When you’re driving across the American heartland, it’s easy to get caught up in the rhythm of the open road. If you are looking for unique, unforgettable things to do in North Platte NE, you are in for a wonderful surprise. Our recent weekend getaway was anchored by one very specific and uniquely Nebraskan bucket-list activity: river tanking. What we ultimately found was a weekend journey filled with unexpected twists, from historic wagon ruts carved into a rugged hillside to a mini-golf course that felt like a secret garden.
Our journey began with a scenic drive that took us through eastern Colorado, bypassing the Interstate, so we can start to unwind and feel relaxed with less people on this stretch of the road. And it was working, we passed so few cars having the road to ourselves, agreeing we made the right choice, practically doubling travel time for this solitude. (You can read about that here)
Lunch, however, was a different story. We had planned a quick stop at a brewery in Sterling, Colorado, but our experience at Parts and Labor Brewing Company was, frankly, one of the worst we’ve had. We don’t like complaining but, sometimes it just happens. Shaking it off, we got back on the empty backroads and continued chasing the highway north.
Stepping Into Pioneer History at Windlass Hill
Before arriving at our main destination, we paused at the Nebraska the Good Life Welcome sign for a quick picture, and continued to Ash Hollow State Park. Our first real exploration stop was Windlass Hill, where we climbed a short but surprisingly steep paved path to the top of a sweeping bluff.
From the summit, you can look down and clearly see the deep, historic ruts carved into the earth by thousands of pioneer wagons journeying west along the Oregon Trail. Because the terrain here was so treacherous and steep, pioneers had to completely lock their wagon wheels, forcing the massive wooden structures to slide precariously down the hillside.
It was a powerful, sobering reminder of the physical challenges faced by settlers who risked everything to search for new economic opportunities, farming lands, or West Coast gold. Even though the mid-August heat was pushing a blistering 98 degrees, stretching our legs to stand in the footprint of history was well worth the sweat. From there, it was a quick 90-minute drive into town.
We had dinner at ApeShip Brewing. The fun, eclectic decorations gave the space a wonderfully relaxing and welcoming atmosphere. We had a strong hunch that the menu relied mostly on pre-packaged items rather than a scratch kitchen (with the exception of their smoked BBQ meats), but we were starving after a long day of driving. We ordered a plate of nachos that turned out to be surprisingly delicious, hitting the perfect comfort-food spot before we checked into our hotel.
The World’s Largest Rail Yard: Bailey Yard
The next morning was all about diving directly into the rich locomotive heritage that put this region on the map. We started our day at the iconic Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center. After watching a brief ten-minute introductory video detailing the history of the Union Pacific Railroad, we took the elevator up to the eighth-floor observation deck.
Standing high above the ground, we were absolutely mesmerized by the sheer scale and complexity of Union Pacific’s Bailey Yard—officially certified as the largest rail classification yard in the world. Watching thousands of train cars being systematically sorted across a massive maze of tracks was incredible. As a fun bonus for travelers who love free souvenirs, the staff punches your paper admission ticket to look exactly like an old-fashioned train passenger ticket.
Directly afterward, we stopped at the Cody Park Railroad Museum, where we got to go inside a few old rail cars, which was a fun, hands-on experience. On display is the only Challenger 3900 steam locomotive in the world. Justin had a blast climbing directly into the engineer’s cabin to get an up-close look at the massive vintage dashboard.
We walked completely through several preserved cars, including an old mail car and a bright red caboose filled with railroad memorabilia. Another engine on display allowed us to peer directly into the open gears and internal mechanics of the train. Before a sudden summer thunderstorm cut our visit short at the 30-minute mark, we took a quick look inside the historic Hershey train station building, which was relocated to the park grounds to serve as an artifact museum.
What is Nebraska Tanking?
Once the summer skies cleared up, it was time for the main event: Nebraska tanking. If you’re compiling a list of classic things to do in North Platte NE, this quirky pastime deserves to be right at the top. Tanking involves floating down a wide, shallow river inside a massive, circular stock tank traditionally used for watering livestock. It was exactly the kind of unusual, relaxing river adventure we were hoping to find.
We booked our excursion through Dusty Trails LLC, a fantastic local outfitter located right by the Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park. They took care of all the logistics, dropping us off at the river launch point and equipping us with a clean livestock tank, long steering oars, and mandatory life jackets. Floating lazily down the calm currents of the North Platte River under a bright blue sky was incredibly peaceful.
You can read and watch a video of that here.
Following our float, we decided to get a beer and lunch, and headed to Pal’s Brewing Company. We sat outside under the covered patio enjoying the fresh air and reflecting on the full morning of activities. We shared an appetizer of chips and queso and a small pizza, we didn’t want to fill up too much since we’d be having dinner in about 4 hours. Pal’s also had a good atmosphere, it wasn’t downtown so there was both a good size indoor and outdoor area, with a stage and grass area too for events. The waitress was friendly and attentive.
