Driving and Parking: It took us a little over 30 minutes to drive there and we live in Central Lincoln. Holy Family Shrine is exit #432 in Gretna. There is good signage to get you to the shrine. Once you get off the exit, you drive on an unpaved and very hilly road. My daughter loved it, laughing that we were on a roller coaster. If you get motion sickness, beware of the hills. There is a small parking lot next to the Shrine.
Cost: It is free to go to the Holy Family Shrine, donations are accepted.
Site: There is a Visitor Center, a Chapel and walking trails. The beauty of Holy Family Shrine is the connection of to nature all around it. As you sit in the chapel with the floor-to-ceiling windows, you can see gorgeous rolling hills and long Nebraska grasses. It is stunning. The volunteers are very kind and everyone was welcoming of bringing children.
With young children, I wasn't in the Chapel very long but we spent 1.5 hours at the Shrine. We visited the Chapel, walked on the trails, had lunch (they have picnic tables) and enjoyed the peacefulness of the area.
Overall: Our little road trip was absolutely worth getting two small kiddos into the car and driving over there. I'd love to see the Shrine in the winter and look out at our state covered in a blanket of snow. The next time you are on your way to Omaha, I'd recommend a stop. The Holy Family Shrine is open every day with Mass celebrated on Saturdays at 10:00 AM.
