Day 1 Schaumburg, IL

Lets go on an adventure to the ARK Encounter and Shipshewana Amish Country! We’ll travel through Wisconsin then into Illinois for our overnight stay in Schaumburg, IL.

Day 2 Shipshewana, IN

We’ll travel across Illinois into Indiana to the University of Notre Dame for a tour of the campus. Our tour includes the Grotto, Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Main Building (the Golden Dome), and the Hesburgh Library (“Touchdown Jesus”). After lunch we continue to Shipshewana, located in the heart of Amish Country. Our group will be taken into the world of the Amish and Mennonites at Menno-Hof. Learn about the many different facets of Anabaptist life featuring a European courtyard, a dungeon, a 17th-century sailing ship, print shop and an authentic meeting house to help further our understandings of the history, life and faith of these people. Tonight, enjoy and included dinner at the Blue Gate Restaurant then “The Rise and Fall of Miss Fanie’s Biscuits” at the Blue Gate Theater. (B, D)

Day 3 Shipshewana, IN

Our morning begins with an Amish Tour with a local Amish guide and included lunch at an Amish home. We’ll see where many still live a centuries-old “Plain” lifestyle. Step back in time to enjoy a slower, more peaceful pace. We’ll visit several Amish Cottage Shops during our tour. You will also have some free time in Shipshewana if time allows. Another included dinner at a local restaurant this evening will top off our last day here in Shipshewana. (B, L, D)

Day 4 Florence, KY

We head south through Indiana today crossing into Ohio then into Kentucky-the blue grass state! Our afternoon will be spent at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY. Lunch is included here. Explore the 75,000-square-foot museum where the pages of the Bible come to life. Journey through biblical history and marvel at the Garden of Eden alongside Adam and Eve. Spot the serpent coiled among the tempting fruit, and learn about Noah’s Ark and the Flood. You’ll see state-of-the-art exhibits, fossils, and even a full-size Allosaurus skeleton. Tour the beautiful botanical gardens to the petting zoo and camel rides. Our hotel is located just south of Cincinnati in Florence, KY. (B, L)

Day 5 Florence, KY

Today’s adventure has us heading south to Williamstown, Kentucky to the ARK Encounter, featuring a full-size Noah’s Ark, built according to the dimensions given in the Bible. Spanning 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high, this modern engineering marvel will amaze us. We’ll spend most of the day here. Lunch is included. Return to the hotel to freshen up a bit until we depart for the BB Riverboat for a dinner cruise on the Ohio River. (B, L, D)

Day 6 Des Moines, IA

This is mostly a travel day. We’ll make our usual breaks and lunch stops as we begin our trek towards home. We will travel as far as Des Moines, IA. (B)

Day 7 Home

This morning we travel to West Bend for a visit to the Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption. Lunch is included here. Later today we say goodbye to our new friends as we make our way back home reminiscing about our wonderful adventure! (B, L)