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August 2025

Trips worth taking

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August is often touted as the last hurrah of summer, with autumn peeking around the door of September. But August still offers ample time for a last-minute trip. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), popular summer vacations usually include theme parks, beach destinations, ocean cruises, or road trips. However, here are five faith-based destinations that span the
country, from Pennsylvania to Washington, D.C., Georgia, and the Midwest. Their rich Christ-centered content makes them worth visiting now … or any time of year.

 

Sight & Sound Theatres

Starting in 1964, the Eshelman family of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, gave humble multimedia church presentations that have grown into state-of-the-art, live stage productions now known as Sight & Sound Theatres.

Currently, Sight & Sound Theatres still has the location in Lancaster, and there is also one in Branson, Missouri – each boasting 2,000 seats, a 300-foot panoramic stage, and sets that are four stories high. This season, David is showing in Branson, while a 30th-anniversary remake of Noah is showing in Lancaster.

In 1995, Noah was the Lancaster facility’s flagship production, and it marked an industry change in Christian theater. Today, Sight & Sound is one of the nation’s top three theater destinations.

Katie Miller, a third-generation Eshelman and current director of Sight & Sound brand development, remembers that first production: “Noah helped us discover our calling. … And while our storytelling and technology have changed since those early years, our passion to bring the Bible to life remains the same.”

While the 2025 Noah remake contains the original elements of soaring sets and fantastic costumes, today’s theatergoers board the ark with 100 live animals and set sail with Noah to gain insight into what transpired before, during, and after the flood.

To learn more about Sight & Sound or to purchase tickets for Noah or David, visit sight-sound.com or call 800.377.1277.

 

Museum of the Bible

Located in Washington, D.C., Museum of the Bible is an innovative, educational institution designed to engage guests with the transformative power of the Bible.

“The key word here is transformation,” said Kellie Koch, public relations manager for the museum. “We don’t just provide information but hope that God uses this place so that what people learn while visiting the museum’s seven floors and 430,000 square feet will travel from head to heart.”

Museum exhibits focus on the Bible’s impact on people worldwide throughout time, including America’s founders. The museum also showcases artifacts such as original copies of the King James Version of the Bible and the first Bible translated and printed in North America.

“But the museum is also an attraction,” Koch explained, “with a wide range of state-of-the-art, interactive experiences like our Hebrew Bible Experience, where visitors get to walk through a retelling of the story of the people of Israel.”

Younger guests will especially enjoy a museum-wide scavenger hunt, involving 10 interactive kiosks telling the biblical story of David.

Open daily, Museum of the Bible offers everyone free entrance the last Tuesday of each month. At museumofthebible.org, a “Plan Your Visit” page provides additional museum information, a calendar of events, and ticket options.

 

Winona History Center and Billy Sunday Home

Winona Lake, Indiana, holds a storied spot in America’s Christian history. For decades, it was the location of Bible conferences sponsored by area organizations, featuring speakers such as Billy Sunday, Bob Jones, and Billy Graham. At one point, these conferences were attracting 250,000 visitors annually.

Today, both the Winona History Center and Billy Sunday Home are part of the campus of Grace College and Seminary in Winona Lake.

In 1880, Billy Sunday became a professional baseball player for the Chicago White Stockings. Six years later, he gave his heart to the Lord and left his successful sports career. He traveled the country for almost 40 years, conducting over 300 revivals and leading thousands to salvation in Jesus Christ. According to the history center’s team, Winona Lake became ministry headquarters for Billy Sunday and his family in 1911.

Though Helen “Ma” Sunday outlived Billy and their four children, their residence has remained a virtual time capsule since her death in 1957, an untouched testament to their ministry and family life.

Additional ministry artifacts are housed within the Winona History Center, such as the original sign of the Billy Sunday Tabernacle, the cornerstone, a bench, lights, pictures, a steel girder, and sawdust from the aisle.

Both venues are open Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 2 to 5 p.m., with additional timeslots for scheduled group tours.

Besides the historical interest of the Billy Sunday Home and various exhibits at the Winona History Center, the nearby lakeside Village at Winona offers beautiful scenery, nature trails, and family-friendly parks as well as quaint shops and restaurants.

Find an overview of the area and both venues at grace.edu/about/community/winona-history-center.

 

BibleWalk

Since 1989, BibleWalk in Mansfield, Ohio, has featured hundreds of wax figures in dozens of life-size scenes, including Adam, Eve, Moses, David, Jesus, and the apostles.

Visitors to this unique venue “walk” through the pages of the Bible on six different ticketed tours.

Tour options include walks through miracles of the Old Testament, the life of Christ, the kingdom of God, Paul’s missionary journeys, the Reformation, the lives of Christian martyrs, and the world’s largest collection of biblical wood carvings.

BibleWalk also offers nine free exhibits of Christian artwork depicting the Ten Commandments, the journeys of Paul, the Nativity, and other Bible scenes.

Guests can turn the walks into interactive adventures by pressing buttons to add sound effects and dialogue along the way.

BibleWalk’s hours of operation vary, so visit biblewalk.us before visiting.

 

Biblical History Center

The Biblical History Center in LaGrange, Georgia, is dedicated to helping guests “step into the ancient world of the Bible.”

According to Ben Stevens, executive director and CEO of the Biblical History Center, his team achieves this objective through the center’s artifacts and information, coupled with immersive, hands-on experiences.

“What sets the center apart,” explained Stevens, “is our unique blend of archaeological authenticity, interactive education, and spiritual insight. We’re one of the few places in the country where visitors can walk through full-scale reconstructions of biblical-era structures, handle replica artifacts, and discover how archaeology brings Scripture to life.”

Guests can explore life-size recreations of structures, such as a first-century Jewish village, authentic camel- and goat-hair tents, tombs, olive and grape presses, and more. They can also view over 250 items, some over 3,000 years old, on loan from the Israeli Antiquities Authority.

With docent-guided tours, a hands-on archaeological “dig” for kids, and authentic in-house, biblical meal experiences, Biblical History Center visitors get a taste of the past and a richer understanding of biblical traditions.

“It’s more than a museum,” declared Stevens. “It’s a place where faith and history meet in a meaningful, tangible way.”

Go to biblicalhistorycenter.com for hours of operation, upcoming events, and ticket information.  

 

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2025
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