants, shopping, enjoying attractions, getting around town and staying in hotels. Tourism supported 16,201 local jobs in 2024. That’s about 1 in every 28 jobs in Douglas County. Visitors also generated $344 million in taxes, which helped fund schools, roads and city services. Omaha’s future as a travel destination looks bright. The streetcar project is underway, the airport expansion is moving forward, and the convention center project is expected to wrap up in 2027. Recent additions, such as the RiverFront parks, Kiewit Luminarium and the Joslyn Art Museum expansion, are winning praise from visitors and national media alike. Learn more about how tourism shapes Omaha at VisitOmaha.com/WTLL.
Happy Birthday, Bob — And Meet Baby Bob
The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, aka “Bob,” is turning 17 on September 28. And Omaha just welcomed a new arrival. “Baby Bob” is the fresh connector bridge that links downtown Omaha to the Bob in style. Baby Bob officially debuted September 4 with a ribbon cutting. At 1,100 feet long, Baby Bob stretches over Riverfront Drive and Union Pacific’s tracks. It starts at 10th Street, near Charles Schwab Field Omaha and CHI Health Center Omaha, making it easier than ever to wander from downtown Omaha to the Missouri River and back again. It’s a big deal for trail lovers too — the bridge ties into the Great American Rail Trail and the future North Omaha Trail. The Baby Bob project cost $7.5 million and was backed by federal and city governments, the Papio-Missouri River NRD, Downtown Riverfront Trust and Back to the River Foundation. In other words, a village raised this baby.As for the original Bob, since opening in 2008 it has become a tourist hotspot and local favorite. It unites Omaha...
Moo-ve Over: Bovine Practitioners Conference Coming to Omaha
You “herd” it here first: Omaha will welcome the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) September 11–13, 2025, at CHI Health Center Omaha and Hilton Omaha. The conference will draw about 1,100 veterinarians and veterinary students, with 95% coming from outside of Omaha. Attendees are expected to book more than 2,600 hotel room nights. Founded in 1965, AABP is an international group focused on advancing cattle health, welfare and productivity. The Omaha gathering will feature clinical forums, student receptions, scholarship presentations and an awards luncheon. When they’re not in sessions, attendees will explore Omaha’s restaurants, attractions and neighborhoods. We think they’ll agree that when it comes to choosing a conference host city, Omaha is the cream of the crop.
Omaha’s 10 Tastiest Days Bring Back Flavor and Philanthropy
Mark your calendars and make plans with that special someone: Omaha Restaurant Week returns September 12–21. Omaha Restaurant Week — the city’s 10 Tastiest Days — invites diners to explore the city’s culinary scene with three-course menus at four fixed prices: $20, $30, $40 and $50. In 2025, 55 restaurants are participating — including 15 newcomers. Adding even more satisfaction to your dining experience, you can feel good knowing five percent of Omaha Restaurant Week menu sales will go to Food Bank for the Heartland, helping neighbors in need. New this year is the Omaha Restaurant Week Pass, which rewards diners the more they eat out. Prizes include dining gift cards and an exclusive Omaha Restaurant Week t-shirt. Food and beverage are a cornerstone of Omaha’s tourism economy. In 2024, visitors spent $415 million on dining, 25% of their total spend. Timed with Hunger Action Month, Omaha Restaurant Week blends flavor and philanthropy, boosting a vital industry while also providing...