More than ten miles of community trails, a year-round theater program, and a museum housed in a 1906 Burlington passenger depot offer different ways to experience a stay in Beatrice. Explore the city through outdoor activity as well as its cultural and historical offerings.
Things to Do and Trails in Beatrice
Beatrice’s Hike/Bike Trail includes more than ten miles of community trails suitable for biking, walking, or jogging. Trail signs and mile markers help visitors find their way around the trail network. The trail connects numerous parks with athletic fields, shelters, playgrounds, tennis courts, and benches. Along the trails, visitors will find everything from opportunities for sports to places to play and sit.
The Beatrice StoryWalk offers a different way to combine movement and reading. One page of a book is displayed at each of 20 stations along a trail. The program was designed to encourage reading, physical activity, and family time. The StoryWalk is on the Homestead Trail at 2nd Street, between Ella Street and Grant Street. Its concept differs from the Hike/Bike Trail: here, a story takes center stage and is read one station at a time.
For children, the Sertoma Splash Pad offers a variety of water activities, including spray jets and tipping water buckets. It operates seasonally. Charles Park offers a different experience: established in 1914 as Beatrice’s first public park, it has space for a family picnic, flying a kite, or reading a book.
History and Culture Downtown
The Gage County Historical Society & Museum is in the historic downtown at the intersection of 2nd Street and Court Street. It is housed in a 1906 Burlington passenger depot. The history of Gage County is told through stories about industry, business, innovation, and community. The historic setting of the depot thus meets a broad range of topics about the county’s development.
For live performances, there is Beatrice Community Players, a live theater in downtown Beatrice. The theater presents entertainment and educational programs for adults and students throughout the year. Its regular season includes six performances. Those looking to discover Beatrice through the performing arts and community cultural life will find a different perspective here than in the historical exhibits.
Yesterday's Lady is a museum of historic clothing and a vintage salon in the Schmuck Building. Built in 1887, the building is located in downtown Beatrice. The Carnegie Building in Beatrice originally opened in 1904.
A Trail Beyond the City
The Chief Standing Bear Trail begins in Beatrice and runs along the east side of the Big Blue River. It follows a former Union Pacific Railroad route and stretches about 37 miles from Beatrice to Marysville, Kansas. Its approximate length and endpoints give a clear sense of the route’s scope; by contrast, the Hike/Bike Trail in Beatrice is defined by its community trails and connections between numerous parks.
West of the city, the original Freeman School is located in Homestead National Historical Park. The schoolhouse dates from 1872 and is open to the public. As a destination nearby, it complements the city and regional history of Beatrice with a historic schoolhouse.
Wine and Craft Beer
Tall Tree Tastings is a tasting room in downtown Beatrice. It offers Nebraska wine and craft beer. Along with trails, parks, museums, and theater, local drinks are among the specific things that can shape a stay in Beatrice.
For the broader travel overview: Gage County.
