When explorers in the United States set out west from the East Coast to discover new land, they were fascinated by the endless expanses between the two oceans. As the caravans of settlers moved through Nebraska, they were greeted not only by the Sand Hills, but also by the breathtaking scenery of the Rocky Mountains, water buffalo and, above all, a seemingly endless landscape. While the buffalo have almost completely disappeared over the years, the state is still closely connected to the Rocky Mountains. And even though Nebraska is not a classic state for tourists, some would even mockingly call it a fly-over state, there is a lot to discover for the curious eye where the settlers marched west.

Between Route 66 and natural spectacle

The state of Nebraska is not necessarily known as a place for huge cities. Omaha is a very lively capital city worth visiting, but of course it can’t be compared to famous metropolises like New York, Los Angeles or Miami . The treasure of Nebraska is nature. And that doesn’t even mean the Rocky Mountains, but pretty much everything you can explore by car in the state. The vast steppes with their breathtaking rock formations are worth a visit, as are the reserves of the few remaining indigenous peoples, who show their visitors how people lived here long before the Europeans came to conquer the continent.

Top attractions outside the Rockies include Scotts Bluff National Monument and Chimney Rock National Historic Site. Both are huge rock formations that can be found in the middle of the steppe. Their special feature is not only given by their striking appearance, but also by the fact that they were an important symbol for the settlers on their way west. They were used to orient oneself on the way and some of the wagon tracks of the former settlers can still be found today – in addition, there are small museums and exhibitions that remember the life of the settlers on the way to the coasts in the west.

While you can follow the famous Oregon Trail of the settlers in these places, there is another popular road in Nebraska: Route 66. Here, important parts of the important road run through the United States and diners, museums and shops remind us of the historical history of the route. If you are traveling by car or motorcycle, you should definitely have taken the chance to have ridden on the route once.

Top things to see and do in Nebraska

One of the most important sights of Nebraska is the natural spectacles. This is a nice contrast to the visits to the often crowded cities of the United States, which can quickly trigger a sensory overload. Instead, you have the opportunity not only to see the aforementioned National Monuments and the Rocky Mountains, but also to follow in the footsteps of the settlers who once discovered the country with excursions. Whether on horseback or with a tour in the car – a journey through the steppes of Nebraska, to the lakes and rivers of the state, gives a feeling of the incredible vastness that people must have experienced when discovering the USA .

Whether you opt for the real experience on the Oregon Trail or eat a stew to your liking at Buffalo Bill’s house, the options for activities and excursions are numerous in Nebraska, and they are always connected to nature and the state’s historical history. It is recommended that you take a rental car in Omaha or Lincoln for the duration. The distances in the state should not be underestimated and it can happen that you drive for several hours through almost deserted areas until you arrive at the next sight.

Omaha and Lincoln as a center for one’s own planning

With Omaha and the state capital Lincoln, there are two cities that are particularly interesting for a visit. While Lincoln is the political and administrative center of Nebraska, one’s own life takes place primarily in Omaha. The city of Omaha has a quite impressive skyline for its small size and is home to some of the most important sights for visiting the state, especially with the famous zoo and some museums. But beyond that, it is above all an experience for the other side of Nebraska. The restaurants and diners, the theaters and cinemas, all of this conveys a bit of the attitude to life in the center of the USA. The steaks are huge, the cars as well and the people here couldn’t be typically American. It can therefore be worthwhile to spend a few days in the cities after a trip through the special nature and let this other side of the USA work its magic on you before you make your way to the next destination in the USA.

Louisiana has many faces and is crisscrossed by a unique swamp landscape. People love the sounds of blues and jazz, the food is spicy and the Mississippi ends its 4000-kilometer journey through the USA here. The cities are full of music and the beaches are deserted even in summer. But that’s not all Louisiana has to offer.

