We recently had a chance to visit the Ark Encounter in Williamstown Kentucky and we were kind of surprised.

Our visit to the Ark Encounter

Over the long weekend combined with Memorial Day, we planned on visiting my sister in Tennessee. We left Thursday morning and made a stop in Kentucky at the Ark Encounter. My husband and I wanted to take our almost 2-year-old to visit the Ark and see the animals. We thought just a couple of hours would be more than enough to see everything. Since it is right off I -75 it only took us about 3 1/2 hours to drive there from our home in Toledo, Ohio.

The cost of parking at the Ark Encounter

We arrived at the Ark Encounter parking area where we were greeted by the friendly staff. Parking cost $10 which covered parking all day in their designated lot. The $10 fee also included transportation on a comfy and surprisingly clean bus to the entrance of the Ark. My daughter enjoyed the bus ride especially since each bus displays animal pictures on the side.

The Ark Encounter operating hours

Monday – Saturday 9 am – 8 pm

Sunday 1 pm – 7 pm

Seasonal hours may vary

For the most up to date information, I recommend checking the Ark Encounter website before your trip

Make sure to bring along

If you are visiting the Ark Encounter with a young child I recommend bringing a stroller along. There is a lot of walking involved in visiting the Ark Encounter. Many children will enjoy the experience a lot more if they aren’t overly tired from all the walking. You can rent strollers but they are a bit pricey to rent and why not save a bit of money to be used for the rest of your trip. We recommend the umbrella strollers Walmart sells for around $15.

Wear good shoes you will be walking a lot and will want some comfortable shoes

Water bottle or some extra cash to purchase some beverages and possibly food

Sunscreen or a hat if it is a hot day because there is a bit of walking outdoors that you will want to do

Pay attention to the weather and dress appropriately. Parts of the attraction are outdoors and you will want to be dressed to enjoy it all.

What to expect when you reach the Ark Encounter

After a short bus ride, you arrive at the large visitor center called the Answers Center. While you are there you can buy some snacks, drinks, or souvenirs. The auditorium is inside and features guest speakers, movies, and concerts. The restrooms are just around the corner from the auditorium. When you are ready to head to the Ark just exit the center where you entered and head left.

When you approach the Ark, your experience begins almost immediately. You are met with a giant rainbow gate serving as the entrance to the park itself. My daughter had just learned recently how to say rainbow and loved this rainbow archway we walked under.

The grounds are very well maintained and add a bit of a garden experience. Once you pass under the rainbow arch you are greeted by animal-shaped trees and bushes & wooden images of people that you can stick your head through for photos. The large pond in front of the Ark provides a great photo opportunity and really shows off the size of the Ark. As you get closer to the Ark there is even an area with live birds, animals, and monuments that your children and you will enjoy.

Whether you enter through the massive door on the side or enter under the Ark, the construction of this massive ship is breathtaking. The attention to detail and the way everything is presented shows that a great amount of hard work went into replicating the Ark. You proceed up a ramp as you head into the Ark and as you go up there are multiple things to see and placards to read. If you have any questions, there are friendly people at key points along the way ready to help. Not including the ground level, there are three decks to explore. With wide halls and plenty of space, taking your time is relatively easy if you really find an exhibit that you want to focus on.

Make sure you are ready to walk and stand for at least a couple of hours. There are several places to sit and rest if needed, not to mention conveniently located bathrooms on every level. On deck 2 a snack bar and the gift shop make an easy breakpoint at about halfway.

After touring the Ark you can walk through a gift shop with many interesting items for all ages. When you are ready exit the Ark and you are free to explore the zoo, petting area, camel rides, bird shows, the fossil find, Rainbow Gardens, dining options, the playground, or the VR theater. When your ready head back under the rainbow to the Answers Center and the buses usually are only a short wait.

Our review of the Ark Encounter

For my family, the Ark Encounter was an experience we really enjoyed. My daughter was almost two when we went and was a great age to really appreciate all the animals and exhibits in the Ark.

