Omaha to Minneapolis road trip: Best stops, drive time & distance

Planning an Omaha to Minneapolis road trip itinerary

The Omaha to Minneapolis drive connects the biggest cities in Nebraska and Minnesota.

Omaha is the biggest city in Nebraska, and has a handful of solid attractions rather than anything truly great.

The Durham Museum has a rather eclectic set of exhibits, but the setting is marvellous – in the art deco Union Station. On a sunny day, meanwhile, the Heartland of America Park offers great views of the Missouri River.

Top Omaha experiences include electric bike rentalsscavenger hunts and the Henly Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.

Top attractions in the twin cities of Minneapolis-St Paul include the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, the Basilica of St Mary and Minnehaha Falls.  

Minneapolis has a big craft brewing scene, and one of the best ways to explore is on a craft breweries tour. Alternatively, take a walking tour through the city’s vast Skyway network of enclosed bridges and food tours.

Other MSP experiences include St Paul’s historic gangster-era caves, Twin Cities ghost tours and St Paul walking tours.

Omaha to Minneapolis distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Omaha to Minneapolis is 377 miles. That makes for a driving time of around five hours and 29 minutes. The quickest route is via the I-80 and I-35.

The best stops to add to an Omaha to Minneapolis road trip itinerary are Des Moines IA, Ames IA and the Spam Museum.

Omaha to Minneapolis drive: Des Moines IA

Good things to do in Des Moines include the Adventureland Resort theme park, the Science Center of Iowa and the Pappajohn Sculpture Park.

Also worth a look are the Iowa State Capital, Des Moines Art Center and Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden.

Best stops between Omaha and Minneapolis: Ames IA

Ames IA is home to the Iowa State University, and a couple of its top attractions are university-linked. The Brunnier Art Museum and the Reiman Botanic Gardens are arguably the best bets. The latter is home to something delightfully silly – the world’s largest concrete garden gnome.

The Farm House Museum – former home to Iowa State deans and professors – at the centre of the campus, has the most history, though.

Omaha to Minneapolis road trip attractions: The Spam Museum

Long before Spam was emails you don’t want, it was tinned and heavily processed pork meat. It rose to prominence in World War II, becoming a ubiquitous part of the US soldier’s diet given the difficulties of supplying fresh meat.

Spam was invented in Minnesota, and the Spam Museum in Austin MN tells the story of the Hormel Company. It also looks at Spam’s strange, enduring popularity worldwide – particularly in Hawaii and Guam.

Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo by StockSnap/ Pixabay.

More Omaha road trips

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