Nebraska
'This is actually a cool place': Tourists spent record $4.6 billion in Nebraska last year
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Is Nebraska a new tourism hot spot?
A new report from Visit Nebraska shows a major increase in travel, providing an economic boost.
Last year, out-of-state visitors spent $4.6 billion in Nebraska, an all-time record.
And since 2019, the number of overnight hotel guests has doubled, with 76% of them coming from out of state.
What happened in 2019? Visit Nebraska began a new marketing strategy that included ideas such as finding out what locations it should be promoting and focusing on attracting out of state visitors.
“Truly it’s just because people have been invited to the state in a way they understand, in a way that makes sense,” said John Ricks, executive director of Visit Nebraska, also known as the Nebraska Tourism Commission.
SEE ALSO: Nebraska tourism slogan is no more. ‘Everything has a shelf life,’ official says
Ricks says the preconceived notion of Nebraska being a flyover state isn’t true. The commission just had to let people know what the state offers.
After talking with out-of-state visitors, it learned what barriers were keeping people from the Cornhusker State.
“There’s just a simple awareness problem and a familiarity problem,” Ricks said.
SEE ALSO: Nebraska Tourism receives second national award for ‘not for everyone’ campaign
We asked users of the Now Local News App, some who live here and some who don’t, what their favorite spots are in Nebraska.
“I think that going out to western Nebraska is my family’s favorite place to go,” Melanie Dawkins said. “I don’t think enough Nebraskans make it all the way out there, like to the Panhandle.”
Kimberly Grace, who lives out of state, said she likes visiting the Stuhr Museum at Grand Island.
“You can learn about the pioneer days, and they have houses that they put on the land where you can go to visit.”
SEE ALSO: Rooms fill up in Lincoln, one of Airbnb renters’ top college football destinations
Ricks says to keep this growth going, it’s always going to be about getting the word out.
“The more people we make aware, the more people who are discovering that, ‘Hey, whatever I heard in the past isn’t true, and this is actually a cool place.’”
According to Ricks, despite the 2023 numbers just getting released, this year’s numbers are already beating last year’s by over 10%.
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) – Get ready for a stretch of absolutely gorgeous weather to kick off your weekend but keep an eye on the heat building as we head into next week.
This Weekend: Perfect Conditions
Saturday and Sunday are shaping up to be nearly identical — sunny skies with highs climbing to around 89 and 90 degrees respectively. A light south southeast breeze at 5 to 10 mph will keep things comfortable, though gusts could reach 20 mph at times. Overnight lows will dip to the low 60s, making for pleasant sleeping weather.
This is ideal weather for outdoor plans. Whether you’re heading to a summer event, spending time at the lake, or just enjoying time outside, you won’t want to miss it.
Early Next Week: Heat Turns Up
Starting Monday, temperatures begin a steady climb. Highs will reach 91 degrees Monday, then 91 again Tuesday before pushing toward 92 on Wednesday. By Thursday and Friday, we’re looking at highs near 94 to 95 degrees.
The good news? Skies remain sunny throughout, and humidity levels should stay relatively manageable. The breeze will be light, so it won’t feel quite as intense as it could.
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Copyright 2026 KNOP. All rights reserved.
LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) – The number of abortions performed in Nebraska rose 7.8% in 2025 as the dust begins to settle on some of the state’s — and neighboring states’ — newer abortion restrictions.
According to data from the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), at least 2,698 abortions were performed in Nebraska in 2025. That’s 197 more than 2024’s total of 2,501 abortions in one year.
Nebraska’s abortion rate has remained relatively consistent over the last two decades, between 1,900 and 2,800 procedures performed each year. However, 2,698 is the highest the state has reached since 2008, and is the third year in a row that the number of abortions performed has increased from the previous year.
The steady increase coincides with increased abortion restrictions being implemented in Nebraska and throughout the nation in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022.
In 2023, the Nebraska Legislature passed legislation restricting access to abortion from the previous 20 weeks, to 12 weeks gestation. The following year, voters approved language added to the state Constitution that bans most abortions after the first trimester.
Andi Curry Grubb, executive director of Planned Parenthood North Central States (PPNCS), said this tracks with what Planned Parenthood officials have been seeing throughout the Midwest. Though she didn’t have exact numbers for the first half of 2026, she said the pace seems to be consistent with what she saw in 2025.
Notably, the number of abortions performed on Nebraska residents actually dropped from 2,054 in 2024 to 1,968 in 2025. The overall increase comes from an influx of out-of-state patients traveling to Nebraska for abortions, most of them from Iowa.
In 2023, the Iowa Legislature approved legislation banning abortion after cardiac activity is detected, around six weeks gestation. The law went into effect in June 2024.
Giselle Barajas, senior communications specialist for PPNCS, said Planned Parenthood has seen a 220% increase in Iowa patients coming to Nebraska between 2023 and 2025. The number nearly doubled between the last year of data, growing from 358 Iowans reported in 2024 to 635 in 2025.
Nate Grasz, executive director of the Nebraska Family Alliance — a lobbying group that has supported increased abortion restrictions — said the increase in Iowa patients correlates to the state’s stricter abortion laws.
“We haven’t made as much progress,” Grasz said of Nebraska’s abortion policies.
Grasz noted there are fewer places in Iowa for people to seek abortions, saying that Planned Parenthood had closed some of its clinics. Barajas said Planned Parenthood does plan to close its Iowa City Health Center at the end of the month, but noted they still have a facility in Des Moines in operation.
Grasz said there are still serious gaps in Nebraska’s laws regarding abortion. He described the DHHS statistics as a “tragic report,” saying that every one of the 2,698 abortions reported represents a baby that went unprotected and a woman who went unaided.
Grasz highlighted that medication-induced abortions also are on the rise in Nebraska, according to the report. Medication abortions made up 83% of all abortions performed in 2025, compared to about 80% in 2024.
Grasz said Legislative Bill 512, proposed by State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, would have been an important piece of ensuring the safety of medication abortions. The bill would have imposed additional steps before a patient could be prescribed an abortion pill, but the bill did not make it past the first round of floor debate.
Nebraska abortions by year
2008: 2,813
2009: 2,551
2010: 2,464
- Abortion ban past 20 weeks of pregnancy takes effect in Nebraska
2011: 2,372
2012: 2,299
2013: 2,177
2014: 2,270
2015: 2,004
2016: 1,907
2017: 1,958
2018: 2,078
2019: 2,068
2020: 2,378
2021: 2,360
2022: 2,547
- Roe v. Wade overturned by U.S. Supreme Court
2023: 2,325
- Nebraska Legislature approves abortion ban at 12 weeks post-gestation
2024: 2,501
- Nebraska voters approve constitutional amendment Initiative 434, banning most abortions past the first trimester
2025: 2,698
Source: Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Copyright 2026 KOLN. All rights reserved.
University of Nebraska–Lincoln staff and retirees are invited to register for HealthierU’s summer small group training program.
Small group training combines the motivation of group fitness with individualized guidance from a certified personal trainer, helping participants work toward fitness goals in a supportive environment.
The summer 2026 session is July 14 to Aug. 20 and meets from 6:30 to 7:20 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the recreation center on City Campus. The cost is $60 for Campus Recreation members and $110 for nonmembers.
Participants may also add pre- and post-program InBody scans for $20. The noninvasive body composition assessment helps participants measure progress and better understand changes in body composition throughout the program.
Register by completing the intake form. Registration is open through July 14 or until the program reaches capacity.
Learn more about the program.
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