Butler County is in West Central Pennsylvania, about an hour north of Pittsburgh and two hours south of Erie, Pennsylvania. The county actually encompasses a very large area and includes a number of small towns, which weave into each other seamlessly. As you drive through scenic rolling hills, you may find yourself in Cranberry Township, Zelienople, Harmony, Mars, Saxonburg, Slippery Rock, or Butler - just to name a few of the towns in the vicinity.
The warmest months in Butler County are June, July, and August - but you won't get too toasty! The thermometer rarely passes 80 degrees and summer temperatures range from 58 to 81 degrees. Pretty perfect!
As for the other seasons, prepare to bundle up. You'll enjoy all four seasons and then chilly weather in the winter with an average daily temperature of 43 degrees. Snow typically falls intermittently from mid-November to early April.
Driving around Butler County is a breeze. This is small town living at its finest. Friendly people abound and there is free parking at most restaurants and attractions in the area.
Fun Fore All is a Family Fun Park with over 70 games in the arcade, 36 holes of miniature golf, go karts, batting cages, and a variety of outdoor kiddie rides. The best way to experience the park is to buy a timed play pass, which will give you access to all that the park offers for 2, 3, or 4 hours.
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Grove City College is a highly ranked and nationally recognized Christian college, located in Grove City, Pennsylvania. GCC also has an incredibly beautiful campus! If you are in the area, consider taking a tour to learn more about the college's programs and to admire the magnificent architecture.
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What kid would not want to enter a giant spaceship-shaped toy store? Babies to teens will enjoy wandering the aisles at Playthings Etc, admiring toys, puzzles, and gadgets of all kinds. Best of all, much of the toy store's merchandise is unboxed and available for you to play with! Friendly associates are on-hand to do demonstrations, answer questions, and play alongside children in the store. Kids will love being here, but beware! You may get sucked into the Twilight Zone of Fun. ;)
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Butler County is replete with interesting, quirky, and delightful shops to wander through. For example, Baldinger's has candy for purchase by the piece, scattered around on shelves and in barrels throughout the store. Right next door (but in the same building), you can also pick up a bottle or two of local wine.
Built in 1805, the charming yellow building was once a store front, an inn, and a furniture store - and is now home to North Country Brew Pub in Slippery Rock, PA. Lovely vines hang out front where you can dine al fresco in nice weather. Be sure to take note of the intricate, hand-carved door and the beautiful black walnut furniture pieces throughout. Also: the food is farm-to-fork delicious!
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Our family stayed in our RV at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Camp Resort at Kozy Rest, which is a destination in and of itself for families with young children! Click for our full campground spotlight.
We would love to return to Butler County in the future to continue to explore the many small towns in the vicinity. On our next trip, we hope to:
Watch this page for continued updates and top tips for planning a trip to Butler County, PA. For additional resources and sample itineraries, consult the Visit Butler County website.
I don't know about you, but I love parenting in the teenage years (and I'm saying that without a hint of sarcasm). Truly, my husband and I have found that the teenage years are incredibly rich and wonderful. We love the deep conversations we can have with our daughters and there is a genuine enjoyment for all of us in being together.
If you are fortunate to have middle and high schoolers in your house also, we've put together a list of the best clothes, shoes, accessories, bags, and school supplies for the 2022 back-to-school season.
Whether you're looking for adorable book-themed tote bags, elegant stationery sets, or crisp hardcovers to line your bookshelves, you're bound to find so much for back-to-school at Barnes & Noble! B&N also offers free curbside pick-up!
When your teen is in the early years of adolescence (ages: 13, 14, 15), one tendency is to skip right ahead into women's brands - discounting children's brands as being too "young." In reality, however, many children's brands offer sizing up to 14 (or larger) in amazing, on-trend styles at way better prices than women's brands. Plus, your teen will enjoy the added bonus of having clothes that no one else is wearing!
Reebok's classic sneakers are perfect for school! They are comfortable, stylish, and completely in line with current trends - while also being simple and classic enough to effortlessly pair with almost any outfit.
