Tucked between Farnam and Dodge Streets and 31st and 33rd Streets, Midtown Crossings has been a vibrant part of Omaha since its revitalization in 2010. The eastbound drive takes just under 25 minutes to experience great dining, unique activities and the luscious Turner Park. This area is full of entertainment for high schoolers and adults alike.

Midtown features one-time events in addition to recurring activities throughout the year. Restaurants often host local performers for live, free music sets. Life-sized board games surround the sidewalks. Turner Park offers different yoga classes, outdoor movies and music festivals. Even furry friends are welcome on the dog-friendly patios.

Although most special events are geared towards the warmer summer months, Midtown still creates the perfect holiday atmosphere with its extravagant display and activities.

As the temperatures begin to drop and Christmas lights appear in the trees of the park, the Salvation Army has introduced a new holiday activity to Midtown Crossings. Ice skating, a favorite cold-weather pastime, is undoubtedly entertaining for all ages. The newly added Rink on Farnam is a fun and generous way to give back to the community — all ticket proceeds go to the Salvation Army and the rink is operated solely by volunteers.

A variety of festivals and community events grace Turner Park throughout the year. Usually occurring a variety of times throughout the summer, Jazz on the Green features groovy local bands at no cost to the public. Playing with Fire, another annual festival, presents everything from blues, to rock, to R&B bands for free entertaining evenings.

Monday nights movies in Midtown are a hallmark of summer events. Every week, a large projector lights up with family-friendly movies as soon as the sun goes down. Throughout the warm months, one can sprawl out on the open green space of Turner Park for more no-charge, quality entertainment.  

Yoga Rocks the Park is another free (sense a trend here?) opportunity to get active in the great outdoors. The one-hour long, weekly class features inspiring local instructors and musician accompaniment.

Other activities throughout Midtown Crossings include the Marcus Cinema, Cork Board Canvas Painting and the Spielbound Cafe.

Located off of 33rd and Harney, Spielbound’s unique establishment presents a large library of board games and comfort food through late night weekend hours. With a library of over 1,500 games that grows every day, Spielbound houses the largest playable collection of board games in the United States. For only 5 dollars a person, groups can play an unlimited amount of games for an unlimited amount of time — a perfect place for a night out with friends.  

Midtown is not limited to its vast amount of mostly-free entertainment — the dining establishments are also well-known throughout the Omaha community. Crave, an American restaurant with entrees ranging from sushi to flatbread, is a moderately-priced location sure to please the entire table. The Ugly Duck serves their take on Japanese street food with a focus on high-quality ramen. Known for their handmade guacamole, Cantina Laredo is widely recognized and appreciated throughout the Metro for their mouth-watering Mexican dishes.

For a lighter meal, the ThirsTea Cafe serves exceptional bubble tea and other Asian appetizers. Bursting Boba or aloe/lychee jelly are unique additives to traditional teas and slushes.

The Delice European Bakery is another Midtown favorite. Pastries, cookies and desserts are the name of the game at this local cafe. The business uses fresh ingredients to create truly European-style pastries, like the princesse au chocolat, tiramisu torte and poached pear tart.

The dining options in Midtown are memorable, yet too plentiful to describe in totality. Other noteworthy establishments include: The Black Oak Grill, Leadbelly, Chicago Dawg House, Della Costa, Ray’s Wings and more.

Experiments with new foods, restaurants and atmospheres are only 25 minutes away. Midtown Crossings is a lively, entertaining area of town seldom seen by most high schoolers. The one-of-a-kind restaurants and free events hosted in Turner Park create a perfect evening hang out for Millard West students. Try something new this weekend — take a trip to Midtown for food, festivities and overall fun.