The Grand Island center is about the area of Grand Island Convention and Visitors Bureau and 1 mile northwest of Nebraska State Fair Grounds.
Grand Island has four distinct seasons with hot summers, cold winters, and mild springs and falls. Visit during the summer, and you'll find high temperatures in the upper 80s and over 4 inches of rain a month. In the winter, low temperatures can get down to the teens, and the city receives around 30 inches of snow over the course of the season.
Temperatures in spring and fall typically reach the upper 50s to the low 70s, and May is the city's rainiest month. Grand Island receives its fair share of sunshine, though, with an average of over 225 days of sunshine each year.
Festivals and events make any visit more fun, and Grand Island has no shortage of celebrations. In fact, you might even call it the fair capital of Nebraska. It's home to the Nebraska State Fair, which falls in late August and early September each year. Visit once or a handful of times during its 10-day run, and you'll catch music performances, fair food, midway rides, rodeos, fashion shows, marching band competitions, and much more.
In July, the Hall County Fair comes to town, with carnival rides, live music, and livestock shows. Fall brings Husker Harvest Days, a top working farm show that features cropping technology, equipment demonstrations, and hundreds of exhibitors.
Get even more value out of your stay in Grand Island when you seek out group discounts. AAA members get discounts at the Best Western Plus Grand Island Inn & Suites and the Hotel Grand Conference Center. AARP members and senior travelers can save 10 percent at the Rodeway Inn Grand Island and the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Grand Island. Members of the military and government employees get guaranteed low rates at the Days Inn Grand Island I-80 and the Grand Island Travelodge.
At Grand Island's best midrange hotels, you'll get extra space, comprehensive amenities, and great prices.
Located on the south side of Grand Island, the Island Inn is less than a mile from the Grand Island Zoo and the Nebraska State Fairgrounds. It's also convenient to the Grand Island Convention Center and the Island Oasis Water Park. Rooms are relatively basic, but they include amenities such as mini-fridges and LCD televisions, so you can keep cold drinks on hand while watching the latest blockbusters. Use the inn's free Wi-Fi to connect with family or catch up on work projects. In the morning, have a bite to eat at the inn's complimentary breakfast buffet.
When you want affordable accommodations with plenty of extras, book your stay at the Sleep Inn. This midrange hotel is located near the center of Grand Island, and it's just a short drive from the Island Oasis Water Park and other top attractions. Relax in your spacious room and use the free Wi-Fi to share vacation photos, or head over to the indoor pool for a swim. In the morning, enjoy a quiet cup of coffee in your room or indulge in the hotel's complimentary Morning Medley, which includes waffles, eggs, bacon, and much more.
Situated in the heart of Grand Island, the Comfort Inn is just minutes from the city's most popular museums and attractions. Choose a standard queen or king room, and look forward to amenities such as free Wi-Fi, a workspace, and a coffeemaker. Start your day with a free breakfast buffet before taking a dip in the indoor pool or heading out to explore Grand Island.
Discover the beauty of Grand Island at the Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center. This is the ideal place to see the majestic sandhill crane migration in the spring, and it's also a fascinating place to spot whooping cranes and other wildlife year-round. Walk along the riverfront trails, wander through the butterfly garden, and peruse the center's art gallery.
At Fonner Park, you can check out trophies and artifacts at the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame and witness live thoroughbred horse racing throughout the spring season. Learn more about Grand Island history at the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, a living history center that features demonstrations of prairie life and a replica of a 19th-century railroad town.
If you're visiting in the summer, don't miss the Island Oasis Water Park, which is open from late May through mid-August. Here you'll find huge waterslides, a lazy river, spray fountains, and even volleyball courts.
From natural beauty to historic sites to amusement parks, Grand Island has it all. Don't wait another minute to start planning your trip to this Nebraska city.
Below are reviews of the city of Grand Island, NE from an actual visitor's perspective.
Grand Island has lots of shopping choices. They have a wonderful quilt shop, which was our main destination.
Never being in Grand Island, I went to the CHOCOLATE BAR and sat on the patio with my dog in the sun, had two friendly young gals treat me and Nala wonderfully. The Thai Wrap and almond butter cake were pretty good! I wanted to try more cake and chocolates, but I had enough. The town of Grand Island is a good smaller size than Omaha, very friendly and dog friendly!
We were just driving through. Noticed the city has a lot to offer!
Texas T Bone!
Everything I needed.
We didn't take time to visit Grand Island since it was nine miles away however, we enjoyed reading about it's history and also listened to James Michener's "Centennial" that day in the sections related to the Platte River and it's tributaries. Neat to be right there.
Off the beaten path of I-80!
Town was great!
Town was great!
Lots of nice places to eat and shop!
The places to eat and the casino.
We ate at Kinkader Brewery and would highly recommend it to anyone. We did a lot of shopping at several stores. Walmart and Dick's and Kohls.
Golf course was nice and so were the people there.
Good service and breakfast!
Here for Aksarben Livestock Show.
Very nice!
They had a great variety of restaurants to pick from plus it was easy to get from the hotel to the Heartland Center for the event we were attending.
Stuhr Museum
Easy access to a lot of things.
Good food, shopping and drinking establishments.
Went there to see Sandhill Cranes; got to see them! They had a nice Goodwill store😜
Good
There is a lot to do especially with the trampoline park, the mall and the movie theater, we just didn't have enough days to do it all even with the Stuhr Museum.
I go to Grand Island every July to attend the NE 4-H Horse Show that my grandchildren attend.
New Mexican restaurant across from hotel had an amazing chile relleno.
Everything was very clean, from the room, to the pool, and the breakfast area. Staff was very polite
Convenient access to restaurants from the motel.