Gene Leahy Mall at The RiverFront
4.7(2.9K)google
4.6(58)yelp
RiverFree
Overview
Gene Leahy Mall, also known locally as The Mall, is a 9.6-acre (39,000 m2) park located in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States. The park features two large slides, a sculpture garden, a remote-control boat cove, a large children's play area, and an amphitheater where outdoor concerts are held in the summer. The mall is decorated with thousands of lights during the winter holiday season.
Practical Info
Mon5:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Tue5:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Wed5:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Thu5:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Fri5:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Sat5:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Sun5:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Suggested Duration2-4 hours
Best TimeOmaha's premier renovated downtown greenway; summer evenings from June to September (6:00 PM to 9:00 PM) are spectacular. The park buzzes with energy around the futuristic light installations, cascading water features, and giant modern playground slides.
Getting ThereSpanning the core of downtown at 1001 Douglas St. Driving guests should utilize downtown parking garages located on 10th or 14th Streets. Transit accessibility is flawless: take the ORBT bus system to the 10th Street platform to step straight into the pavilion lawn.
Travel Tips
- This signature revitalized riverfront spine is open free until 11 PM daily; Sunday street parking is free, but Monday-Saturday requires parsing strict meters, making the 10th & Douglas digital parking ramp the safest bet.
- The historic high-speed metal slides undergo temporary unannounced gate closures during rain or extreme heat exceeding 110°F on the surface; crossing the orange safety barriers brings immediate security eviction.
- The entire riverfront spine enforces a strict tobacco-free and alcohol-free ordinance; drones are fully grounded under FAA Class B overlapping military-civilian airport control zones extending over the river.
Reviews
Positive
- A multi-million dollar, top-tier urban green lung revitalization! Features stunning sunken lawns, modern art sculptures, and tech-forward night light shows.
- The absolute pinnacle for family fun, boasting a massive modern climbing tower, thrilling tube slides, and a clean, high-tech kids' water play area.
- Public facilities are flawless, equipped with high-spec accessible ramps, smart signage, high-density security, and immaculately clean modern flush restrooms.
- Completely free to the public with a prime location connecting downtown and the Old Market, rendering an authentic, vibrant, and warm community vibe.
Heads up
- During sunny summer weekend afternoons or outdoor markets, visitor density hits maximum saturation; playgrounds are packed with long slide lines.
- As an active open civic park, nearby free street spots are claimed by locals, forcing self-driving tourists to use distant paid garages and trek in.
- Despite excellent modern water filtration, the artificial lagoons attract large flocks of Canada geese, leaving occasional droppings along lawn edges.
- Because the park layout is very long and narrow, a few peripheral blind spots get a bit dim late at night, raising minor safety hesitations for solo walkers.