Cathi’s Playground

If you’re passing through Kearney on I-80, this is the exit worth making. The splash pad is the real draw — kids absolutely lose their minds for it on a hot Nebraska summer day — and the themed play structures give both toddlers and older kids something to actually do instead of fighting over the same equipment. Restrooms are clean, there’s a baby changing station, and the shaded seating means parents aren’t just standing in the sun praying for it to end. Parking is easy, picnic tables are right there, and the whole setup feels like somebody actually thought it through. Locals know it, road trippers should.