Created by a sister team of entrepreneurs, Renwick is a lifestyle athletic brand with a sense of timelessness. Teens will love the stretchy, stylish simplicity of the brand's polos. Moms will love how they hold their shape and softness wash after wash!
If you think of Skechers as just one particular kind of shoe, take a second look! Skechers offers sandals, sneakers, slip-ons, ballerina shoes, winter shoes, and running shoes for the entire family!
As far as brand recognition goes, Hydro Flask is king in the water bottle world. These sweat-free, super sturdy, and ultra-stylish water bottles are available in gorgeous colors and will keep water icy cold for HOURS. Ideal for school and sports, Hydro Flask water bottles are a solid choice for the new school year.
We have four kids (ranging in age from 5 to almost 16) so we've been shopping for backpacks for over a decade. Pottery Barn usually rises to the top of our kids' wish lists due to the always on-trend patterns. They release new designs each year and they always manage to be in the most coveted colors and themes.
If you have a high schooler and are searching for a standardized test prep course, College Prep Genius offers award-winning, highly-rated, affordable, and flexible options. Because 85% of colleges and universities give admittance and scholarships based on a test score alone, it's smart to invest time and energy into preparing for the SAT, ACT, and CLT. In fact, we wish we had started much sooner! The summer before sophomore year would have been ideal (at the very latest). We chose College Prep Genius because it is a program backed by many top-notch homeschool organizations (some of the same instructors who teach at College Prep Genius also teach at HSLDA!). Plus, College Prep Genius is the official test prep company for CLT, which is a test we far prefer over the SAT. College Prep Genius offers Virtual Boot Camps, eCourses, and In Person Boot Camps.
When someone in our house needs a new calculator, we immediately turn to Texas Instruments. TI has an extensive track record for making functional calculators - and lately they make them beautiful too! The Infinitely Iris TI-84 Plus CE Python is almost pretty enough to be an outfit accessory!
What are your favorite products for back-to-school 2022?
Where will you be purchasing clothes, shoes, and gear for your middle and high school students?
SEE OUR 2022 BACK-TO-SCHOOL GUIDE FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
Welcome to the 2022-23 school year! We hope the year ahead is full of wonder, awe, and discovery for each of your children.
To help you get prepared for the 2022-23 school year, we've pulled together a list of the best clothing, shoes, accessories, bags, and other gear for elementary students. Two of our four kids fit in this age range. We have an entering Kindergartener and 5th grader (plus, an 8th grader and 11th grader)!
When a new school year begins, we typically check the collection at Carter's/OshKosh B'gosh. The well-known children's brand, which originally formed in 1895, offers durable & stylish clothing options for infants through size 14. Since our children attend a school with a uniform, we particularly love that OshKosh offers uniform shorts, skorts, pants, and polos at reasonable prices!
Our family has long been a fan of using picture books to teach a wide variety of educational concepts across many different subjects. From arithmetic and algebra to botany and biology, picture books are an amazing gateway to learning. This year, at our family's annual Back-to-School Read-A-Thon (we stay up until midnight and read stacks of books while munching on sweet treats), we enjoyed reading three books in the math series by Arbordale: One Odd Day, My Even Day, and My Half Day. These books introduce basic math concepts with simple rhyming text in a Seussical style along with captivating illustrations.
There are only a few backpack brands that offer rolling backpacks for kids and J World New York is on that list. With plentiful patterns and a wide variety of sizes, our kids have relied on J World backpacks for a number of years - especially our kids in grammar school (grades K-6).
If you have an older elementary or middle school daughter who is requesting lip gloss, Burt's Bees is a perfect introductory makeup options with not-too-bright colors that have exactly the right amount of shine.
At a recent dental appointment, our wonderful hygienist recommended floss and brushes by Cocofloss and, although they are perfect for the whole family, tweens will especially love the pretty pastels and translucent pedestals. Designed by a dentist, the floss itself features a textured, loofah-like weave of 500+ filaments - which helps to whoosh away plaque and bacteria more effectively than traditional floss. Plus, it comes in an assortment of fun flavors and colors, including Banana Daiquiri, Cara Cara Orange, Vanilla Bean, and Pure Peppermint - among others.
