Leisure and fitness opportunities abound in the Omaha area, including a generous array of tennis courts, hiking trails, sand volleyball courts, golf courses, iceskating rinks and health clubs.

Walkers can enjoy a nice stroll across 10th Street from the Old Market to the Heartland of America Park, featuring a computerized fountain that reaches 300 feet, and can be enjoyed up close from a ferry that plies the waters of the park.

When in the mood for closeness to nature, visitors to Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods Nature Centers enjoy the wonders of wooded hills and sweeping prairies - just minutes from downtown Omaha. Wildflowers and 200-year old oak trees set the peaceful scene for the beauty of walking trails and for glimpses of white-tailed deer, eastern bluebird, meadowlarks and giant swallowtail butterflies. Visitor centers offer educational exhibits, an observatory and gift shops. An abundance of nature programs and camps await children and families at both facilities.

Parks throughout the Omaha area offer boating, water skiing and sailing, as well as nature trails and camping facilities. Bike trails are available at some parks, and spacious cabins, horseback riding, swimming, cross-country skiing and hiking attract outdoor enthusiasts to Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, just west of Omaha.

Mahoney State Park is a part of the state park system that consists of eight parks (30,612 acres), 68 state recreation areas (116,427 acres) and 11 state historical parks (2,420 acres).