It was a great year for the Backroads Tour participants! Thank you to all that joined in, and we hope to see you again next year! Stats are below, more information may still be posted.
2025 BUSINESS “BEST OF” WINNERS
Thank you for being part of the adventure!
Almost every business had votes or comments on the maps. On the voting online many did not get past the first line Atmosphere! So we created several categories because there were many ties and many positive comments on the maps. Congratulations.
Restaurants/ Bars/ Winery /Food/Coffee
Cast Iron – Stuart Best Steak House and Steak
Cast Iron- Stuart Outstanding Chef Presentation
Bassett Lodge and Café Best Breakfast
DW’s – Ewing – Best Party Atmosphere
Country Café – Spencer Best Noon Specials
Breakroom – Randolph Best Noon Specials Runner Up
Jerry’s Hilltop Randolph – Best Prime Rib
Wiebelhaus Recreation Crofton – Best Chicken
First Stop Atkinson – Best Chicken Runner Up
Misty’s Bloomfield – Best Pizza
Misty’s Bloomfield -Best Homemade Fries
Outlaw Pizza- Ponca – Best Pasta Dishes
Outlaw Pizza- Ponca – Best Ice Cream
Grammy’s Neligh – Best Place to Meet Friends
Grammy’s Neligh – Best Rolls
Royal Bar – Best Assortment of Appetizers
Royal Bar – Best Drinks
Rodeo Bar – Coleridge – Best Hamburger
Ma Mona – Hartington – Best Mexican Restaurant
The Lunch Box – Jackson – Best Cinnamon Rolls
The Lunch Box – Jackson – Best Experience
Castle Bar – Newcastle – Best Sports Atmosphere
Cedar Hills – Ponca – Best Salads
Sidelines – Wakefield – Best Atmosphere
Elaines Tavern Winnetoon – Best Salad Bar
Elaines Tavern Winnetoon – Best Beer
Lindy Bar and Grill – Most Unique Restaurant
Thomsen Corner- Osmond – Most Historic Bar
Nissen Winery Hartington – Best Winery
Osmond Mini Mart – Best Homemade Meals to Go
Osmond Mini Mart – Best Pizza Runner Up
HiWay Mart – Clearwater – Best Meals to Go
Serendipity Plainview – Best Desserts
Mary’s Restaurant Plainview – Best Chicken Fried Steak
Clarkson Bakery – Best Bakery
Bob’s Bar Martinsburg – Largest Portions
Blooms and Beans – Creighton- Best Coffee Shop
The Hive Bloomfield – Best Coffee Shop Runner Up
Wildflour Grocery Oneill – Best Organic Grocery Store
Tom’s Family Foods – Verdigre – Best Grocery
Graybeal Foods – West Point – Best Grocery Store Runner Up
Retail/ Flowers
Krotters Home Center Oneill – Retailers Choice
Hefner Hardware Bloomfield Most Accommodating
Sams Hardware – Randolph – Friendliest Service
Jedlicka Hardware – Verdigre – Friendliest Service Runner Up
Altwine Hardware – Plainview – Best Customer Service
Ace Hardware Hartington – Best Large Appliance Store
Laurel Ace – Best Paint Selection
Leifelds Furniture Albion – Best Furniture Store
Wattier Ace- Randolph – Large Variety
Fays Furniture and Floor Coverings – Best Flooring Store
Something Special by Marilyn – Atkinson – Most Unique Gift Shop
Quilt Shop Wakefield -Best Quilt Shop
Quilt Candy Shoppe – Oneill – Best Quilt Shop Runner Up
The Buzz – Wakefield – Best Honey Products and gifts
Whistle Stop – Bassett – Best Handcrafted Gifts
63 County Store Spencer – Most Variety of Gifts
Mainstreet Treasurers Crofton – Best Thrift Shop
Blue Cat Gallery Wayne – Best Art Gallery
Crows Nest- Laurel – Best Antique Store
Speedee Mart Valentine – Best Convenience Store
Tom’s Service – Pierce – Best Fuel Service
Shamrock Nursery- Oneill – Best Green House
Bloomin Daisies- Stuart – Most Unique Flower Shop
Blooms and Bling Bloomfield – Best Flower Shop to work with on Events
Stellas Ainsworth – Most Unique Flower Shop Runner Up
Neligh Flower Shop – Best Floral Designer