Does your child eat 2 1/2 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit every day? According to the USDA Guidelines, that's a goal we should all be aspiring to diligently. Juice Plus+ Chewables offers a way to add in more amazing nutrients to your diet through real fruits and vegetables in the form of a delicious chewable that your kids will ask for every single day! These chewables are gluten-free, plant-based, vegan, certified non-GMO, and contain no high fructose corn syrup. Plus, if you order chewables or capsules for yourself, you may qualify for free chewables for your child! More details on that program here.
I've been looking all over for a brand of makeup products that is specifically designed for tweens...and I finally found it! Petite 'n Pretty offers products that work with petite sized features where each shade and formula is developed to be age appropriate with high-quality, safe ingredients. Approved by pediatricians and dermatologists, Petite 'n Pretty's line includes eye shadow, blush, lip gloss, and mascara - in adorable packaging!
When it comes to scissors, paper cutters, and math accessories, I inevitably turn to Fiskars. They have earned a great reputation in our house for sharp supplies (literally) that are durable for many years of use.
Our kids use the excellent geography songs by Veritas Press to memorize countries and capitals from year to year. Most of the songs are very catchy, but it always helps to have a tactile way to add extra "stickiness" to memorization. A mom in my circle recommended these puzzles by Geotoys as a supplementary tool and they are great. The pieces are vibrant in color and they are the right size for young hands.
Audiobooks and classical music are an excellent addition to any homeschool day or homework afternoon. A well-fitting set of headphones for kids makes a world of difference. With volume-limiting capabilities to protect hearing, these kid-friendly headphones are a great, affordable addition to any classroom or homeschool room.
More than any style of shoe, elementary kids tend to gravitate toward comfy, sporty shoes that can hold up to plenty of use on the playground. From freeze tag and dodgeball to soccer and four square, athletic sneakers are where it's at.
If you have a young boy who is ready to transition from toddler shoe brands to "real" sneakers, Reebok's Durable XT Shoes are a smart pick in patriotic red, white, and blue.
Skechers shoes offer sparkle, squish, and shine - and the new slip-in sneakers are a perfect pick for elementary school girls! They offer Air-Cooled Memory Foam cushioned comfort insoles and a unique Comfort Pillow in the heel. Plus they're machine-washable!
What are your favorite products for back-to-school 2022?
Where will you be purchasing clothes, shoes, and gear for your elementary students?
SEE OUR 2022 BACK-TO-SCHOOL GUIDE FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
Atlantic City is a coastal city in southern New Jersey with a population of just shy of 40,000. Officially named and incorporated in the mid 1850s, Atlantic City was the inspiration for the board game Monopoly. In fact, you can still drive or walk along Park Place, Pacific Avenue, Ventnor Avenue, and Pennsylvania Avenue!
Other nearby coastal cities include Absecon, Brigantine, Egg Harbor Township, Galloway Township, Pleasantville, and Ventnor City.
Because Atlantic City is on the coast, the summer, spring, and fall weather tends to be pretty idyllic with highs in the 60s-80s and lows in the 40s to 70s. Winters can be chilly and gray, but even then temperatures rarely drop below 30 degrees.
Absecon Lighthouse, which is New Jersey's tallest lighthouse at 171-feet tall, is located somewhat off the main boardwalk, but is still within easy walking distance. Built in 1857, Absecon is the third tallest lighthouse in the USA and has 228 steps. The 2-acre property includes a small museum, a replica of the keeper's cottage, a gift shop, and a community garden.
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Kids tend to be drawn to the unusual, the odd, and the mysterious - the wonders of what has been and what could be. It is for this very reason that most kids enjoy perusing the Guiness Book of World Records. Ripley's Believe it or Not in Atlantic City is like the Guiness Book brought to life. Around every turn are strange, weird, and altogether bizarre exhibits that will leave you wondering if you truly “believe it or not.”
