Omaha Scene

Some people come to Omaha expecting a sleepy outpost on the prairie and can't believe what they find. Seriously. They discover a city of rolling hills that's friendly, easy to get around in and packed with more things to do than you can keep track of.

But don't take our word for it. Here's what the experts have to say:

Money Magazine rates Omaha as one of the nation's Top 10 best big cities to live in.

Kiplinger ranked Omaha #3 in its 2008 Best Cities to Live, Work and Play.

"For young Americans, Omaha is probably best known as the home of a whole bunch of indie rock musicians — members of the Faint, Cursive, the Good Life, Tilly and the Wall, Azure Ray and, most famously, Bright Eyes." –Kurt Andersen, New York Times

Plus, check out the other high marks Omaha has gotten!

Eating
Whether you are ready to try Thai, need a New York-style pizza or want a brew pub burger, you can have it all—within walking distance, no less. Omaha's downtown and Old Market, both full of restaurants, can make any stroll around town a dining experience.

If you're hooked on national chains, we've got the PF Changs and Cheesecake Factories of the world to satisfy your cravings. As we like to say in Omaha, you can drive anywhere in 20-minutes.

Shopping
Two words: Urban Outfitters. A half mile from campus. Not far from that is the Old Market with Omaha's best music and used book stores. So whether you like to hit the boutiques for funky fashions downtown or head out west to Abercrombie & Fitch, we've got you covered. Omaha's shopping centers have everything from Hollister Co. to the Apple Store (and if you really are looking for fruit, we also have an open-air farmer's market).

Hanging out
One of the most popular extracurricular activities, "hanging out" takes many forms for Creighton students. For some, it may be a leisurely walk down to the riverfront or the historic downtown. For others, it may mean bottomless cups at one of Omaha's gazillion coffeeshops (trust us, we've counted them). And don't forget the late night study sessions at the Donut Stop or a bite at California Tacos. For some high end "hanging out," there's always the outdoor Village Pointe shopping center.

Having fun
Maybe you want to check out concerts at the Qwest Center, where U2, John Mayer and Christina Aguilera have all performed. Or the Sokol, where the Saddle Creek bands play along with Modest Mouse, Death Cab for Cutie and other indie rockers. Plus, Saddle Creek recently opened Slowdown, a new venue right down the street from Creighton for smaller shows next to Film Streams, a new two-screen movie theater. If you like to get outside, take to the bike trails which go through the whole city and beyond or catch an outdoor concert at Memorial Park or on the riverfront. And don't miss the NCAA College World Series in June. But if your tastes run a bit more high brow, Omaha has museums that host national traveling exhibits, one of the country's most popular zoos, live theater, and an internationally-renown artist colony located in downtown's warehouse district.