Ark Encounter
Ark Encounter is a Christian theme park that opened in Williamstown, Kentucky, United States, in 2016.
A theme park inside Williamstown
One of the most looked-up attractions in the U.S.
About 141K people a year read its Wikipedia article, more than for 96% of the 2,009 attractions we track.
Dry Ridge is the nearest base
Dry Ridge is 4 miles north, with 679 hotel and restaurant jobs. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Louisville
Louisville is about 65 miles southwest and Indianapolis is about 115 miles northwest (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep and Oct
April, May, June, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 66–83°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Census job and town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Williamstown. Green months are the mild ones.
Ark Encounter
Ark Encounter is a Christian theme park that opened in Williamstown, Kentucky, United States, in 2016. The centerpiece of the park is a large representation of Noah's Ark, based on the Genesis flood narrative contained in the Bible. It is 510 feet (155.4 m) long, 85 feet (25.9 m) wide, and 51 feet (15.5 m) high.
Ark Encounter is operated by Answers in Genesis (AiG), a young Earth creationist organization that also operates the Creation Museum 45 miles (70 km) away in Petersburg, Kentucky. Australian creationist and CEO of AiG Ken Ham founded the park. The theme park promotes faith-based, pseudoscientific young Earth creationist beliefs about the age of the universe, age of the Earth, and co-existence of humans and non-avian dinosaurs.
- Type
- Theme park
- Run by
- Answers in Genesis
- Wikipedia readers
- 141K a year
Stay in Williamstown, or close by
Towns within 30 miles, closest first. Hotel and restaurant jobs show how many places there are to stay and eat.
| Town | From Ark Encounter | Hotel & restaurant jobs | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williamstown | in town | 85 | 3,945 | $210K | A |
| Dry Ridge | 4 mi north | 679 | 2,441 | $217K | B |
| Corinth | 9 mi south | 0 | 226 | $150K | — |
| Crittenden | 12 mi north | 182 | 4,084 | $224K | — |
| Verona | 13 mi north | 1 | 1,394 | $452K | — |
| Berry | 14 mi southeast | 0 | 253 | $99K | — |
| Glencoe | 14 mi northwest | 0 | 319 | $187K | — |
| Falmouth | 15 mi east | 121 | 2,449 | $101K | B+ |
| Owenton | 15 mi southwest | 77 | 1,511 | $138K | A+ |
| Sadieville | 16 mi south | 0 | 370 | $203K | — |
| Butler | 17 mi northeast | 8 | 515 | $158K | — |
| Walton | 17 mi north | 251 | 5,730 | $262K | — |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Ark Encounter
Other well-known places within 70 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
34 mi🏛 MuseumCreation Museum1.2M visitors a year🏛68 mi🏛 MuseumSons of the American Revolution
36 mi🐾 Zoo & aquariumCincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden1.2M visitors a year
69 mi🎢 Theme parkKentucky Kingdom📍66 mi📍 LandmarkCave Hill National Cemetery
120 mi🌲 State parkBig Bone Lick State Park
226 mi📍 LandmarkFlorence Y'all Water Tower
31 mi🎢 Theme parkConey IslandPhoto credits
Creation Museum: Creashin at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden: Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Kentucky Kingdom: Stevietheman at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Big Bone Lick State Park: Mattguyver, CC BY 3.0 · Florence Y'all Water Tower: Larry Hachucka, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Coney Island: Unknown, No restrictions
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Visiting Ark Encounter
Is Ark Encounter in Williamstown?
Yes. It’s inside Williamstown, KY.
When is the best time to visit Ark Encounter?
April, May, June, September and October, with highs of 66–83°.
How far is Ark Encounter from Cincinnati and Lexington?
About 36 miles north of Cincinnati and about 41 miles south of Lexington, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Ark Encounter?
Cincinnati Northern Kentucky (CVG), about 30 miles away.
Where should I stay near Ark Encounter?
Dry Ridge (4 mi, 679 hotel and restaurant jobs), Crittenden (12 mi, 182 hotel and restaurant jobs) and Falmouth (15 mi, 121 hotel and restaurant jobs).
Tips from people in Williamstown
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Williamstown’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.