New Orleans: Hot rhythms in front of a nostalgic backdrop

Jazz was invented in New Orleans and it is still omnipresent today. Life is casual and everyone swings their hips to the hot music. The French Quarter is the heart of the city. Nowhere else are they cocktails more high-proof and the food spicier. In the evening, it’s teeming with street musicians, and then the city turns into an open-air dance floor. Here, the cultures of the immigrants merge harmoniously: behind the historic facades of the houses are small shops with a fascinating range of goods. Art lovers from all over America look for treasures here and you can get a real bargain in the second-hand shops. Each district of the city is designed differently and lively masterpieces of architecture are lined up next to each other. Visitors need many days to discover New Orleans. The city never gets boring.

The Mississippi is the lifeline

Mark Twain made the Mississippi famous with the adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. But hardly anyone knows that Mark Twain is only the pseudonym of the writer Samuel Langhorne Clemens. In Louisiana, Mark Twain means nothing more than “two threads deep” and is a warning call from Mississippi ship pilots. The river has always remained adventurous. Sometimes it shows its peaceful side and then the paddle steamers chug past and revive the old Southern history. It can also flow at full speed towards the delta and then it carries debris and debris that it has collected on its long journey through the USA . The locals say that the river is united like man and woman. At the top he shows himself feminine with his pretty paddle steamers and under the surface of the water he becomes hard as a man with the aggressive alligators and the dangerous shallows.

The spicy cuisine of the southern states

Louisiana is also a culinary melting pot. African, Caribbean and European cuisine reinvents itself here and enriches each other. The chefs are more creative and always have new ideas. Creole specialties have the French sophistication and Mexican spiciness. The menus are dominated by crawfish étouffée, spiced lobster meat in a spicy sauce served with rice. Visitors should definitely try gumbo at various restaurants. There are over 1000 variants of this stew, the basic ingredients of which are meat and shellfish. It gets even more adventurous when you order jambalaya. The basis of the pot dish consists of rice and the cook fills up with all the ingredients that the kitchen has to offer. In Louisiana, they love it hot and spicy. All dishes are generally sharper than in other parts of the country. Nevertheless, you can still find countless varieties of hot sauces on restaurant tables. Some restaurants only have a few basic dishes, as the focus is on the range of sauces.

The charm of the southern states

White columned houses, surrounded by tall oaks, still dominate the image of Louisiana. Some areas revive the setting of Gone with the Wind and the mighty mansions of the plantation owners are still full of sad memories. Louisiana is a typical southern state, and yet it is very different from all the others. The country is enchanted with its own parishes in which its own language is spoken and which cultivate their own culture. These communities were founded by the Cajuns and have been preserved for centuries. Louisiana is full of shrill types, but they are deeply religious. Parts of the state belong to the so-called Bible Belt. In these areas, the Sunday service is the most important event of the week. It doesn’t matter whether you are a Baptist or a Protestant. The church services are happier than here and the gospel music makes some visitors fall into ecstasy. A trip through Louisiana remains an unforgettable experience if you get involved with the people and face the challenges.

Swampy and boozy Louisiana

Where the fresh water of the Mississippi unites with the sea water from the Gulf of Mexico, it becomes swampy. An ideal place for snakes, which have their breeding grounds here. Migratory birds like to stop at the delta and shrimps thrive in the muddy mud. The swamps of Louisiana are a paradise for animals. To people, they seem melancholic, mystical and dangerous. The inhabitants of Louisiana have learned to live with the swamps. They know that dangerous alligators lurk behind the enchanting strips of yew, cypress and reed grass. Nevertheless, the fishermen go out at full moon, because the bright light lures the prey to the surface. In the evening, the fish ends up on the grill. Then the violins sound, the long skirts of the women are swung and the men invite you to square dance. Guests are welcome everywhere and there is a lot of partying in Louisiana. A highlight is Madi Gras, the famous carnival of New Orleans. In August, people meet for White Linen Night. People wear only white cotton clothing and take part in numerous art events. At Hogs for the Cause, the largest barbecue in the USA is served in New Orleans

The US state of Indiana is located in the northeast of the huge country. To the north, the state borders Lake Michigan. With an area of around 95,000 square kilometers, Indiana is one of the medium-sized states in the USA. Almost 6.8 million inhabitants are spread over this area. Indiana is characterized by a natural landscape that is as diverse as it is varied.