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The beach is easily accessible from the Atlantic City boardwalk with many walkways that lead you directly down to the shoreline. You may want to bring buckets to collect seashells, which are plentiful.
Almost all of the restaurants that line the boardwalk in Atlantic City are inside or part of the casinos - and Johnny Rockets is no exception. In this case, however, Johnny Rockets offers both indoor and outdoor seating with 50s diner theming. Enjoy burgers, fries, and milkshakes on red vinyl-covered booths.
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Stay tuned for continued updates and top tips for planning your next family vacation!
Our family loves discovering new campgrounds and there is always a certain thrill that comes from pulling into a new campground and anticipating what great adventures await you. As such, we were delighted to learn about Spacious Skies Campgrounds this summer at Spacious Skies Country Oaks in Southern New Jersey.
Spacious Skies is a collection of campgrounds and RV parks in the Eastern United States and we can't wait to visit them all!
Although they are seeking to expand and add other campgrounds in the coming years, their current roster includes twelve properties:
Spacious Skies Country Oaks has 113 50-amp full hook-up sites and 29 30-amp full hook-up sites.
There are no designated tent sites at Spacious Skies Country Oaks, but tents are permitted in RV spots.
Check-in is at 2:00pm for RVs and 3:00pm for cabins. Check-out is at 11:00am for all sites.
There are two cabins available at Spacious Skies Country Oaks.
FOR RV Sites:
FOR CABINS:
Spacious Skies Country Oaks has a number of activities (and more in the works!), including:
The front office staff were very friendly and accommodating during our stay. In addition to basic camping supplies, you will also find adorable Spacious Skies themed apparel and souvenirs for sale in the store. (We love the Spacious Skies logo!)
The playground at Spacious Skies Country Oaks is currently under renovation. Details coming soon!
Spacious Skies Country Oaks has one large swimming pool and one smaller 1-foot toddler pool.
Spacious Skies Country Oaks has a small Snack Shack, immediately adjacent to the pool, where you can buy various packaged snacks (such as cookies and chips).
For basic groceries, there is a new Dollar General within 5 minutes. For more selection, consider Aldi, which is about 25 minutes away.
There is one bathhouse, which is near the swimming pool. The laundry room is also in this area.
A dumpster is located near the campground entrance.
Leashed dogs are permitted at Spacious Skies Country Oaks, but not in the pool or in fenced-in pool areas.
We had a good cell phone signal (Verizon) and were able to send emails, write articles, and participate in a zoom meeting.
Spacious Skies Country Oaks is in Southern New Jersey, about 70 minutes south of Philadelphia, PA.
Other attractions that are nearby include:
In addition to your regular camping supplies and necessities (clothing, footwear, toiletries), you may also want to pack: swimsuits, flip-flops or sandals, beach towels, a volleyball, or a basketball.
Boone KOA Holiday is an RV, tent, and cabin campground in the small mountain town of Boone, North Carolina. Sitting at an elevation of almost 4,000 feet, Boone's main appeal is the perfect summer weather. Because temperatures in June, July, and August are between 55-75 degrees, Boone is a lovely escape from warmer weather.
Since Boone's population is just shy of 20,000, you can expect the quirkiness that accompanies small town living. In other words, this KOA is not a city KOA.
Boone KOA Holiday has sixty-three 50-amp full hookup RV sites, twelve 30-amp full hookup sites, and twenty 30-amp water & electric only sites. There are also eleven tent-only sites at the southern side of the property.
Check-in time is 1:00pm. Check-out time is 12:00pm for RV & tent sites and 11:00am for cabins.
RV sites typically range in price between $55-$65/night, depending on the time of year and type of site.
There are nine camping cabins and three full-service camping cabins at Boone KOA Holiday.
If you need to cancel your reservation, call 800-562-2806 before the deadlines listed below to receive your deposit refund, minus a $10 cancellation fee. Text and email notifications of cancellations are not accepted.
