When Nebraskans think about vacation destinations, they may picture mountains and oceans. But some are rediscovering the charm of the Midwest with its authentic, unpretentious charm and diverse destinations — wide open spaces, historic main streets, Native American history, pioneer trails, and thriving local food scenes with farm-to-table freshness.
And the events from rodeo to the Sandhill crane migration.
That’s what brought the Midwest Travel Network to central Nebraska. Network owners Lisa Trudell of Omaha and Sara Broers of Iowa are part of a group of travel writers, social media content creators, podcasters, and others check out some unique stops off the beaten path.
No, they’re not checking out beaches or mountains as they spend their vacation in central Nebraska.
“I like to say the Great Plains is a symphony. The mountains are rock and roll. They both have complexity. They both have a lot to offer, maybe half or two thirds of these of these folks have never been to Nebraska so it’s up to us to show them the wonderful things to do here,” said Brad Mellema, Grand Island Tourism Director.
His assignment was to lead a tour called modern agriculture, showcasing the livestock complex at the state fairgrounds but also touring the Case combine plant and helping these social media creators understand crop and livestock production.
“Our economy depends on the price of a bushel of corn. When that’s up, we sell more combines and buildings and grain bins and that’s what we build here,” he said.
The State Fair livestock complex at Fonner Park attracts regional and national livestock shows while Husker Harvest Days is the world’s largest working irrigated farm show, further showing the connection between agriculture and tourism.