Sheilas Country Gardens Hartington – Best Potted Flowers
Sweet Treats and Boutique – Crofton – Most Fun Arrangement
Keller Pharmacy Ponca – Best Pharmacy and Gifts
Manion Pharmacy Creighton – Best Pharmacy Runner Up
Other Categories
Sandhills Guest House Atkinson – Best Motel
Commercial State Bank Wausa – Best Financial Institution
Lied Library Wausa – Best Library
Moody Motor Niobrara – Best Dealership
Gavins Point Veterinary Clinic Crofton – Best Veterinary Clinic
2025 MONTHLY DRAWING WINNERS
OUR AUGUST WINNERS
Jerri F, Winnetoon @ Elaine’s Tavern Winnetoon
Jack C, Osmond @ Wausa State Bank
Ann M, Bristow @ 63 Country Store Spencer
Harriet L, Meadow Grove @ Castle Bar Newcastle
Corey Y, Randolph @ Jerrys Hilltop Pierce County
Jeff J, Sioux City, @ The Lunch Box Jackson
Karen S, Creighton @ Mainstreet Treasures Crofton
Sue R, Center, @ Outlaw Pizza Ponca
OUR JULY WINNERS
Royal Bar
Graybeals Foods
The Buzz
Rodeo Bar
Wildflour Grocery
Hefner Hardware
Cast Iron
Leifeld’s Furniture
OUR JUNE WINNERS
Neligh Flower Shop
Crows Nest Antiques
Bob’s Bar
Beautiful Chaos
Serendipity
Manion’s Drug Store
Wayne Sculpture Walk
2025 OTHER WINNERS/STATS
Congratulations to Shelly Campbell – she visited EVERY location!
Most places
Lisa Gerdes Center
Loren and Harriett Lorenz Meadow Grove
Voted the best County – Knox
The Friendliest Community – Hartington
Community with most things to do was a tie between Hartington and Oneill.
Additional Winners
Sue Wiebelhaus – Center
Sue Rohrer – Center
Tom and Reta Moser Hartington
See Schlect West Point
Shannon Martinez Omaha
Cindy Howey – Hartington
Randy Sueper – Lindsay
Cory Kathol – Pierce
Mary Ann Lectenberg – Norfolk
Chrystle Christensen – Waterloo
Kerry Richter – Norfolk
Sherry Bear – Wayne
Conrad McKenzie – Ponca
Shirley Cobb – Oneill
Rick Funck – Clearwater
New ideas are being discussed for 2026!!
Thank you again for being part of the tour.
2024 FINAL WINNERS
MOST LOCATIONS VISITED
$100 Ethanol Gas Card Winners are:
Tara Koss – Randolph, Nebraska and four T-shirts
Harriet Lorenz – Meadow Grove, Nebraska
Lisa Gerdes – Center, Nebraska
Jan Fuchtman Creighton, Nebraska
Jill Wagner Creighton, Nebraska
$100 Ethanol Gas Card Winner for filling out the most complete Best Of… information–
Lanice Frish Creighton, Nebraska
One T-shirt Winner – Renae Claus – Norfolk, Ne
2nd place winners for $25 in Ethanol Gas Cards
Cindy Howey – Hartington, Nebraska
Sandy Preston – Wayne, Nebraska
Reta Moser – Hartington, Nebraska
Mary Ann Lechtenberg – Norfolk, Nebraska
2024 MONTHLY DRAWING LOCATIONS/WINNERS
June winners $100 Ethanol Gas Cards
Tipsy Pine Pizza – Longpine Devon Risch – Snyder
Bood Pharmacy – Neligh – Dan McElhaney – Royal
Polly Auction – Allen Chesea Easterling – Sioux City, Iowa
Heart City – Valentine Tyanna Graney – Valentine
Dianes Green House – Fordyce Tracy Schmidt Fordyce
July Winners $100 Ethanol Gas Cards
Toms Family Foods – Sara Mastonka – Verdigre
Wayne America – Reta Moser – Hartington
The Whistle Stop Bassett – Rachel Williams
Wattier True Value – Randolph – Konnie Frederick
Liefeld’s Furniture Albion – Jan Stone Saint Edward
August Winners $100 Ethanol Gas Cards
Cedar Hills Ponca – Paula Carnell Ponca, Nebraska
Misty’s Bloomfield – Wade Jenness Bloomfield, Nebraska
DW’s Ewing Janie Olson Clearwater, Nebraska
Rivest Coffee Daisha Blunck Pierce, Nebraska
Wiebelhaus Recreation Sue Rohrer Center, Nebraska
2024 BUSINESS “BEST OF” WINNERS
There were write in categories and there were ties with the same amount of votes in several categories.
