An elderly couple in Omaha taking photos at the Bob Kearny pedestrian bridge

15 Things to Do for Seniors in Omaha, Nebraska

Ask anyone what makes Omaha special, and you’ll get a different answer every time. Some will say it’s the steak. Others will say it’s the symphony, or a summer evening at Memorial Park. For senior citizens, Omaha has something even better to offer: a city that’s big enough to keep surprising you, and small enough to still feel like home.

You can walk a forest boardwalk in the morning, catch a Broadway matinee in the afternoon, and be back on your porch by dinner. If you’re retired, caring for a loved one, or helping a parent find their rhythm again, this guide is for you. Here are 15 wonderful ways to stay active and connected in Omaha.

1. Connect With ENOA and Local Senior Centers

Most Omaha seniors have no idea how much support is already built for them, and almost all of it runs through one place. The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging (ENOA) serves Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties. If you’re 60 or older and want to plug into community life, this is the easiest place to start. ENOA quietly runs most of the city’s senior centers, meal programs, and transportation services.

A few centers worth knowing about:

  • Intercultural Senior Center (ISC) on Center Street is truly one of a kind. Adults 50 and up from more than 20 countries gather here every day. Staff speak Spanish, English, French, Swahili, Ukrainian, and more. They even run door-to-door transportation.
  • Millard Senior Center at the Montclair Community Center is the go-to spot in southwest Omaha. It’s open weekdays from 8:30 to 3:00, with a hot lunch served at 11:30 (just a $5 suggested donation for those 60+).
  • Catholic Charities’ Senior Program at St. Martin de Porres has been part of North Omaha since 1957. Come for breakfast and lunch three days a week. Stay for the walking club, Sittercise, and the community garden.

Here’s a tip: you don’t have to commit to anything to start. Most ENOA centers will let you drop in for lunch for a small donation. That’s often the easiest way to test the waters.

2. Get Moving at the YMCA Healthy Living Center

Here’s a little secret: Omaha has one of the best senior fitness setups in the region. The YMCA Healthy Living Center in Council Bluffs is a full YMCA branch dedicated almost entirely to active older adults. No loud music. No intimidating weight rooms. Just thoughtful group classes, a warm community, and social clubs where members quilt, woodwork, play cards, and run their own book club.

That’s the flagship, but the rest of the YMCA of Greater Omaha system has strong senior programming too:

  • Brain & Body (formerly called Delay the Disease) is an evidence-based class for people living with Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions.
  • SilverSneakers, Silver & Fit, and Renew Active. If you have Medicare Advantage or certain supplemental plans, your Y membership may already be paid for. Call your insurance before you pay anything out of pocket.
  • Water aerobics, chair yoga, strength and stretch. These run all week at branches including Armbrust, Maple Street, Westview, Sarpy, and Gretna Crossing.

One piece of advice we often share with families: don’t just sign up for the membership. Go to a class. Meet an instructor. Say hello to another member. Fitness is the surface-level reason to go. The friendships are the real reason people keep showing up.

3. Spend a Free Afternoon at the Joslyn Art Museum

The Joslyn Art Museum reopened in late 2024 after a massive expansion that added 42,000 square feet. Here’s the best part: general admission is free. Every day it’s open. No strings attached.

The Joslyn was also named the 2025 and 2026 USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice winner for Best Art Museum in the country. Free drop-in public tours run Fridays and Saturdays at 1 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. It’s a perfect low-cost afternoon with a friend or a visiting grandchild.

4. Catch a Show at Omaha Performing Arts

The Omaha Performing Arts campus downtown is home to four wonderful venues:

  • Orpheum Theater, a beautifully restored 1927 vaudeville house. This is Nebraska’s home for touring Broadway and Opera Omaha productions.
  • Holland Performing Arts Center, home to the Omaha Symphony. Classical music lovers can’t stop talking about the acoustics.
  • Steelhouse Omaha, the newest venue, partnering with Live Nation to bring concerts and comedy downtown.
  • Tenaska Center for Arts Engagement, opening fully in 2026 with classes, workshops, and community programs for all ages.