In the south, hilly landscapes that are extremely densely wooded are lined up, while the north, on the shores of Lake Michigan, is characterized by dune landscapes. The capital of Indiana, Indianapolis, is undisputedly one of the most famous metropolises in the USA with 830,000 inhabitants. The city has a long tradition of automobile construction and motorized racing, which can be seen on every corner within the city area. In addition, a lot of interesting cultural events take place here. Outside the USA, the city is also known for the Midwest music festival and the Indy Fest jazz festival. So if you have a mixture of exciting and varied landscapes, car racing and culture in mind for your holiday in the USA, Indiana is the right place for you.

The capital Indianapolis is an exciting starting point for the journey through the state of Indiana

Indianapolis is the ideal starting point for a round trip through Indiana. The city is centrally located, in fact right in the middle of the US state and has an international airport. The city became known early on for the Indianapolis 500, which is one of the oldest car races in the world. If you happen to be in the city during the race days, then a visit to the race facility is mandatory.

But even outside of the race days, a visit to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an absolute highlight. Because the four-kilometer-long racetrack, which is built into an oval and whose grandstands offer space for a total of 300,000 visitors, is not only considered the largest sports stadium in the entire USA. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway also has the special feature of being one of the few racing areas in the world to be centrally located, and thus within the city of Indianapolis. At the attached Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, visitors can learn all about the history of racing in Indianapolis. Indianapolis is still considered a city of art. The Indianapolis Museum of Art has an extensive art history collection that exhibits not only American but also many European, as well as some African and Asian artworks. The exhibition programme runs through numerous art epochs, such as late medieval art, the Renaissance and contemporary works of art.

Some of the most famous artists exhibited there are Domenico Tintoretto, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet or Albrecht Dürer. The Indiana State Museum provides information about the history and culture of the entire state. Originally, numerous Native Americans settled in Indiana, which ultimately helped the state to get its name. In addition, Indianapolis impresses with beautiful parks and green spaces. Fort Harrison Park and Eagle Creek Park are particularly popular with nature lovers and families with children. You should also take a look at the very sublime-looking Capitol of the state of Indiana. The building was largely built in the Renaissance style and can be visited free of charge from the inside and outside. Exciting festivals in the city’s streets, such as the Indy Jazz Fest, take place mainly in the autumn months from September to November.

Indiana Dunes National Park on Lake Michigan

If you travel to Indiana, you definitely have to make a detour to the Indiana Dunes National Park on Lake Michigan. This national park was only established in 2019 and covers an area of 61 square kilometers. The most exciting area of the spacious area is a 24-kilometer-long coastal strip that stretches along Lake Michigan. In its form, it can easily compete with the dune landscapes of the North Sea or Baltic Sea . In addition to dunes up to 60 meters high, the national park also contains some swamp and moorland areas as well as no less than 1,100 different plant species. Furthermore, all bird and butterfly lovers get their money’s worth here. the offer for tourists in Indiana Dunes National Park is enormously diverse. You can explore the park either as part of guided tours or on your own. There are numerous well-marked hiking and biking trails, a campground, fishing, horses that can be booked for horseback riding, and of course, designated swimming areas right on Lake Michigan.

The densely forested south of the state of Indiana

The south of the state of Indiana, unlike the northern spheres, is not characterized by water, but by forest. First and foremost, mixed forests are to be expected here, which reveal an incredibly colourful and dreamy face in autumn. If you like hiking, you can experience wonderful nature adventures here, especially in the autumn months. Enchanting hiking trails include the Hoosier National Forest and Brown County State Park. Mountain bikers also feel at home in the latter. However, a little attention should be paid to the reptiles living in Brown County State Park, because among them are rattlesnakes. If these don’t frighten you, you can also camp in the park. McCormick’s Creek State Park is home to passionate anglers. In the nearby Spring Mill State Park, caves can be explored. The longest cave area in the entire USA is also located in the south of Indiana: the Indiana Caverns. Here, rivers and lakes located in the caves can be crossed on guided tours by boat. The Paoli Peaks are home to snowboarders and skiers in winter

The US state of Montana is a prime destination for those who love nature and space. Montana is located in the far north of the USA and borders Canada there. The name of the state is derived from the Latin word montanus, which translates into the English language means mountain. Anyone who knows this will not be surprised that the fourth largest of the American states is crisscrossed by sweeping mountain ranges. Montana’s most popular tourist destination is, not surprisingly, Glacier National Park, which borders Canada .