On-site activities include:
* The Rec Room is connected to the front office and is a large room with folding tables & chairs. A bookshelf on one side of the room houses well-used board games and books for guest use.
To kids, the best part of the Boone KOA Holiday will likely be access to the goats and donkeys on the property. Although they are generally kept behind a fence in their own area, kids will still enjoy meeting and greeting with them.
The front office is an eclectic place, to be sure. The windows are dotted with bobbleheads of all kinds and the decor is a hodgepodge mix of items (from Snow White to dinosaurs to garden gnomes). In addition to a variety of camping supply items for sale, the Camp Store also has a pool table, foosball table, and mini arcade plopped right in the middle of the shelves of souvenirs and supplies.
There is one playground at the Boone KOA Holiday, which includes slides, swings, a spinning merry-go-round, and a see-saw.
There is one non-heated swimming pool, which is directly adjacent to the front office and in need of some TLC.
The Boone KOA does not have a restaurant, but they do sell a variety of snacks and supplies at the store.
We highly recommend Publix at Three Creeks for all of your grocery shopping needs. It is about 15 minutes from the Boone KOA Holiday.
There are two restrooms - one is located near the office and the other is directly adjacent to RV site #8.
Laundry facilities are open 24 hours.
Dumpsters are just south of the office near the entrance of the park.
Leashed dogs are welcome at Boone KOA Holiday, but are not permitted at the pool, playground, or inside KOA buildings.
Here is an estimate of the number of minutes from Boone KOA Holiday to popular area attractions:
Tucked inside the Blue Ridge Mountains just outside the Tennessee border, Boone is a small mountain town in North Carolina that sits at an elevation of 3,333 feet. Just under 20,000 people call Boone home, including many that are connected to Appalachian State University and the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System. Boone is famously named after American explorer and pioneer Daniel Boone, "the rippin'est, roarin'est, fightin'est man the frontier ever knew!"
One of the very best things about visiting Boone in the summer is the weather. Exchange high temperatures and muggy, humid days for the crisp, cool mountain air of Boone. Even in the dead of the summer (June, July, and August), highs almost never cross the 80-degree mark. With daily summer temperatures between 55 and 75 degrees, it's no wonder that people choose Boone for a getaway from seasonal heat.
Driving around Boone is a breeze, but note that some roads are steep and curvy (such as those that take you up to Grandfather Mountain).
First, to clear up a bit of confusion... Grandfather Mountain, as you have probably seen it most commonly advertised, is a 700-acre attraction with a $10-$24/person ticket cost that includes the Mile High Swinging Bridge, Wilson Center for Nature Discovery, hiking trails, and Wildlife Habitats. Grandfather Mountain State Park is a series of hiking trails and backpacking sites, which you will see on the way up to the paid attraction. It's rather perplexing that the areas share the same name and much of the same property, but they are, in fact, two different attractions.
If you just want to take a hike or enjoy a leisurely picnic with your family, you can do so for free in Grandfather Mountain State Park. Hiking permits are mandatory, but free.
If you are determined to see or walk across the Mile High Swinging Bridge, however, you will need to drive through the entrance kiosks and pay the associated fees for access to Grandfather Mountain.
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GENERAL INFORMATION FOR GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN:
If you like quirky attractions with small town appeal, Mystery Hill will be your cup of tea. The eclectic mix of attractions includes an old home from the 1900s, a large arrowhead collection, axe-throwing, old-fashioned photos, bull riding, gem-mining, a miniature farm area with chickens and rabbits, and an anti-gravity room.
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Boone has a surprisingly modern, well-lit, sparkling clean, and well-stocked Publix grocery store. In fact, we visited seventeen states this summer and Public was one of our favorite grocers.
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We stayed in our RV at the Boone KOA, "the highest KOA east of the Mississippi River." See our full Campground Spotlight for details.
If we return to Boone, North Carolina in the future, we plan to:
Watch this page for continued updates and top tips for planning your next trip to Boone, North Carolina.