When you first enter the Ark loud creaking and heavy rain sounds are all around you. The only issue I had with my daughter was, she was a little afraid of the noises when you first enter the Ark and there was also a section within the Ark called Spooky Encounters that was just a bit too dark and noisy for her.

My favorite part was the actual construction of the Ark itself and some of the educational pieces along the way. I was surprised that I actually learned a lot while I was there. We walked and viewed the many animal cages and living areas for the people. We were surprised by how realistic everything was. Noah looked like he could get up at walk away at any time. Even though we didn’t see every single thing, it still took us about 2 hours to reach the end of the Ark.

My daughter especially loved the Kangaroos that are uncaged and lounge around in a fenced-in area where you are free to walk through.

My husband thought the whole attraction was very impressive. He loved the live Kangaroo exhibit that we took our daughter through the most. The Kangaroos were just lying in an open area where you could walk through and see them up close.

We believe the Ark Encounter was worth both the drive to and the cost of our visit.

Additional features at the Ark Encounter

Ararat Ridge Zoo - included in the admission and well worth the time

Screaming Eagle Aerial Adventures - For an additional cost you choose from 3 different zipline courses or elevated obstacle courses or even 80-foot high free fall jumps

Playground - a large playground with a lot to offer kids is also on the grounds

Camel rides - an $8 cost per person or just $3 to feed a camel

Special events - there could be events during your trips with guest speakers or singers or films on a large screen, usually at no extra cost

Truth Traveler VR Experience - for $9.99(kids 10 and under) or $15.99(11 and up) you can enjoy a virtual reality theater show about the flood

Meals while visiting the Ark

Keep in mind while visiting the Ark that it is in a more remote area without a lot of restaurants close by. The Ark has some of it’s own restaurants and food stands but if you are wanting to eat offsite it will be a bit of a drive to get to an area with outside restaurants. We visited in May 2021 and some of the food stands within the Ark Encounter area were still temporarily closed so the options available might still be a bit limited on the Ark Encounter property.

How much does the Ark Encounter cost?

If you are visiting both the Ark and Creation Museum you can buy combined tickets for both

If you plan to visit the Ark Encounter and Creation museum multiple times

you can save by purchasing an annual pass

Just the Ark Encounter $50 per adult or child 11 and up

Children 10 and under admission is free

Ark Encounter Parking $10

Additional purchases you may want to make

Beverages and food items are available throughout the Ark and in the theatre area near the gift shop.

There are some gift shops to visit with some interesting items to purchase including some great souvenirs.

Family photos can be purchased so bring some extra cash or just have someone snap one for you with your own camera for free

Restrooms are available which include baby changing areas

There are restrooms all through the Ark and also available in the theatre and gift shop area. They have family restrooms also which is very important for moms like me with young children. I love to be able to take my daughter to the restroom knowing there will be a good changing table available. Many places have either no baby changing tables at all or put them inside the stall which leaves you waiting for someone to finish with an impatient toddler.

Before you visit the Ark Encounter

Before you visit the Ark Encounter make sure that you decide a few things first. Determine whether you want to do both the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum during your visit. Decide how many days that you will be staying and what amenities that you will want at your hotel if you are going to stay nearby. Choosing a hotel with a kitchenette can be a plus to help save money if you are willing to buy food and prepare it for the family in your room. Keep in mind that the Ark Encounter and Creation museum are in separate areas and require some driving time between them so you will also want to decide where to stay based on this factor.

Is the Ark Encounter worth it?

Whether or not you actually believe in bible stories or not we believed the experience itself was pretty impressive. You cannot find an experience quite like this anywhere else and you are certain to find something fascinating within the experience. Whether that is the size and attention to detail in the construction, the live animals, or the research done by the many scholars over the years. Everyone will undoubtedly find something to appreciate about their visit to the Ark Encounter.

ARK ENCOUNTER: IS IT WORTH IT?