The Old Market
4.3(88)yelp
DowntownHistory
Overview
The Old Market stands proudly as downtown Omaha's absolute premier historic entertainment, retail, and dining district, spanning several blocks packed with beautifully preserved nineteenth-century brick buildings. The vibrant historic neighborhood features original rounded cobblestone streets laid down for horse-drawn wagons during the city's early wholesale boom town era. Today, the bustling commercial district is heavily lined with independent fine art galleries, eccentric antique emporiums, trendy craft microbreweries, and lively street street performance stages.
Practical Info
Suggested Duration3-6 hours
Best TimeWeekend evenings from May to October between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM are magical. The brick-paved streets buzz with local street musicians, historic gas lamps flicker on, and the historic brick warehouses open up into subterranean bookstores and fine alfresco dining patios.
Getting ThereLocated in downtown Omaha, bounded by Harney and Jackson, 10th and 13th Streets. Street parking on the historic cobblestones uses meters and fills fast; parking in the 12th & Harney public garage is highly advised. Multiple downtown Metro transit lines drop passengers nearby.
Travel Tips
- The district features historic cobblestone paving with severe surface irregularities; speeding is illegal, and lifestyle footwear like high stilettos presents a severe ankle-sprain risk.
- Curb lanes deploy aggressive meter tracking and automated digital plate monitoring; long RV setups are penalized for obstructing tight heritage intersections.
- Many basement tunnels and structural sub-vaults are active commercial private holds; trespassing past marked staff gateways prompts immediate law enforcement response.
Reviews
Positive
- The soulful historic walking district of Omaha! Preserving century-old red cobblestone streets and hanging gas lamps, the vintage streetscape has high visual impact.
- It offers Omaha's best recreation and retail; old brick warehouses are packed with independent bookstores, antique cellars, avant-garde galleries, and boutiques.
- Highly convenient location right downtown; surrounding street meters and public parking lots have clear markings, making it very easy to reach via driving.
- An open historic neighborhood with free entry, filled with lively American street culture; it's the top choice to enjoy street performers and authentic steaks.
Heads up
- The iconic historic cobblestone streets are highly bumpy and uneven, making walking extremely difficult for ladies in heels, wheelchairs, or fine-strollers.
- On Friday and Saturday nights, the neighborhood enters a heavily crowded and loud mode, where blaring bar music and occasional rowdy drinkers can disrupt families.
- Sited in a premium downtown area, free parking is non-existent; nearby public garages and metered rates are highly priced with night premiums.
- As a converted old industrial block, some niche antique shops in basements or tight second floors lack modern elevators, blocking accessible access.