Have you ever wondered: How BIG was Noah's Ark? Now, thanks to the team at Answers in Genesis, you can see a replica of the Ark for yourself in Williamstown, Kentucky. Spanning 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high, the giant ark was built using the dimensions outlined in the Bible and sits perched on a large property that also has a zoo, a playground, multiple dining venues and gift shops, and a state-of-the-art auditorium. Visitors to the Ark Encounter enter the ark and are immersed in both fact and fiction related to what it may have been like to be onboard the ark with Noah and his family.
One day tickets to the Ark Encounter are $59.95 for adults (ages 18-59), $49.95 for seniors (ages 60 and up), $29.95 for youth (ages 11-17), and free for children (ages 10 and under)*. BUY TICKETS.
Ticket bundles are also available for multiple days or for admittance into both the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter.
* Note that children are currently free at the Ark Encounter. Only one adult or senior ticket needs to be purchased for all child tickets in your party to be free. A maximum of ten free child tickets are available per online order (additional free child tickets may be obtained on site with proof of paid adult or senior ticket).
The Ark Encounter has a HUGE parking lot, which accommodates cars, trucks, buses, and RVs of all kinds and is easy to navigate. It's important to note, though, that the parking lot is some distance from the Ark. After parking, you go through ticket lines (which can sometimes be long) and wait to board a chartered bus, which takes you up the hill to the Ark Encounter attraction.
There is no free parking at the Ark Encounter. Parking is $15 (standard vehicle) or $20 (oversized vehicle) per day.
The Ark itself is massive - an incredible and imaginative architectural marvel. In fact, the ark is the largest timber-frame structure in the world, built in part by Amish craftsmen from standing dead timber.
When you walk inside, you will be immersed in the Biblical accounts of creation and the flood with a number of state-of-the-art interactive exhibits - including the living quarters of Noah's family, cages with lifelike sculpted animals inside, and displays that demonstrate various engineering models related to how the family may have lived and worked inside the boat (Some of the questions that experts attempt to answer are: How did they get water? How did they feed the animals? etc). There are also context exhibits, which show what the world may have been like pre-flood, a godless world when "The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time" (Genesis 6:5).
There are also excellent exhibits that showcase missionary stories, various Biblical characters, and also a very well-done room that outlines the dangers of viewing Noah's Ark as a cute fairy tale with cuddly animals and a smiling, bushy-bearded Noah. We were impressed by the quality of the artwork and would love to learn more about the artists behind the exhibits.
Our family all greatly enjoyed the graphic novel exhibit on the top floor (at the every end of the Ark Encounter - don't walk by it or miss it!). Entitled Is the Bible True?, the exhibit follows three college students as they go through hardships and discover who God is and why the Bible matters for their lives. A beautiful Gospel presentation, which was done in a moving and modern way.
* It is important to note that the aspect that we appreciated the most about the Ark Encounter was that the Gospel could be found at every turn. The entire attraction obviously was built for a purpose ("to proclaim the saving gospel of Jesus Christ to a dying world") and it is wonderfully executed. Although Answers in Genesis is sometimes characterized as a a "creation versus evolution" organization, it was clear from this attraction that their primary mission is spreading the good news of salvation and hope through Jesus.
As is expected in an educational attraction of this size, some of the elements are indeed imagined. For example, Noah's wife and Noah's daughter-in-laws all have names and are given personas, despite the fact that the Bible does not explicitly name them. Another example would be that there are some sculpted animals that we cannot know with certainty if they existed inside the ark (or at all!). We felt that these additions were well-done and did not distract from the overall message of truth presented. In all of these cases, there are corresponding displays where you can read more about the theories and conclusions of historians, scientists, and Biblical scholars.
Our top tip for visiting the Ark Encounter is - Don't miss the Answers Center!!! The Answers Center is an adjacent building - which is home to a 2,400-seat state-of-the-art auditorium, a gift shop, a coffee shop, and a small grab-and-go cafe. You can attend lectures, concerts, and video presentations inside the Answers Center during your visit. These presentations (included with the standard ticket) were one of the most interesting and educational aspects of our visit.