Quick tip: Ticket Omaha offers group rates for 10 or more people. That makes outings with your church, senior center, or book club surprisingly affordable. It’s also worth asking about day-of rush tickets if you don’t mind a bit of flexibility.

5. See a Matinee at the Omaha Community Playhouse

The Omaha Community Playhouse is the largest community theater in the country. It has been staging Broadway-caliber productions with local talent for more than 100 years. A matinee ticket costs a fraction of what you’d pay at the Orpheum. And the theater is small enough that every seat feels like a good one.

6. Stroll Through Lauritzen Gardens

Lauritzen Gardens is the easiest-access outdoor spot in the city. A hundred acres of gardens near downtown, with paved paths and benches everywhere. The covered tram tour (around $5 for about 50 minutes) lets you see the full property without walking it all.

The conservatory is also a lifesaver in January, when cabin fever starts to set in. Whether you’re visiting with grandchildren or just enjoying a quiet afternoon, this is one of Omaha’s true gems.

7. Walk the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge

The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge stretches 3,000 feet across the Missouri River. Stand in the middle and you’re in both Nebraska and Iowa at the same time. The surface is smooth, the views are gorgeous, and the newly revamped Gene Leahy Mall at the base gives you plenty of places to rest.

8. Explore Fontenelle Forest’s Boardwalk

Fontenelle Forest in Bellevue has a mile-long ADA-accessible boardwalk with beautiful views of the river. More than 240 bird species have been spotted in the preserve.

This is one of our favorite recommendations when families visit from out of town with a senior parent. Real nature. No trail mud.

9. Loop Around Zorinsky Lake (and Other Local Parks)

Locals love Zorinsky Lake in West Omaha. A paved, mostly flat trail circles the water with plenty of shaded benches. Standing Bear Lake and Chalco Hills Recreation Area are great alternatives. Closer to midtown, Memorial Park in Dundee is a beloved spot for summer concerts and quiet weekday walks.

10. Join a Book Club at the Omaha Public Library

The Omaha Public Library is one of the city’s most underrated senior resources. Not just because the books are free. It’s because of all the book clubs quietly meeting across the branches every month. Some meet at noon with a brown-bag lunch. Others meet in the evening. Whatever you love to read, there’s probably a club waiting for you.

A few long-running favorites:

  • Chat N Chew at the Downtown Branch. A midday club with steady attendance and lively discussion.
  • Benson Pageturners and Benson Mystery Book Club. Two very different clubs at the Benson Branch.
  • Jolly Neighbors at the Bess Johnson Elkhorn Branch. A daytime favorite in West Omaha.
  • Double Booked at the Millard Branch and A Novel Idea at W. Clarke Swanson. Steady, reliable monthly clubs.

Want to start your own club? OPL also lends book club bags, each with 10 to 20 copies of the same book plus a discussion guide, loaned for six weeks. Perfect for your church, senior community, or group of friends.

11. Find a Faith Community

Research keeps showing the same thing: seniors who thrive into their 80s and 90s aren’t always the fittest or the wealthiest. They’re the ones who stay connected to something bigger than themselves.

Omaha is home to a wonderful mix of churches, synagogues, and mosques. Many have senior ministries that go well beyond Sunday services. Bible studies. Prayer groups. Fellowship meals. Day trips. Visitation teams.

If you’re new to the city or coming back to faith after some time away, most congregations have someone whose whole job is welcoming newcomers. One phone call is often all it takes to find your people.

12. Volunteer Somewhere You Love

Omaha has more good volunteer opportunities than most people realize. A few we keep recommending:

  • Food Bank for the Heartland. Sorting and packing shifts are social, lightly physical, and deeply satisfying. One in seven people across the Heartland faces food insecurity, so the need is real and close to home.
  • Nebraska Humane Society. Whether you want to walk dogs, socialize cats, or greet visitors at the front desk, there’s a role for almost any energy level.
  • The Durham Museum and the Joslyn Art Museum rely on volunteer docents and gallery hosts. If you love history or art, this is a way to spend your day immersed in what you love, sharing it with others.
  • Nebraska Medicine, CHI Health, and Methodist Health System all accept senior volunteers. Roles include greeting, wayfinding, and patient companionship.

