THE ARK ENCOUNTER & MORE

FULL DAY @ The Ark Encounter * Creation Museum * American Sign Museum * The Gateway Arch

Queen Esther by Sight & Sound (Branson)

Day 1 : Comfort Suite, Jackson (TN)
Day 2 – 4 :  Fairfield by Marriot, Florence (KY)
Day 5 : Drury Plaze @ The Arch, St. Louis (MO)
Day 6 : Hilton Convention, Branson (MO)
(On some dates, alternate hotels may be used.)

SINGLE OCCUPANCY:  $2,600 Per Person     DOUBLE OCCUPANCY:  $2,100 Per Person

TRIPLE OCCUPANCY:  $1,900 Per Person     QUAD OCCUPANCY:  $1.700 Per Person

DEPOSIT REQUIRED:  $250 Per Person    REMAINING BALANCE DUE:  August 22, 2024

PRICING INCLUDES

6 Nights Hotel Accommodations * 16 Meals (6 Breakfast, 5 Lunches, & 5 Dinners) * Sightseeing Per Itinerary * Admissions for Group Activities Per Itinerary * Baggage Handling @ Hotels (One Suitcase Per Person) * Luxurious Motor-Coach Transportation * Professional “American Tours” Tour Guide * Complimentary Secured Parking @ American Tours

Day 1 – September 22, 2024: Tyler to Jackson (TN)
We will depart East Texas at 6:00 AM with much anticipation of what waits ahead as we begin our journey out of Texas, traveling through ARKANSAS into TENNESSEE, and ending our day’s journey in JACKSON, TN.!  (L & D) 

Day #2 – September 23, 2024: Jackson to Florence (KY)
Our journey today will take us through TENNESSEE, KENTUCKY, and into FLORENCE, KY which we will call our home for the next three nights.  We will arrive in time for you to freshen up before we head back out for dinner at one of the nice restaurants in the area.  (B & D) 

Day #3 – September 24, 2024: Florence / Cincinnati (OH) Area
Today, we travel over to PETERSBURG, KY as we explore THE CREATION MUSEUM.  The state-of-the-art Creation Museum allows you to venture through biblical history, stunning exhibits, botanical gardens, planetarium, petting zoo, and much more.  This afternoon, we will enjoy an audio tour of the AMERICAN SIGN MUSEUM.  Dedicated to the art and history of commercial signs and sign making, the American Sign Museum is proud to be the largest public museum dedicated to signs in the United States! Covering more than 100 years of American sign history in 20,000 square feet of indoor space, the museum is a walk through the ages of technology and design.   (B, L, & D) 

Day #4 – September 25, 2024: Florence / Williamstown (KY) Area
Today, we travel to WILLIAMSTOWN, KY to experience 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 amazes visitors young and old. From the moment you turn the corner, and the towering Ark comes into view, to the friendly animals in the zoo, to the jaw-dropping exhibits inside the Ark, you will experience the pages of the Bible like never before.  Although there is an elevator to aide you in experiencing of this massive structure, there is a good amount of walking involved.  This is a FULL DAY; so, make sure to have on your walking shoes.  This afternoon, we depart in time to freshen up at our hotel before setting out for another wonderful dinner.  (B, L, & D) 

Day #5 – September 26, 2024: Florence to St. Louis (MO)
This morning, we depart FLORENCE, making our way through KENTUCKY and into ST LOUIS, MO.  We will arrive in time to freshen up before you set out on your own to enjoy the sights and sounds surrounding THE GATEWAY ARCH.  The Gateway Arch is a 630-foot monument in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Clad in stainless steel and built in the form of a weighted catenary arch, it is the world’s tallest arch, the tallest man-made monument in the Western Hemisphere, and Missouri’s tallest accessible building.  (B & D) 

Day #6 – September 27, 2024: St. Louis to Branson (MO)
Today, we travel from ST LOUIS to BRANSON arriving in time for a wonderful lunch before taking in a presentation of QUEEN ESTHER by Sight & Sound.    Set in the opulent yet perilous Persian Empire, QUEEN ESTHER is a captivating tale of beauty and bravery. Esther’s ordinary life changed forever when she was taken through the palace doors, entering a new world of royalty and risk. With a crown on her head and a secret in her heart, can she find the courage to trust in God’s plan and believe that she was made for such a time as this? Experience one of the most riveting Bible stories of the Old Testament as it comes to life with magnificent sets, special effects, and live animals in this brand-new, original stage production from Sight & Sound Theatres.  After this wonderful production, we will head to our hotel in time for you to freshen up and set out on your own to eat and shop at BRANSON LANDING.  Branson Landing is a 95-acre entertainment and retail destination, offering eclectic shops, fine dining, intimate cafés, and hot nightspots along a waterfront boardwalk–all animated with live entertainment and a merging of water, fire, light, and music.  This 1.5-mile-long waterfront development features a $7.5 million fountain spectacular in town square; more than 100 specialty stores; water-front restaurants; a multitude of entertainment options; strolling costumed characters; a variety of events; and the Hilton Promenade Hotel.  Experience year-round shopping between the two anchor stores: Bass Pro Shops and Belk Department Store. Visit our website for a complete list, and our events calendar.  (B & L) 