Botanical Mini-Golf and an Honest Dinner Review
After a much-needed afternoon nap, we decided to check out Crystal Cave & Falls Adventure Mini Golf. We arrived right at the heels of another large playing group, which meant the 20-hole course was a bit more crowded than we normally prefer, but the actual facility was a stunning surprise.
They tout being the only botanical garden with mini-golf. The owner clearly takes pride in the grounds—the greens looked new and the brickwork had been redone, the plants and flowers were nice, and the sound of the small waterfalls made the area feel relaxing. It was still about 97 degrees and not much shelter or shadows, and so we sweat a little in our dinner attire. The rest of the area included two short Go-Karts tracks (got a $1 off coupon with golf receipt) and 2 water slides (not open when we were there).
Dinner was at The Cedar Room, touted as one of the top restaurants in the area. We had reservations on a Friday in August, but the place was not too full so it probably didn’t matter. The meal was nothing special. My fish special was decent but lacked any memorable flavor, and Justin’s steak was a bit chewier than he would have wanted. We were also surprised that the entrees only came with one side—either a vegetable or a starch, but not both.
Instead of staying for dessert, we walked to the end of the street for Double Dips. I got a small chocolate chip cup and Justin ordered a chocolate milkshake, and they were the perfect cold end to our evening. It was a simple, delicious way to finish the night on a high note.
Heading Home Via Ole’s Big Game Lounge
The following morning, we felt like we had successfully seen the absolute best of the city and were ready to point the car toward home. Thankfully, our hotel was incredibly accommodating and let us cancel our remaining unspent night without a penalty fee. We didn’t want to rush and opted to take a different scenic route back home, stopping first in Paxton at Ole’s Big Game Lounge.
I was incredibly surprised to find that this legendary highway stop still serves an exceptionally affordable breakfast. Our total bill for two people was just under $25, which feels completely unheard of these days!. Sure the potatoes could have used a little more flavor, but I still left full. After we ate we walked around the main restaurant area looking at their collection. I personally don’t know how I feel about these trophies, but it was still interesting to see some animals. This reminded me of the Buckhorn Exchange in Denver.
Ultimately, our 38 hours away was the exact remedy we needed to step away from work, recharge our batteries, and enjoy each other’s company while checking a few quirky new experiences off our travel bucket list.
You can watch the scenic drives here.
When creating this itinerary, I visited the Visit North Platte website which offered so many ideas, it was a great starting point. We considered driving the interstate, but ultimately back roads won which added a little more time to our travels, along with a time zone change. While looking at our route on a map, I also looked what was along the way focusing on historical areas or parks.
The itinerary focused on the North Platte area but it was 97-99 when we were there in mid-August, and honestly some of the maybe itinerary items were there just because we were there, not necessarily because we wanted to do/see it, so we left a day early. We felt like we got enough out of the short trip.
| Estimated | Actual | |
| Thursday | Drive ~3 hours to Ash Hollow State Park Ash Hollow State Historical Park: Windlass Hill Cody Park Railroad Museum Golden Spike Tower Pals Brewing Company | 9 AM Drive Scenic Way (2 hrs 40 min) 12 PM Lunch in Sterling at Parts & Labor Brewing Company $42.45 1:30 PM Drive Scenic Way to Windlass Hill (1 hr 30 min) 3 PM Climb Windlass Hill 3:45 PM Finish drive to North Platte (1 hr 25 min) Check into hotel $312.59 (2 nights) Drink & Dinner at ApeShip Brewing $58.06 |
| Friday | Lincoln County Historical Museum Tanking with Dusty Trails Brewery? Nap? Lunch? Crystal Cave & Falls Adventure Mini Golf Feather River Vineyard or Old Depot Vineyard & Winery Peg Leg Brewing Double Dips Ice Creamery Pals Brewery | 9:15 AM Golden Spike Tower AAA $10×2 10:15 AM Cody Park Railroad Museum $free 11:30 – 1:30 Tanking $112 2 PM Lunch at Pals Brewery $54.12 Nap 5 PM Crystal Cave & Falls Adventure Mini Golf $20 6:30 PM Dinner at Cedar Room $78.91 7:30 PM Ice Cream at Double Dips $12.27 |
| Saturday | J: Golf Prairie Arts Center Buffalo Bill State Historical Park Grain Bin Antique Town APEShip Brewing Brigham’s Taproom | Check out of hotel Breakfast at Ole’s Big Game Steakhouse and Lounge in Paxton $24 Drive backroads until Strasburg (4 hrs 15 min) then freeway for 30 minutes Home at 2 PM MT Gas: a little over one tank, about $25 |
| Sunday | Drive Back. 1 hr 30 minutes. Stop in Julesburg — Pony Express Stuff: Old Ford Garage, Fort Sedgwick Museum, Pony Express Monument Drive 2hrs 45 minutes back home | N/A |
Since this trip was drivable, the hotel reasonable, and the excursions were minimal, our total spending was $759.40
This is an honest, independent review. No compensation, free product, or special treatment was received in exchange for this opinion. All thoughts expressed are based on personal experience