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BREAKING NEWS

Weather Authority Alert Day issued for potential severe thunderstorms Sunday, Memorial Day

One person hospitalized after shooting inside lynchburg tobacco shop, suspect at large, 2 severe thunderstorm watches in effect for 8 counties in the area, what happened to holy land usa in bedford.

Ananda Rochita

BEDFORD (WSLS 10) - Some of you may remember visiting or hearing about Holy Land USA in Bedford.

According a former employee of the Bedford Visitors' Center, nearly 25,000 people would visit the tourist attraction every year after it opened in the early 1970s. But Holy Land USA closed in 2009.

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So, what happened?

Julia Smith owns 34 of the nearly 200-acres that was once the thriving attraction.

"We have some people who think that it's open and we're like 'wait a minute, it's private property now,' and things have changed," Smith explained.

In the early 1970s, Bob Johnson created Holy Land USA in memory of his son. But soon after Bob Johnson passed away, Holy Land closed down.

But if you visit the property today, not much has changed.

Many of the replicas are still there. The barn, Noah's Ark, Shepherd's Cave and many biblical messages.

The lot of land where a replica of Noah's Ark sits is for sale. However,  the Ark was transformed into a 9-bedroom home some years ago.

Realtor John Tatulli said kids used to camp at Noah's Ark and a lot of people who have visited the property used to be former campers.

Those who live close by say there are many memories shared on that property.

"It is sad that they didn't keep it going, but I can understand," said neighbor Rita Dooley. "It was work. It was a lot of work involved."

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A trip of a lifetime to the H o ly Land

Serving evangelical Christian groups and ministries for customized tours of the Holy Land.

Join us in the Land of the Bible for a spiritual and powerful journey that will change your life, and watch with your own eyes how the Biblical stories come alive.

TGL TOURS  is an Israeli travel agency for evangelical Christian group tours of the Holy Land. It was founded out of mission and love for the Lord, the Bible, and the Land of Israel. Our leading goal for our travelers is to turn the Bible from black and white to color and to have a deeper understanding of the Scriptures while walking through God’s land.

Thanks to many years of experience guiding through the Holy Land, we create rich, well-planned, customized itineraries to fulfill every group leader’s wishes and desires.

TGL TOURS will take care of your group from the moment of landing until the moment you leave the land.

“I was glad when they said to me, “Let’s go to the house of the Lord.” Our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem.”

Our services.

Plan a group tour

TGL TOURS creates a custom tour, and itinerary tailored to the tour leader's preferences and takes care of all ground services from arrival to departure to ensure the perfect group tour of the Holy Land.

If you plan to bring a group to the Holy Land, we'll gladly offer you our services.

Individual travelers

Individual travelers are welcome to join our scheduled tours. We have tour leaders who are eager to accommodate individuals interested in joining an organized group tour to the Holy Land.

Please contact us to check the possibilities.

TGL TOURS offers VIP tours for families, couples, or small groups of up to 15 people for a private tour of the Holy Land. The whole tour is customized based on our recommendations and expertise.

Contact us to start planning your journey of a lifetime to the Holy Land.

Have a look at some of our recommended itineraries

Why choose TGL TOURS?

Expert planning.

Our itineraries are created by our main guide, who has more than 30 years of experience in the field and takes all into consideration with regard to the wishes of the group leader. Our itineraries are planned to the highest standards so that our travelers have time to see and learn as much as possible.

Personalized treatment

TGL TOURS is a unique family company specializing and dealing exclusively in the Christian tourism field. This allows us to give personalized treatment and maximum care to each and every one of our groups. We pride ourselves in our partners becoming an extension of our family.

Bible focused

We are passionate and committed to spreading the Gospel of Jesus, providing our travelers with a life-changing experience, and giving them a deeper understanding of the Scriptures, the Old and New Testament, while they are walking through God’s Land.

Israeli company

As an Israeli company, we have the strongest knowledge of the Land of Israel, from the sites we visit and the suppliers we work with to the culture and social history. TGL TOURS takes pride in the strong connection between Israel and other nations.

“Let us go across to the other side”

Testimonials from some of our dear clients.

"If you plan a trip to Israel, I highly recommend using TGL TOURS! When you tour with TGL and Yuval Shemesh as your guide, it is much more than just a sight-seeing tour; it is a biblical education and a great spiritual experience that will bring you closer to the Lord Jesus Christ! Going to Israel will put the Bible in living color for you. I truly believe Yuval Shemesh is the best guide in all of Israel! Your trip's administrative responsibilities will be handled professionally by Yuval's daughter, Coral Shemesh, who owns TGL. You can be assured that all your trip bookings will be handled professionally to make your Israel experience of the highest quality! I plan to return, and when I do, it will be with TGL Tours."

Bentonville, Arkansas

"My wife Wanda and I were blessed and fortunate enough to have recently had a tour of the Holy Land of Israel led by the TGL TOURS group. I cannot say enough about the wealth of information that our Guide, Yuval, had. As he spoke at every spot we visited, history came to life, and Yuval was very passionate about what he was sharing with us. As a pastor, I need context so that I can present the proper biblical perspectives, this trip revolutionized my biblical view and brought clarity and context to the times of Christ so vividly that my teaching and preaching will never ever be the same. Thank you, TGL TOURS it was an amazing trip."

