One of the most simple charms of Omaha is the changing of the seasons. We are blessed with the beautiful hues of orange, yellows and reds as the trees prepare to rest for winter. Omaha and nearby cities really get into the spirit of the season with apple picking, haunted houses, pumpkin patches, and local holiday festivities.
Laura and I thrive on the fall energy and each year, we do our best to celebrate with at least a few of the local "haunts." We kicked off this fall with some wine from Arbor Day Farm at The Lied Lodge in Nebraska City (just an hour south of Omaha). Although Nebraska City is (obviously) not in Omaha, it is a yearly tradition for many Omahans to make the trek south to pick apples and enjoy the expanses of Arbor Day Farms. As you see below, Lied Lodge has a large deck on the back of the building overlooking hundreds of lush trees. It is a relaxing location to drink some local wine and have a light afternoon snack with friends. 
We have tried several of their wines over the years. They are extremely popular and the lodge frequently runs low due to high demand. After requesting a bottle of "Apple Pie" which is made from apple cider with a touch of cinnamon, and then a bottle of their new wine, "La Crescent," which is a semi-sweet white wine with hints of apricot, peach, citrus and pineapple, we lucked out with another new wine, Edelweiss, which is similar to a Riesling. In past years, we have enjoyed cheese plates with our wine on the deck, but this year, due to the chilly fall weather, we sat window side in the Lodge's cozy restaurant as we sipped on our wine.
Once we finished our wine, we headed down to the Apple House Market to peruse the locally made items, ranging from Pumpkin Butter to those hard-to-come-by wines I mentioned to salsas, and of course, fresh picked apples. We snacked on some hot apple pie before walking away with bags of apples, butters and salsas... We just couldn't say no to anything. It was a great way to kick off our fall fun.
Laura here! Sarah and I decided to tag-team this edition of Stalking Omaha because we are both so passionate about the fall and all Omaha has to offer during this beautiful season. No fall is complete without a stop at the Bellevue Berry and Pumpkin Ranch. During the week, admission is just $6 for adults and it is $8 on the weekends. Admission includes a hayride around the property, the opportunity to pick pumpkins (or whichever fruit is in season) and unlimited access to all of the play areas scattered around the ranch. The cost of pumpkins is separate, but reasonable. There is also a small snack area in the main barn that offers hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, and candy. On a beautiful fall day, it is the perfect place to bring the family and spend hours playing on the pirate ship or watching a magic show and having a nice fall lunch outside.
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| My niece and nephew love the Bellevue Berry & Pumpkin Ranch |
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| Sarah and our nephew picking out his pumpkin |
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| Our niece found the perfect pumpkin |
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| A successful day at the Pumpkin Patch |
If you are a brave soul, after dark you would really enjoy the Ranch of Terror and the Haunted Hayride. They boast that there is over an hour of scares across the ranch. You start in the multi-level ranch and work your way through a corn maze and a haunted mine. We walked through it during the day when there were no ghosts or goblins lurking, so I can only imagine how scary it is when the sun goes down. Even if you don't enjoy haunted houses, you can always rent a fire pit and roast some hot dogs and marshmallows with a group of friends.
In preparation for Halloween, we decided to do some research on costumes and decorations. Two of the best places in town to do that are David M. Mangelsen's at WestGate Plaza on 84th St. and Nobbies at either 120th and Center or the Bellevue location located just off Highway 370. Both stores are locally owned and operated, and you know how much we love local businesses.
Mangelsen's celebrated their 50th anniversary last year. Walking in to Mangelsen's is like walking into about 10 different holidays or events at once. Right now, one whole side of the store is dedicated to Halloween costumes and accessories, which are all located near the permanent and well-known Prop Room that displays hundreds of monster masks and make up. As you travel towards the main entrance you will pass by one of the largest scrap-book departments with all kinds of stickers, themed paper, and other accessories for just about any occasion you can think of. They also have a huge area dedicated to weddings and on the far side of the store they have a permanent room dedicated to Christmas, complete with trees, decorations and music. You may also realize it smells like popcorn when you walk in. That's because they have a popcorn machine with FREE popcorn that all customers are welcome to partake in while they shop. During the Halloween season, Mangelsen's also hosts their own haunted house located in the parking lot called the Shadow's Edge. It is sponsored by Channel 94.1 and it is $10 per person. If you are looking for other haunted houses to get your juices flowing, you can find them all in one convenient spot on Channel 94.1's website. (channel941.com/halloween)Nobbies, another great party supply store, really gets into the Halloween spirit. Over half of the store is set up with hundreds of costume ideas. Some are pre-packaged and some are "build it yourself." They also make it easy on you by organizing different parts of the store by theme. For instance, with the upcoming election they have a whole aisle dedicated to USA-related decorations like flags, necklaces, hats, ad just about anything else you can think of. (I am going to use this as a quick plug to remind you all that another thing that happens in the fall is the Presidential Election and if you are of age to vote, you should make sure you are registered and get out there and vote in November.)
I hope you are all having as amazing a fall experience in Omaha as Sarah and I are! There is definitely something for everyone. Enjoy the changing colors of the leaves, the crisp fall air, and the fact that you are able to do it all here in Omaha.
