Did you know that in Williamstown, Kentucky you could visit a historically theme attraction? Ark Encounter, a Noah’s Ark inspired exhibit allows visitors to tour a recreation of Noah’s Ark. The goal was to create a replica as close to Noah’s Ark as possible. This larger than life experience has a lot of people making the trek over to Williamstown to experience it and see what all the buzz is about.
Specs
The ark is built to spec. This means that it is 7 stories high and took 3.3 million board feet of timber to construct. The boat is 510 feet long and is anchored to 74 feet masonry towers. It is the largest timber-frame structure in the world. Unlike the ark in the Bible, this one does not float. The main reason behind this was that it was expected that a lot of people would want to visit the ark once it was completed. With the amount of winds the area receives and possibly thousands of visitors being on the boat at one time, it just wasn’t safe for the ark to not be anchored. As you can imagine, it took hundreds of workers to construct the ark and a lot of planning.
The Experience
Once guests step onboard they can see a variety of exhibits that attempt to explain the ark and how two of each animal were able to fit inside. There is a 700-person restaurant and a gift shop to buy souvenirs. There are also zip line tours that are 17 stories high and go up to 50 mph. No Noah’s Ark experience would be complete without animals. The Ararat Ridge Zoo is located onsite and is included with admission to the Ark Encounter. Animals at the zoo include yaks and kangaroos. There are also donkey and camel rides available for an additional cost.
Zip Line
Thrill seekers can take the screaming eagle zip line at the Ark Encounter. With speeds of up to 50 mph and coming down from 17 stories high, this is sure to please the adventurous. If this is not enough to get your adrenaline pumping, dive 40 to 80 ft. on a freefall jump.
Around 10,000 people each day have visited the Ark Encounter since it opened. Tickets are $40 for adults, $28 for children ages 5-12 and free for children under 5. While you’re in the area, be sure to check out other attractions like the Cincinnati Zoo or Louisville Zoo, Kentucky Military History Museum or Aviation Museum of Kentucky. Being that this attraction is fairly close to larger cities like Louisville and Cincinnati, there are a variety of places to stay in the area. If you happen to visit the Arc Experience, be sure to let us know what you think!
