The Old Market, Omaha

The Old Market is the part of Omaha that visitors remember. It is a compact district of late nineteenth-century brick warehouses and brick-paved streets on the edge of downtown, built when the city's wholesale produce and grocery trade needed big buildings close to the railroads. After the wholesalers left in the mid twentieth century, a wave of preservation and reinvestment turned the empty buildings into restaurants, galleries, boutiques, bars and loft apartments, and the neighborhood became the city's social center. Today the Old Market is walkable in an hour and endlessly rewarding in an evening, with horse-drawn carriages clopping along the cobbled lanes, street musicians on warm nights, and a mix of local and independent businesses that give it a stronger sense of place than most downtown dining districts. For visitors, the neighborhood works as a base for eating, drinking and browsing more than as a checklist of sights. Look for the passageways that cut through the old buildings, the converted warehouses with exposed beams and loading docks turned patios, the independent bookstores and gift shops, and the galleries that reflect the arts community around the Bemis Center and KANEKO nearby. Omaha also claims the Reuben sandwich as a local invention, tied to a long-ago card game at the Blackstone Hotel, and local menus still play with the story.

Come in the late afternoon and stay for dinner. The district looks best when the light is low and the restaurants fill, and it feels safest and liveliest on weekend evenings when the streets are full. Weekday daytimes are quieter but better for shopping and gallery visits. In warm months, a farmers market runs on weekends in the area, and patios open for outdoor dining and drinks. In winter, the brick streets look especially atmospheric after snow, and the restaurants and bars are warm refuges.

Parking is a practical consideration. The area has garages and street meters, but busy weekend nights can mean a walk, so consider rideshare or park near the RiverFront and walk across. If you stay at an Old Market hotel, you can simply leave the car behind. Carriage rides are a charming splurge, and horse-drawn rides depart from set stands at busy hours; ask about route and length before you board.

The Old Market connects easily to the rest of the city. It is a few blocks from the Gene Leahy Mall and the RiverFront parks, a short walk to the Durham Museum at Union Station, and close enough to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge for a sunset stroll. The Haunted Cemetery trolley and the speakeasy and dive bar trolley tours are natural companions, and the district is also the usual starting point for walking tours of downtown history. Treat it as your anchor for a first visit, and give it at least one evening.

Practical details help you get the most from an evening. Many restaurants take reservations on weekends, and the best patio tables go first on warm nights, so book ahead for groups. Some shops and galleries keep limited hours on Sundays and Mondays, while bars and restaurants stay open later. Public restrooms are scarce, so use those in restaurants and cafes.

Street performers, murals and public art are part of the experience, so look up and into alleys. If you have mobility concerns, note that the brick streets are uneven in places, though sidewalks and curb cuts are generally good. Wear comfortable shoes, and consider a second visit in daylight for photographs.