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🗺️ Farm Day Trips guide
Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of Lincoln & Southeast Nebraska, Nebraska
Sleepy Bees Lavender Farm grows about 2 acres near Firth, and Spring Creek Prairie's 1,160 acres of tallgrass prairie are a half hour west.
4 places · updated October 17, 2026
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South of Lincoln, the farm towns of Firth and Bennet sit in rolling cropland where pockets of tallgrass prairie still survive. Lincoln is a half hour north, with the State Capitol tower, the brick streets of the Haymarket and the world's largest public quilt collection. Spring Creek Prairie and Pioneers Park show what the land looked like before the plow, and Homestead National Historical Park near Beatrice tells how it was settled. Most stops are 15 to 35 minutes apart.
The lavender here is grown on small family farms that sell more than they host. Sleepy Bees Lavender Farm near Firth tends about 2 acres by hand, without pesticides or herbicides, and pairs it with beehives for lavender honey; its buds, bouquets and bath goods are sold online. Leuenberger Lavender, a husband-and-wife farm based in Tecumseh, sells through its online shop and at vendor fairs and farmers markets listed on its calendar. Neither posts public visiting hours, so contact the farms before driving out.
The lavender farms
- Leuenberger LavenderLavender farm · Lincoln
- White Barn Lavender FarmLavender farm · Bennet
- Sleepy Bees Lavender FarmLavender farm · Firth
No full-time shop; the farm opens for events in spring, summer and fall (see the calendar on their website) and sells online.
Best time to visit
The area's lavender farms do not publish bloom dates or open hours; contact them directly, and look for Sleepy Bees' lavender honey in late summer. For the rest of the trip, March through October is the best stretch: Spring Creek Prairie's visitor center opens weekend mornings 8:30 to 12:30 from March through October (afternoons in winter), and its trails stay open sunrise to sunset all year. Late summer brings goldenrod to Homestead's restored tallgrass prairie, the oldest in the National Park Service. Fall adds Spring Creek's SparrowFest weekend and, in Lincoln, Boo at the Zoo on October 23–27, 2026. Indoor stops carry the winter: the Capitol gives free tours seven days a week, and the International Quilt Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday.
Places to see nearby parks, trails, beaches and landmarks
- Wagon Train State Recreation Area🏞️ Park · Hickman · about 9 mi, 15 min drive
A 315-acre lake inside 746 acres of parkland for picnics, camping, biking and wildlife watching. Water levels have stayed low since a 2022 renovation and drought, so boating and swimming are limited.
Nebraska park entry permit: $7 daily for Nebraska vehicles, $14 for others
- Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center🌲 Preserve · Denton · about 17 mi, 30 min drive
1,160 acres of tallgrass prairie, one of the largest intact tracts in Nebraska, with walking trails and wagon ruts from a mid-1800s cutoff to the Oregon Trail that are on the National Register.
Trails sunrise to sunset; visitor center weekends 8:30–12:30 March–October, 12:30–4:30 November–February
free
- Pioneers Park Nature Center🌲 Preserve · Lincoln · about 22 mi, 30 min drive
668 acres of prairie, woods and wetland on Lincoln's southwest edge, with more than ten miles of trails and a small bison herd you can view from the north-side trails.
Prairie Building Monday–Saturday 9–4:30, Sunday noon–4:30; gated trails 8:30–5
free
- Nebraska State Capitol🌉 Landmark · Lincoln · about 22 mi, 30 min drive
Free guided tours start hourly from the second-floor North Entrance and cover the Rotunda, Guastavino tile, murals and the legislative chambers. The tower observation decks are closed for HVAC work.
Monday–Friday 8–5, Saturday 10–5, Sunday 1–5; tours as late as 4 p.m. daily
free
- Historic Haymarket🏘️ Town · Lincoln · about 23 mi, 32 min drive
Lincoln's old warehouse district of brick streets, now filled with restaurants, coffeehouses, boutiques and an antique mall.
- Morrill Hall (University of Nebraska State Museum)🏛️ Museum · Lincoln · about 23 mi, 32 min drive
The state's natural history museum on the University of Nebraska campus, with a cafe and regular family days led by its paleontologists and scientists. Museum parking closes on home football Saturdays.
- International Quilt Museum🏛️ Museum · Lincoln · about 25 mi, 35 min drive
The largest publicly held quilt collection in the world, on the university's East Campus, with changing exhibitions such as Material Nation: 250 Years of American Quilts.
Tuesday–Saturday 10–4
- Homestead National Historical Park🏛️ Historic site · Beatrice · about 25 mi, 30 min drive
Tells the homesteading story with a plow-shaped Heritage Center, the Palmer-Epard cabin, the one-room Freeman School and the oldest restored tallgrass prairie in the National Park Service, gold with goldenrod in late summer.
Where to stop: farms, food and stays
- From Nebraska Gift ShopGift shop · Lincoln
A Haymarket shop of Nebraska foods, art, soaps and souvenirs, with a tasting room pouring Nebraska wine and cider, open seven days.
A one-day plan
- 9:30 AMSpring Creek Prairie Audubon Center · about 30 min drive
On a weekend morning, start at the visitor center, then walk the prairie trails to the Oregon Trail cutoff ruts; about an hour and a half. The area's lavender farms do not post public hours, so arrange any farm stop with them in advance.
- 11:25 AMPioneers Park Nature Center · about 25 min drive
Look for the bison and walk a short loop through the prairie; about an hour.
- 12:40 PMLunch in the Historic Haymarket · about 15 min drive
Choose from the district's restaurants and coffeehouses along the brick streets; about an hour.
- 1:45 PMFrom Nebraska Gift Shop
A short walk from lunch; browse Nebraska foods, art and souvenirs. About 30 minutes.
- 2:30 PMInternational Quilt Museum · about 10 min drive
An hour in the galleries before the 4 p.m. close (open Tuesday to Saturday).
- 3:45 PMNebraska State Capitol · about 10 min drive
Join the free 4 p.m. guided tour of the Rotunda and chambers; about 45 minutes.
Tips
- Nebraska state recreation areas such as Wagon Train need a park entry permit: $7 a day for Nebraska vehicles, $14 for out-of-state.
- Spring Creek Prairie's visitor center is open weekends only, so plan a Saturday for the full visit; the trails are open daily.
- Morrill Hall has no museum parking on Husker home football Saturdays.
- The Capitol's tower observation decks are closed for construction; the free tours still run daily.
- Message the lavender farms before driving out, since none posts public open days.
Checked in October 2026 against official park, tourism and business websites. How we check listings
Questions
Can I visit a lavender farm near Lincoln, Nebraska?
Sleepy Bees near Firth and Leuenberger Lavender in Tecumseh grow lavender but do not post public visiting hours. Contact them directly, or buy their products online.
Is the Nebraska State Capitol tour free?
Yes. Free guided tours start from the second-floor North Entrance, with afternoon tours every hour from 1 to 4 p.m. daily.
Where can I see tallgrass prairie near Lincoln?
Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center near Denton has 1,160 acres of tallgrass prairie, and Pioneers Park Nature Center has 668 acres of prairie, woods and wetland with a bison herd. Both are free.
Do I need a permit for Wagon Train State Recreation Area?
Yes. A Nebraska park entry permit costs $7 a day for Nebraska vehicles and $14 for others.
🪪 Collect a stamp at every stop
The free Lavender Passport keeps a stamp for each farm and stop you visit, in real life and in the Lavender Farm Simulator. At the farm, play Field Quest to collect plant varieties as you walk, climb the leaderboards and unlock sponsor rewards.
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