The "running of the wieners" at German Heritage Days in Grand Island, Nebraska is safer than the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, and more fun than a barrelful of monkeys.

Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park in northeast Nebraska contains the largest intact fossil bed ever discovered from that time period. It includes hundreds of perfectly preserved animal skeletons (see above) wrapped in a blanket of ash that's thought to be 10 million years old.

If you're hungry for authentic Czech cuisine, stop at the Bohemian Cafe in Omaha, Nebraska.

Established in 1924, the restaurant reflects the area's strong Czech heritage. Specialties include goulash, roast duck and veal--and you can't beat the wonderful sauerbraten and traditional sweet-and-sour cabbage and dumplings.

If you think of Nebraska as a flat, treeless prairie, a visit to the Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Arboretum will change your mind.

Decades ago, I visited Father Flanagan's Boys Town, about 10 miles west of Omaha, with a college group.

While traveling in our RV along the Missouri River in northeastern Nebraska, we took the advice of a friend and camped at Niobrara State Park, near where Lewis and Clark made camp during their epic trek.

While we were returning from a summer camping trip out West, my husband, Jay, and I found the charming prairie town of Gothenburg, which bills itself as the "Pony Express Capital of Nebraska".

Where can you find a picturesque state park, a drive-through safari and an enormous air museum--all at the same freeway exit? They're clustered at I-80's Exit 426, located between Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska.

While traveling in western Nebraska, my husband and I heard about an unusual lighthouse at the Lake Minitare State Recreation Area.