It?s BIG! Colossal, actually. You can see The Ark from I-75 in Kentucky sitting on a hill, seemingly waiting for the water to rise and float it away! A replica of God’s Ark sitting on one of the many rolling hills in the bluegrass state. It’s quite spectacular and even more so up close. After a few minutes inside you come to realize this was not meant to just be an attraction or an educational opportunity to prove the existence of the Ark, which it is, but rather a massive billboard for the Gospel. A reminder that God sent his Son, Jesus, to be our Ark. A means of salvation. With one door!
After our recent visit I thought it might be helpful to write a quick review of our experience. We also visited The Creation Museum 30 minutes north of The Ark Encounter which I would also highly recommend. I will say up front though, that if you could only visit one, I personally would go to The Ark Encounter.That’s just my opinion, however, the museum will fill up more of your day. Both have outside activities like animals and super cool zip lines. The zip line course at the Ark was still being built at the time we were there.
I highly recommend The Ark Encounter to anyone. Even skeptics! If you don’t believe in a worldwide flood or even the Bible’s account of creation I encourage you to at least enjoy the hard work Ken Ham and his team have put into this amazing project. For believers, this encounter will give you a new perspective on the faith Noah and his family displayed by acting in obedience to God’s command. You will not leave unmoved or without learning something new. I suspect you will gain much insight into God’s amazing plan and power.
This encounter is not just about massive beams that make up the largest timber frame structure in the world. It is about discovering racial origins that challenge prejudice, learning about the origin of animals we have today, and sparking an imagination of what it would have been like to be Noah and his family with all the challenges this type of project would bring as well as the mocking they had to endure. I was deeply encouraged by the overwhelming evidence of fact that is presented which supports the Biblical account of God creating the world and how that is so desperately needed in a culture trying to completely discount anyone who would take God at his word!
So that is my short and personal account of my time there. In addition, here are some tips to consider if you have not been before.
Tips
- You will be bused in from the parking lot which is a significant distance from the actual Ark, so don’t forget anything in your car as you won’t be able walk back. You can take a shuttle back of course. This didn’t happen to us but it crossed my mind.
- We went in the first part of April so the crowds were not unbearable but significant as we had to wait in lines to see most everything. By 3pm it was almost empty. Seems most people arrive early and leave early. (They close at 6pm) We would have been better to arrive mid to late morning and eat lunch, see the animals then go through the Ark. That is backward from what most people do so you will have short lines (or none at all) to contend with.
- The only place to purchase a snack in the Ark was on the first level where they have a concession stand. You will have to come back down which isn’t a huge deal but it is a bit of a trek so get your snack-on early or grab something to take with you.
- Also on the food topic, you don’t need to worry about getting gouged on prices to eat. It’s not like Disney World where it’s best to bring in what you can to save money or be forced to refinance your home to buy a chicken finger basket. The dining at Emzara?s Kitchen is great. It’s also the only location to eat a actual meal. They have a large buffet, pizza and options for those with food sensitivities. I would say that if you want to save money in this area, buy a slice of pizza (they are large) and a drink. Especially for the kids as the buffet, while affordable at $13, most smaller kids won’t eat enough to justify the money. As for the buffet, it was done very well and had a lot of options. You can sit up stairs to eat for a great view.
- This is as much a recommendation for The Ark folks as it is advice. At the entrance coming into the actual Ark there is a photo trap. “Pro” photographers ask you to pose in front of a green screen for a photo to purchase later. This slows the line down quite a bit so if you can squeeze by and skip it you can get on with your tour. This is mainly important first thing in the morning so it may not be that bad later in the day. They don’t pressure you to take or purchase the photo which is cool and I think it is partially there for crowd control so there isn’t a “FLOOD” of people trying to get into the Ark. They do the same thing at the Creation Museum as well.
- From a lodging perspective, there are not a lot of options close by so you will likely need to stay closer to Cincinnati. It’s not a far drive and if you plan on going to The Creation Museum as well that will work in your favor. Dining options are scarce close to Ark which is another reason to stay closer to town.
There are plenty of other thoughts I could share but it really just needs to be experienced.
(For the record I receive nothing for this article or if you click on any link)
You must be logged in to post a comment.