There is a sprawling nature reserve located in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. There alone, nature lovers can easily spend a holiday of several weeks that will not be boring. But Montana has even more to offer. In the south of the extremely sparsely populated US state with just over one million inhabitants, there is another of the most famous national parks in the USA: Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone National Park is not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also boasts an exciting population of wildlife such as grizzly bears and bison. Montana’s highlights are complemented by the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, one of the most historic places in the entire USA. Here, visitors can learn a lot about the Native Americans, the Indians.

Experience the frosty magic of Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park overwhelms everyone who visits it. On an area of around 4,047 square kilometers, there are a total of 175 mountain peaks and 25 glaciers. In addition, there are no less than 762 lakes. The national park can be visited all year round, but in winter the roads that crisscross Glacier National Park can be snowy or frozen, which requires drivers to have good driving skills to be able to move around safely.

In winter, you are rewarded for this by fairytale snow and ice landscapes, where you can go snowshoeing, for example. Cross-country ski trails are also groomed then. The very daring can try their hand at ice climbing here in the winter months and explore the diverse mountain landscape of the Glacier National Park up close. From June to September, all roads in the park are largely free of snow and therefore easily passable. These are excellent conditions for embarking on one or the other hiking adventure through exciting flora and fauna. On the way you often meet mountain goats or dockhorn sheep.

For example, you can walk around the 16-kilometer-wide Lake McDonald, which is the largest lake in the national park, on the Trail of the Cedars. If you prefer to move on the water, you can cross the lake by boat. No matter what you choose, you always have an excellent view of the mighty glaciers surrounding the lake with all possible options. The Glacier National Park can also be crossed by train. A multi-day train journey not only takes tourists to Canada, but also allows them to visit all the vegetation levels of the Glacier National Park from the train’s panoramic carriages.

Explore forests, wilderness and wildlife in Yellowstone National Park

If you want to explore Yellowstone National Park, which stretches over several US states, on Montana territory, choose one of the two park entrances to the north. The small town of Livingston has been the most popular entry point into Yellowstone National Park since the 19th century. On the way to the park, it is worth taking a detour to the Railway Museum of the City of Livingston. Another access point to the park is near the even smaller town of Gardiner, which is crossed by the 1,114-kilometer-long Yellowstone River. From Gardiner, you enter the park through the massive Roosevelt archway. From there, it’s on to the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, where you can get up close and personal with bears and wolves. The Bear Paw Trail invites you to hike through the park’s wooded landscape. Hiking is very popular in Yellowstone National Park anyway. About 2,000 kilometers of designated hiking trails can be hiked in the almost 9,000 square kilometer national park.

Visiting the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

In addition to breathtaking scenery, the US state of Montana also has a rich history. This was marked by numerous conflicts between the white settlers from Europe and the North American indigenous population, the Indians. The territory of today’s US state of Montana was once home to 13 different Indian tribes. The most famous Indians among them are the members of the Sioux tribe. Even today, many of the indigenous people live on Indian reservations, of which there are seven in Montana alone.

On June 25, 1876, a battle finally took place at the Little Bighorn between cavalry troops of the white settlers and the representatives of several Indian tribes. The natives were led by the Indian chiefs Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. The fighting was about the white settlers taking over a mountain range that was considered sacred to the Indian tribes. They hoped for the financially profitable mining of mineral resources there. Since the Indians defended their territory and put up surprisingly strong resistance, many members of both sides had to lose their lives in the battle. On the Little Bighorn Battlefield, a memorial was set up soon after the battle, which now commemorates not only the white victims of the battle, as originally, but also the Indians who died in the battle in a sincere way.