A few years ago, the Ark Encounter opened not far from us. We talked about going many times but we never found the right time. Then we found out that there were days that veterans got in for FREE (Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day). Since my husband is a veteran and you all know I can’t pass up a good deal we made plans to go! Once we went, I couldn’t believe it took us so long to go and see it.

The Ark Encounter is the life-size Noah’s Ark attraction. There is so much to do there, you could honestly make it a two-day experience. The Ark is built to scale… it is incredible. When you walk up to it, the enormous size takes your breath away. It was amazing to really see it after reading about it all my life.

Then you get to go inside and explore the three decks full of different exhibits. These exhibits let you discover what the world was like in Noah’s time, how Noah and his family might have lived on the Ark, the Rainbow Covenant, and so much more!

While you are there, make sure you stop by Emzara’s Buffet. Lunch is served buffet style, but the food really is amazing.

It was fresh and hot! There were 4 sections that repeated all the offerings so you could easily get to any of the food you wanted to eat.

There is also a salad bar (and it had beetroot!!! – one of my favorite things to put on a salad) and a desert bar (the banana pudding was to die for!).

The menu changes daily. When we went, we had fried chicken that was so good! It was fresh, tasty and ever so juicy! They have many options and always have specialty foods and diet-friendly options.

The decor at the restaurant is awesome too. There were lots of animals all over the restaurant.

Next, we went to the Ararat Ridge Zoo where they have animals from all over the world. You can also visit the petting zoo they have there and ride a camel or a donkey.

They also have the Screaming Eagle Zip Line and Aerial Adventure. We didn’t do this (I am terrified of heights) but the boys were talking about how much fun it looked like. There are 24 different zip lines in the course and they reach up to 50 miles per hour! There is also a Jump Tower and an aerial adventure course to test your balance. I think I would faint but anyone who loves going fast and enjoys heights would absolutely love this! Plus it is beautiful out there.

As you can see, there is so much to see and do at the Ark Encounter. The Ark left such an impression on us and we learned so much. On top of that we really had a great time. We will go again because we didn’t see everything we wanted in one day. I would highly recommend checking it out with your family! There are discount days  (mothers are half-price on Mother’s Day and fathers are half-price on Father’s Day) and if you have a Veteran in your family take advantage of a day they can get in for free!