Day #7 – September 28, 2024: Branson to Tyler (TX)
Well, it is time to head for home.  But WOW, what a lot to take in and remember.  We have seen and experienced so much!!  As we make our way back to East Texas, you will certainly enjoy visiting with all our new friends as we end THE ARK ENCOUNTER!  The conclusion of our wonderful tour will have us back in Tyler about 5:00pm.  (B & L)

OPTIONAL “PRE-TRIP CANCELATION INSURANCE” OFFERED BY AMERICAN TOOURS
This optional Pre-Trip Cancelation Insurance is $210 per person and is not included in Tour Pricing.

What is the CANCELATION POLICY on “Motor-Coach Tours” offered by American Tours?

• Travel Insurance:  American Tours STRONGLY RECOMMENDS the purchase of Travel Insurance.  You may purchase Travel Insurance through another agency or purchase the Travel Insurance offered by American Tours.
• Pre-Trip Cancelation Insurance (PTCI) offered by American Tours:  Pre-Trip Cancelation Insurance (PTCI) offered by American Tours provides peace of mind.  We make it easy for you to book now and know you are covered – just in case.  Despite your best laid plans, life sometimes gets in the way.  Trips (planned and paid for weeks or even months in advance) are sometimes impacted by unforeseen and sometimes unavoidable obstacles such as illnesses, vehicle accidents, injuries, family situations … the list is endless.  With our “PTCI” in place, all that is needed is a phone call or email to our office prior to the day of your tour’s departure making us aware of your need to cancel.  THAT IS IT!!  No paperwork.  No doctor’s note.  No police report. No explanation.  All that is required is a simple phone call or email.  You are then able to give your full attention to whatever set of circumstances caused the cancellation.  At the conclusion of the tour, a full refund check is mailed to your home address.  For “PTCI” to be in place, it must be purchased at time of registration.  “PTCI” covers you if you have the need to cancel between the FINAL PAYMENT DUE DATE and the DEPARTURE DATE of the trip.  These dates are different for each respective tour but can be found on each tour’s REGISTRATION FORM.
• Customer cancels PRIOR to “Final Payment Due Date”:  In this case, the purchase of “PTCI” does not come into the equation.  The same policy will apply in this case whether the customer purchased PTCI or not.  The customer gets a FULL REFUND of all funds paid (including any funds paid for “PTCI”.
• Customer cancels AFTER the “Final Payment Due Date”:  In this case, the purchase of “PTCI” IS IMPORTANT in this equation.  On the FINAL PAYMENT DUE DATE of the tour in question, the passenger’s funds are COMMITTED to the tour.  If the passenger HAS PURCHASED our “PTCI”, no matter the reason for the cancelation, the passenger receives a FULL REFUND of all funds paid mines to price of the purchased “PTCI”.  If the passenger has not purchased to offered “PTCI”, no matter the reason for the cancellation, there are NO REFUNDS of any funds paid.

*** PASSPORT NOT REQUIRED *** 

*** Trip status converts from “PENDING” to “MADE” after the 20th Registration. ***
  

ACTIVITY LEVEL:

Level 1: The tour operates at a very leisurely pace and involves some minimal physical activity such as climbing stairs, boarding a motorcoach, walking into a museum or other venue, and walking from the hotel reception area to hotel rooms and dining areas.

Level 2: This tour requires average physical activity. You should be in good health, able to walk some stairs and walk reasonable distances, possibly over uneven ground, and cobblestoned streets.

LEVEL 3: This tour includes moderate physical activity. The itinerary blends some longer days with shorter days. You should be in good health, able to walk a flight of stairs or more and participate in walking tours or nature walks possibly over uneven ground and cobblestoned streets with periods of standing.  There could be some early and late activities, and temperature and altitude changes.

Level 4: This tour is active, requiring participants to be good physical shape to fully enjoy the experiences. This itinerary has more activities which may include such things as longer walking tours over uneven ground, transfers over uneven and dusty terrain, high altitudes, or early morning departures. All conditions do not apply to all days, so please read the itinerary carefully and speak to one of our Reservations Coordinators to determine if this tour is right for you. Unfortunately, this tour is not appropriate for individuals who use wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, or similar equipment.