Best County to visit
Cedar
Runner Up – Knox
Honorable mention Cherry
Friendliest Community
Hartington
Runner Up – Bloomfield
Honorable mention Winnetoon
Community with the most things to do
Valentine
Runner up – Hartington
Honorable mention Wayne
Best Thrift Store
Main Street Treasures Crofton
Best Hamburger
Rodeo Bar Coleridge
Runner Up – Elaines Tavern Winnetoon
Honorable mention Bob’s Bar Martinsburg
Best Steak
Rodeo Bar Coleridge
Runner up – Elaines Tavern Winnetoon
Honorable mention best steak Jerrys hilltop
Best Prime Rib
Jerrys Hilltop
Runner up – Mary’s Restaurant Plainview
Best Fish
Wiebelhaus Recreation Crofton
Runner Up – Rodeo Bar Coleridge
Honorable Mention Jerry’s Hilltop
Best Fries
Misty’s Saloon
Best Chicken
Wiebelhaus Recreation
Runner up – Mary’s Plainview
Honorable Mention Castle Bar Newcastle
Best chicken Fried Steak
Rodeo Bar Coleridge
Runner Up – Jerry’s Hilltop
Honorable mention Range Café Bassett
Best Mexican Food
Jerry’s Hilltop
Runner Up – Castle Bar Newcastle
Honorable Mention Cast Iron Bar Stuart
Best Pizza
Tipsy Pine Pizza Long Pine
Runner Up – Cast Iron Grill Stuart
Honorable Mention DW’s Ewing
Best Salad
Jerry’s Hilltop Randolph
Runner Up – Cast Iron Stuart
Honorable mention Elaines Tavern Winnetoon
Best Appetizer
Wiebelhaus Recreation Crofton
Runner Up – Rodeo Bar Coleridge
Honorable mention Cedar Hills Bar Ponca
Best Wings
Misty’s Saloon Bloomfield
Best Coffee
Beans and Bloom Creighton
Runner Up – Rivermill Neligh
Honorable mention Serendipty Plainview
Best Wine
Nissen Wine Hartington
Runner Up Speedee Mart Atkinson
Best Breakfast
Jerrys Hilltop Randolph
Runner Up – Rivermill Neligh
Honorable mention Speedee Mart Atkinson
Honorable mention Osmond Mini Mart
Best Rolls
Jerrys Hilltop Randolph
Stellas Floral and Sweets Ainsworth
Toms family foods Verdigre
Best dessert write in
3rd street Osmond
Runner Up Marys Restaurant Plaiview
Best Ice Cream
Misty’s Saloon Bloomfield
Best Beer
West Point Brewing Company
Runner Up – Rodeo Bar Coleridge
Honorable Mention Thomsen Corner Osmond
Best Atmosphere Restaurant
Jerry’s Hilltop
Runner up – Rodeo Bar
Honorable mention Mary’s Restaurant
Best Atmosphere Bar
Tie – Castle Bar Newcastle
– Cedar Hills Bar Ponca
Runner Up Best Atmosphere for a Bar 755 Club Ponca
Honorable Mention Bob’s Bar Martinsburg
Most Fun Bar
Royal Bar Royal Ne
Best Service
Rodeo Bar Coleridge
Runner Up – Jerry’s Hilltop
Honorable mention Sam’s Hardware Hank
Corner Hardware and More Orchard
Best Floral and gifts
Best Floral and Design Floral Design of Hartington
Runner Up – Blooms and Bling Bloomfield
Honorable mention Sheilas Country Gardens
Best Staff
Kruse True Value retail
Best Staff Restaurant Elaines Tavern
Runner Up Sams Hardware Hank
Honoroble Mention Hefner Hardware Bloomfield
Most accommodating
Candi Shoppe Belden
Runner Up – Floral Design
Honorable mention Farmer Store Page
Best Selection
Tie A Special Place Creighton
Something Special by Marilyn
Runner Up Best Selection Sam’s Hardware Hank
Honorable mention Ranchland Western Store Ainsworth
Most Unique Gifts
Something Special by Marilyn
Runner Up Whistle Stop Bassett
Honorable mention Corner Hardware and More Orchard
Honorable mention Plainview Family Pharmacy
Honorable mention Wildflour Grocer Oneill
Most Kid Friendly Restaurant
3rd Street in Osmond
"Love doing the Backroad tour each year. Looking forward to next year."
~~Holly
"Fun to stop at all places love doing it."
~~Heather
