By Jacki Wood

Editor’s note: this is the second in a series of day trip ideas you can plan for your children or grandchildren.

Home of Arbor Day, Nebraska City sits along the Missouri River and has a rich history of embracing nature and culture with several orchards, museums and events perfect for a fall day trip for your family.

DayTripArborArbor Day Farm

Want a tree seedling to take home to plant? You’ll get one at the Arbor Day Farm Tree Adventure where you can also pick apples in the orchard, climb a 50-foot-high tree house, tour a greenhouse, ride through the forest and more.

Arbor Day Farm is also home to the Preservation Orchard which features antique apple varieties, some dating back to the 1600s.

October at the farm also means fall fun including a corn maze, pumpkin patch and hayrack rides.

Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for children ages 3-12 and free for children two and under.

It is located at 2611 Arbor Avenue. For more information, call 402.873.8717 or visit arbordayfarm.org.

DayTripApples

Kimmel Orchard offers a variety of produce, provides U-pick fruit and sells pie, salsa, jam, dressings and more including caramel apples in the fall.

Kimmel Orchard

Kimmel Orchard and Vineyard began in 1925 and is a destination for agricultural education, research and historic preservation – and plenty of family fun.

In addition to apples, strawberries, cherries, peaches, blackberries, Asian pears, plums and a variety of vegetables are grown.

Admission is free and hayrack rides are free during festivals and fall weekends.

The orchard is located at 5995 G Road. For more information, call 402.873.5293 or visit kimmelorchard.org.

Mayhew Cabin

The Mayhew Cabin and John Brown’s Cave chronicles the underground railroad history in Nebraska.

The Mayhew Cabin and John Brown’s Cave chronicles the underground railroad history in Nebraska.

Nebraska’s first nationally-recognized underground railroad is the Mayhew Cabin and Historic Village with John Brown’s Cave.

The historic site is open from May to October and admission is $1 for children and $3 for adults.

It is located at 2012 4th Corso. For more information, call 402.873.3115 or visit mayhewcabin.org.

AppleJack Festival

Named one of the top 10 Fall Harvest Festivals in America, the AppleJack Festival runs from September 16 to 18 and features everything apples.

There’s also a parade, craft fairs, street dances, a classic car show, carnival and live music.

To learn more, visit gonebraskacity.com/festival/apple-jack-festival.

Living History Weekends

The Arbor Lodge State Historical Park features Living History Weekends at the mansion including Wheels of Transportation on September 24 and 25; Ethnic Festival on October 1 and 2; Mountain Man Rendezvous on October 8 and 9 with weaving, leather sewing, Dutch oven cooking, fabric dyes and printing, tomahawk throwing, pottery, dulcimer music and cider pressing; Oktoberfest on October 9 features authentic German food, live polka band, horseshoes and yard games; Great American Pastimes on October 15 and 16 for old-fashioned parlor games and entertainment, piano music, antique kitchen gadgets and vintage baseball games with the Topeka Westerns and Shawnee Baseball Club; Victorian Times on October 22 and 23; and Vintage Halloween on October 29 and 30.

Admission to the park is free, however, mansion admission for the events is $8 for adults, $6 for children ages 3-12 and free for children two and under.

For more information, call 402.873.7222 or visit arbordayfarm.org/events.

Museums

There are several museums in Nebraska City perfect for your children and grandchildren including: the Missouri River Basin Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, 100 Valmont Road, 402.874.9900, mrb-lewisandclarkcenter.org; the Nebraska City Museum of Firefighting, 1320 Central Avenue, 402.873.3579, ncmuseumoffirefighting.net; and Kregel Windmill Museum, 1414 Central Avenue, 402.873.1078, kregelwindmillfactorymuseum.org.

There’s more to explore and discover in Nebraska City. Check it out at gonebraskacity.com or call 402.873.6654.