Ways to change up your weekends in Lincoln

Fog covers the top of the Capitol in the distance in a view from the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Fog covers the top of the Capitol in the distance in a view from the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Ah yes: the weekend. Your temporary reprieve from the rigors of class, work, and other commitments. Your time to stay indoors, not talk to anyone, and stream TV shows on your laptop until it’s time to start another week.

Right?

Wrong. While we are all for taking time to yourself alongside your favorite TV shows, we also encourage you to take the time to get out and explore Lincoln! We have two beautiful campuses here at UNL, but it can often be refreshing to get away and find some space for yourself apart from the whirlwind of college.

Get some fresh air. Eat some food. Go into a store where you aren’t even sure what they sell. See a movie. Find a book. Soak in nature. Anything, really.

While these are by no means definitive, here are some suggestions for jumpstarting your weekends:

See a Concert
Lincoln is home to myriad concert venues that attract musicians of local and national acclaim. Keep an eye out on the event calendars for Pinnacle Bank Arena, The Bourbon, Pinewood Bowl, Rococo Theater, the Zoo Bar and the Lied Center for the latest info on shows coming to Lincoln! Don’t have that awful realization that a concert you would’ve attended happened last weekend.

Check Out a Movie at the Ross
It’s fun to head to the multiplex for blockbuster movies, but we love to recommend our campus’s very own Ross Media Arts Center for more atypical and lesser-seen fare. The Ross has a rotating schedule of movies from around the country and world, so be sure to keep checking their website for the latest films that are sure to surprise, challenge, and definitely entertain.

Our advice? Walk into a movie you know nothing about and see what happens.

Explore a New Neighborhood
While there’s always plenty of new things to find on campus, Lincoln has all sorts of nooks and crannies that are ripe for discovery. Check out the historic Havelock neighborhood, College View, Piedmont, and University Place — these are all some great areas to start exploring! But please, by all means, don’t stop there!

Diners, Drive-Ins and Breakfast Spots
Satisfy all your grease and hunger-related needs at one of Lincoln’s quintessential breakfast spots. There are so many, in fact, that we’ve gone ahead and compiled a few local favorites for you to check out. Be sure to block off the following 2 hours for a lazy afternoon nap.
- Engine House
- Cook’s Café
- Highway Diner
- Tina’s Café
- Penelope’s Lil’ Café

Go Thrifting
It’s retail therapy, but you don’t have to feel guilty about it. Plus, it’s more fun than shopping on Amazon. Here are some spots to check out:

- Ruby Begonia’s
- Timeless Treasures
- Goodwill
- Paws for Cause

Head to a Lake
Whether you’re an on-the-water type of person who fishes, boats, canoes, or paddles, or a relax by the water with a book or friends sort a person, Lincoln has a surprisingly abundant set of public lake options to venture out to and enjoy. No matter the season these lakes and the parks around them remain gorgeous!

More details at: https://medium.com/university-of-nebraska-lincoln/things-to-change-up-your-weekends-in-lincoln-a5f79ec553b0