Not having been on a true vacation since *gestures broadly at the world*, I'm planning on taking advantage of my spring break next month to hit the road. On a whim, I decided to go to Nebraska: it's a state I've never visited, it's within a reasonable driving distance (1.5 days or so), and I don't know anyone there (I feel like I need some time during which I can do things by myself, for myself). This also gives me an opportunity to collect some unvisited counties. Any recommendations for things do or places to see, whether roadgeek-related or otherwise, are appreciated. Also, as a craft beer fan, I plan on going to some breweries both en route and at my destinations.
- Day 1: San Antonio, TX to Hays, KS. My planned route has me going through west-central Oklahoma and Kansas primarily via US 281, with some deviations, before cutting across to US 183. I'll likely leave well before dawn, as this is the longest of the travel days, to be able to get there late afternoon/early evening.
- Day 2: Hays, KS to Lincoln, NE. I'm intentionally making this the direct route via US 183 to I-80, probably deviating from the freeway to take US 34 as the inspiration strikes. As it's less driving time, my time of arrival is flexible at the moment, pending any decisions I make on activities.
- Day 3: Lincoln, NE to Omaha, NE. I-80 and/or US 6, of course. Since it's a short drive, I have no schedule for this, but my goal is to be in Omaha by mid-afternoon to be able to explore. The aerospace museum in Ashland is a prospective stop.
- Day 4: Non-travel day in Omaha. The zoo is a given. I may meander into Iowa as well (and not just Carter Lake) if time allows.
- Day 5: Omaha, NE to Wichita, KS. I'll likely take US 75 to Topeka, then take a combination of non-turnpike routes that lie roughly north of I-335 and I-35 (not to shunpike, but because of the whole unvisited counties thing). The goal is to make it by mid-afternoon to be able to have some exploration time, and I have the Pizza Hut museum on the WSU campus on my itinerary, just for fun.
- Day 6: Wichita, KS to San Antonio, TX. I plan on driving back through west-central Oklahoma, mostly likely bypassing OKC via US 81, and coming back down US 281. No plans on stops at the moment.
I've enjoyed visiting the Cathedral of the Plains (Victoria KS); its beauty is amplified by its small-town location.
If you stop at the Archway in Kearney NE, there are some Lincoln Highway points of interest outdoors (meaning you can view them even if you don't want to pay admission for the indoor exhibits).
You already mentioned the SAC Museum and the Doorly Zoo; those are both worthwhile stops.
If you like the SAC, you'd probably also like the Cosmosphere, which is in Hutchinson KS (not far from Wichita).
For numerous reasons (one of which is the increasing price of gas), I will be delaying this trip until the summer.