Natural Attractions: The 2019 Spring & Summer Travel Guide

Spotting chipmunks on picnics in Colorado can be a thrill if you’re 5 years old. But if you’re a fourth-grader, you’re probably hoping for an encounter with something 10 times more exciting than a cousin to a tree squirrel. Perhaps prairie dogs, bison and eagles? They’re native to the Great Plains and can be seen at preserves and state parks throughout Nebraska. Here’s a sampling of adventures the whole family can enjoy.

FORT ROBINSON STATE PARK

NEAL SMITH NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

The refuge sits on the east side of Des Moines and encompasses about 6,000 acres. Of that, 4,000 acres represent the largest prairie restoration in the nation. About 55 bison roam 700 acres along a 5-mile route through the refuge. Sometimes they’re seen, sometimes not. Sometimes they block the road, creating a prairie traffic jam — and the perfect photo opportunity. But snap those photos from the safety of your vehicle; it’s the perfect viewing blind.

You know about the Budweiser Clydesdales — but what about Missouri’s exotic cats and rocks that look like elephants!

PRAIRIE STATE PARK

While it’s always fun traveling to new places, arriving when there is a festival scheduled adds a whole new layer to the experience.

Often there are many more activities to choose from, and it’s a great way to learn more about a community. As Orange City Tulip Festival chairperson Wanda Vande Kieft says, “Breng ons een bezoek! Pay us a visit!”

V isit the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, Susan Watt says, and you’ll want to stay forever.

That’s what happened to her 23 years ago. The Alabama native is now the director and president of the nonprofit near Hot Springs, South Dakota.

Step back in history.

Millions and millions of years ago.

If you want to see what animals of the far past looked like — beyond books and Internet sites — several sites in Nebraska and Iowa display fossils from millions of years ago.

Nebraska

You can take your own Jurassic adventure without fear of becoming an entrée for a T. rex at a theme park in Derby, Kansas. Field Station: Dinosaurs offers up-close encounters with more than 40 lifelike prehistoric creatures.

The 14-acre park, about 20 minutes from downtown Wichita, opened in May 2018 and is a second Field Station: Dinosaurs. The original park in Leonia, New Jersey, opened in 2012. Each is a Paleozoic world of mystery, learning and thrills.