2 Day Christmas at The Ark Encounter and The Creation Museum

We depart Knoxville this morning traveling to Williamstown, Ken- tucky to visit the Ark Encounter. Prepare to be blown away as you explore the life-sized reconstruction of Noah’s Ark. Ark Encounter is a jaw-dropping structure you’ll want to bring your whole family to see. Ark Encounter features a full-size Noah’s Ark, built according to the dimensions given in the Bible. Spanning 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high, this modern engineering marvel amazes visitors young and old. NASA could lay three space shuttles—nose to tail—on the Ark’s Roof! Few wooden ships have ever come close to the size of Noah’s Ark. This massive ship with 3 decks depicts the Biblical tale of Noah’s Ark with interactive exhibits & zoo. Ark Encounter is the largest timber frame structure in the world, built from standing dead timber, in part by skilled Amish craftsmen. Be transported back in time to meet Noah and his seven family members, who lived aboard the Ark and cared for all the animals during the Flood. See what their living quarters may have looked like, what they could have brought on board, and even what kinds of clothing they wore. Many of the animals that lived during Noah’s lifetime didn’t look much like the animals we see today. Prepare to have your expectations challenged by a host of incredibly lifelike sculpted animals, along with exotic live animals from around the world in Ararat Ridge Zoo. The Rainbow Covenant is an exquisite exhibit featuring an artistic depiction of the covenantGod made to never again flood the whole earth. We will enjoy a buffetluncheon at Emzara’s Kitchen, the Ark Encounter’s two-story casual restaurant, with a spectacular view of the Ark. We will stay to see ChristmasTime at the Ark. Prepare to be captivated as a world-class animated program is projected onto the life-size Noah’s Ark! This iconic 510-foot-long ship will become the screen for a groundlings new show during Christmas Time at the Ark. Come watch this powerful message of hope for all. We have a short drive to Petersburg, Kentucky to see the Creation Museum illuminated for the holidays before checking into our hotel for the night in Newport, Kentucky.

We return to the Creation Museum for our daytime visit to the museum. The state-of-the-art Creation Museum allows you to venture through biblical history, stunning exhibits, botanical gardens, planetarium, petting zoo, zip line adventure course, and much more. The Creation Museum’s beautifully themed gardens and three-acre lake invite guests to enjoy a mile of paved and accessible trails. Take a walk over half a dozen bridges for a unique view of the gardens and a variety of waterfalls as you explore the beauty of God’s creation all around you. The unique suspension and floating bridges are ready to delight young and old. After making the world and all the animals, God created Adam, the first man, on the sixth day of creation. Adam named all of the animals and then God created the second person, Eve, on that same day. God placed Adam and Eve in the perfect Garden of Eden where they lived in an untarnished relationship with God. At the end of the sixth day, God called everything He had made “very good”. Riding a camel is quite different from riding a horse, the most obvious difference being the hump. But the hump is not the only differ- ence! A camel’s height and special gait make camel riding a whole new experience. Come see a variety of animal kinds as you stroll through the family-friendly petting zoo, which is designed to give guests a hands-on experience with God’s amazing creatures. Animals you might encounter during your visit include a donkey, zorse, zonkey, alpacas, camels, coatis, goats, wallabies, and more. Walk through biblical history as you explore the stunning Garden of Eden, Noah’s Ark, and the Tower of Babel. Finish your tour by watching the theater production, The Last Adam. Learn how the Bible, the history book of the universe, provides the starting point for science. Encounter Life-Size Dinosaur Bones—Creationists love dinosaurs and dinosaur bones because they confirm the truth of the Bible. Touch a real dinosaur fossil, investigate dragon legends from around the world, and hunt for dinosaur bones at the Creation Museum. The Stargazer’s Room in the Creation Museum features a Digistar 5 digital projection system—pro- viding a full-color, high-resolution planetarium environment that is truly awe-inspiring. Enjoy lunch on your own at the Creation Museum before departing for our return trip to Knoxville.