A few highlights:
A small outdoor zoo is on-site at the Ark Encounter, which includes binturongs, camels, cranes, giraffes, kangaroos, lemurs, ostriches, sheep, sloths, tortoise, and zebras. There is also a petting area (popular among preschoolers and young children!) where you can interact with goats up-close.
* The zoo and its corresponding presentations (Keeper Chats and Animal Encounters) are included with your admission ticket, but note that camel rides and camel encounters are an additional fee.
There is a large, well-designed playground at the Ark Encounter - which is a very popular place for kids of all ages to play throughout the day. There are areas that are cleverly designed for toddlers as well as taller structures for older children. The playground also has a mini zipline, which kids can use themselves.
* Use of the playground is included with your admission ticket.
There are a number of places inside the Ark Encounter where you can dine, but the most notable one is Emzara's Kitchen. This two-story, 1500-seat restaurant offers an all-you-can-eat buffet that is pricey - but surprisingly good with a variety of foods to ensure that every family member will leave satisfied. The impressive selection includes roasted vegetables, pulled pork, mashed potatoes, and breadsticks, among many other dishes. Included desserts on the day of our visit were cakes, butterscotch pudding, chocolate pudding, and blueberry donut holes. A drink is included with unlimited self-serve refills of soda, coffee, and tea.
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There are a number of snack bars and casual dining options at the Ark Encounter, including:
Although there are many picnic tables around the property, the website states that outside food and drinks are not permitted.
If you are visiting with a baby or toddler, consider these tips:
The interior of the ark is air-conditioned in hot weather and heated in cold weather so you will be comfortable inside. That being said, many parts of the experience are outdoors (zoo, playground, zipline, etc) so we recommend that you dress for the weather.
We stayed in our RV at Whispering Hills RV Park in Georgetown, Kentucky, which is about 30 minutes directly south on I-75. Whispering Hills was a great RV campground near the Ark Encounter. Among the amenities were a swimming pool with waterslide, a playground, a DVD and lending library, and a lake for fishing.
If we return in the future without our RV, I would likely consider Riverside Inn Bed & Breakfast (Warsaw, Kentucky - 42 minutes away) or Comfort Suites (Dry Ridge, Kentucky - 13 minutes away), both of which are highly rated.
The Ark Encounter is about an hour north of Lexington, KY and 45-60 minutes south of Cincinnati, OH.
On our next trip to this area, we hope to:
The Ark Encounter and Creation Museum are both attractions which are owned and operated by Answers in Genesis. In fact, you can buy 2-day ticket bundles to visit both attractions.
Here is a very quick overview/comparison:
The Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter are approximately a 45-minute drive from each other.
Can our school or church bring a group to the Ark Encounter?
Absolutely! 2024 is a great year to do it since children ten and under are currently free!
Ark Encounter also offers Overnight Adventures where youth groups can spend the night inside the Ark.
How much does the zipline cost and is it worth it?
There are several options:
We did not do the zipline on our recent one-day visit and, truth be told, we barely noticed it was even there. I'm sure it would be fun if you have a multi-day ticket, but we had plenty to do inside our one day window.
Will I have enough to do if I don't pay for the extras?
There are a lot of add-ons at the Ark Encounter - including the zipline, virtual reality, camel rides, camel encounters, a mining sluice and fossil find, an all-you-can-eat buffet, ice cream cones, snacks and sundries of all kinds, and gift shop souvenirs.
Rest assured, you can still have fun on your standard ticket alone since it includes the ark itself, shows at the Answers Center, the zoo, and the playground. It would be a good idea to budget in spending money for food though since everyone has a better time on a full stomach.
How much time should we plan to spend at the Ark Encounter?
The one-day day was perfect for our family, but we did maximize our day - arriving right on time and staying all the way until closing. If you plan to add-on the zipline, virtual reality, or other attractions, two days would be better.
Have a wonderful time at the Ark Encounter!