A note for family caregivers: if your loved one is grieving a lost identity after retirement or widowhood, a small recurring volunteer commitment, even two hours a week, often does more for their wellbeing than any amount of rest.

13. Start a Garden with City Sprouts or The Big Garden

Our growing season is short, but that’s part of what makes Nebraska gardeners such a passionate bunch. Gardening is one of the most well-documented activities for mood, mobility, and mental health. And you don’t need a backyard to do it.

City Sprouts is Omaha’s oldest community garden, going strong in the Orchard Hill neighborhood since 1995. They run the Growing Gardeners Workshop Series in partnership with The Big Garden. All workshops are free and open to all ages.

The Big Garden runs a network of more than two dozen community gardens across the metro, many hosted by local churches and nonprofits. If you’d like to garden alongside your faith community, or if you just want a plot without committing to a whole yard, this is where to start.

Just getting started? Local nurseries like Mulhall’s and Indian Creek Nursery have knowledgeable staff who are happy to help you pick plants that work for our Nebraska climate.

14. Take a Day Trip in Any Direction

One of Omaha’s best-kept secrets is how easy it is to leave for a day. Within about an hour in any direction, you can be somewhere completely different, and home in time for dinner.

Head South: Nebraska City

About an hour south, Nebraska City is worth the drive, especially in the fall. Apple orchards, Arbor Day Farm, Kimmel Orchard, and the historic Lied Lodge. Mid-September through October is pure magic.

Head West: Ashland and the SAC Museum

Twenty-five minutes west on I-80, you’ll find three gems:

Head East: Council Bluffs

Just across the river, Council Bluffs feels like a completely different world, and it’s only five minutes away. Start with the Union Pacific Railroad Museum, then wander over to the fascinating Historic Squirrel Cage Jail (one of only three rotating jails left in the country). End the day at Lewis and Clark Monument Park, where you’ll get some of the best views of the Omaha skyline.

Head Southwest: Lincoln

Nebraska’s capital is about an hour down I-80. Worth the drive for:

A tip if you’d rather not drive: check with your church, senior center, or local 55+ group. Many of them run group day trips with transportation included.

15. Play Bingo, Go Dancing, or Hit a Summer Concert

Not everything has to be productive. Some of the best hours of your later years are spent doing things purely for fun. Omaha has plenty of those.

Bingo is alive and well at VFW posts, American Legion halls, and almost every ENOA senior center across the metro. Sessions usually include a meal and are priced to be accessible. Facebook is your best source for weekly schedules.

Dancing is thriving in Omaha, too. Arthur Murray Dance Studio welcomes adult beginners, including many widows and widowers who started taking lessons later in life. For something more fitness-oriented, several YMCAs and senior centers host Zumba Gold and line dancing designed specifically for older adults.

Jazz on the Green is a beloved Omaha summer tradition. Free outdoor concerts at Midtown Crossing’s Turner Park on Thursday evenings in July and August. Bring a folding chair, a bottle of water, and someone you love.

The Life That’s Already Here

The older we get, the easier it is to believe the most interesting parts of life are behind us. But if you live in Omaha, the proof is everywhere you look. The Joslyn is free. The symphony is a 15-minute drive. The trail around Zorinsky is waiting. A neighbor at the senior center is saving you a seat at lunch. Someone at church has been meaning to call.

The challenge in our senior years isn’t finding things to do. It’s saying yes to what’s already within reach.

At Genuine Global Care, we’re honored to walk alongside seniors and their families across the Omaha metro. We help older adults stay independent at home, support family caregivers who are stretched thin, and quietly handle the daily tasks that can otherwise get in the way of enjoying the city you love. If you or someone you love could use a little help staying active and connected, we’d love to talk with you.

Call us today at (531) 530-9061 to learn more about how Genuine Global Care can support your family.

What are your favorite senior activities in Omaha? Share your thoughts in the comments below. And if you’ve found a hidden gem we didn’t mention, tell us about it. That’s how the best guides get better.

Similar Posts