New Jersey, USA

"Having led groups to Israel 46 times, I would like to highly recommend Coral Shemesh and TGL TOURS to anyone who is planning on taking a group for a tour of the Holy Land. Coral takes care of the administrative responsibilities, hotels, bus, guide, customized itinerary, and all the matters necessary for a trouble-free pilgrimage to Israel. You will be pleased and blessed by using TGL TOURS and Coral. You can be assured that all your trip bookings will be handled professionally to ensure the highest quality of your Holy Land experience and that your travelers will get an incredible, spiritual, and meaningful tour!"

Mississippi, USA

"What a life-changing experience to spend 12 days in the Holy Land. I like to refer to this experience as each day was filled with Oohs and Ahhs!.. The professionalism was next level to any guide service I had ever been a part of. Yuval can connect History, Archaeology, and the Bible amazingly, ultimately pointing all to Jesus Christ. I want to learn like he has learned and quote scriptures the way that he does. Coral's organization and care for us on the tour were top-notch! By the way, I salute you and your Husband for your Military service. Our driver was excellent, and we always felt safe in his care. We look forward to our paths crossing again!"

"FIVE STARS! We HIGHLY recommend TGL TOURS! Coral put together an amazing trip for us, every detail was covered! We took a group of 22, which was a good size. During the planning months, she was readily available to answer any questions we had and incorporated our personal requests into the itinerary! Yuval, our guide, is simply the best. A gifted communicator with a wealth of experience and knowledge, Yuval connected the spiritual dots for us as we visited the places of the Bible! We are all left with a deeper appreciation of the Scriptures, knowledge of the Land, and love for the Lord! We plan to use TGL TOURS for all our future return trips to Israel."

Plano, Texas

"WOW!!! What a journey. Traveling through Israel with TGL TOURS was amazing. Yuval’s wisdom and knowledge of the Bible were so profound. We literally saw everything. The spiritual journey we were on was truly life-changing. I will never read God’s word without envisioning everywhere we were. The Bible has come to life! Yuval always went the extra mile to ensure we never forget this journey through the Holy Land. I can't thank him enough. Our driver, Wassim, was also amazing, I totally felt safe. Yuval’s daughter, Coral, made sure our days were planned out perfectly and always had a smile on her sweet face. I highly recommend TGL for a personal experience. What a great team! Thank you, and May God bless and keep y’all!"

Frisco Texas

"It is my pleasure to recommend TGL TOURS to any Bible lover who wants to visit the Holy Land and is planning to bring a group. TGL TOURS and the Shemesh family have decades of experience helping Christians experience the beauty of the land of Israel, God's Land. I have known and partnered with them for more than a decade and have been pleased with all of my travel experiences. Christians who want to better understand the life and ministry of Jesus and to get a deeper understanding of the Scriptures must choose TGL TOURS. You will receive fair pricing and excellent customer service. They have been my friends and my travel partners for many years."

First Melissa Church. Texas, USA

TGL stories

Get a taste of some of the top places you will visit with us on your next tour of the Holy Land, to understand the historical context and the deeper meaning of the word.

Tabgha – Peter’s Primacy

Mount of Beatitudes

Capernaum (Kfar Nahum)

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RoadsideAmerica.com Your Online Guide to Offbeat Tourist Attractions

Attraction:

Bedford, Virginia : Virginia's Holy Land USA (Closed)

Why slog halfway around the world for biblical sights when you can visit them on a Virginia farm? The ark and lots of animals are on hand, too.

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Visitor Tips and News About Virginia's Holy Land USA

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Bad news from the Roanoke Times : "Holy Land USA, a Bedford County theme park that offers tours of replicated biblical sites to tell the story of Jesus, is up for auction -- the victim of high upkeep costs and low attendance.

According to TRF Auctions of Lynchburg, the property will be auctioned as five separate tracts, though bidders will have the opportunity to bid on the property as a whole. The company's Web site touts the property as ideal for use as a camp, church facility, corporate retreat, recreational land or timber investment."

Dodson said Holy Land USA Inc. can refuse to sell the park if the winning bid is deemed too low, in which case, they will try to reopen next year.

I use to go to The Holy Land USA in Bedford VA all the time when I was a kid. We use to take my children also when I got married. I called the Holy Land USA and they opened April 1st according to the voice mail. It's a really neat experience. I plan on taking my Awana Children.

I can verify that the Holy Land is still closed. All you can see from the road are a couple of giant crosses and what's apparently a historical Biblical-era transport that blocks the entrance.

As I bought my Holy Land postcards at the Bedford Area Welcome Center, the woman at the register said, "It's a shame that place had to close, and I don't think it's ever going to re-open. The people that own it have just gotten too old to keep up with it."

April 2008: Holy Land USA is back in business; its closing was only temporary.

I was reading the story on Holy Land USA in Waterbury, CT. I have an eerie, yet almost identical, roadside adventure. I have been visiting this Holy Land USA since I was a child.

My grandfather was a local minister in Bedford, VA, and we would have the big family "get-together." here. We would always stay in "the Ark" -- an enormous 3-story cabin that was made to look like Noah's Ark. I can remember sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner one year and there were tours that would come through -- peering through the windows -- as if we were part of the exhibit.

It comes complete with dilapidated old buildings, and something called "the nothing" -- by far the most artistically created piece in the park. There's also the little town of Bethlehem, complete with creepy old figures, half lit displays, and lots and lots of animals running free throughout the park.

An old favorite of ours, chronicled in the first Roadside America book. It's a 250-acre Bible-themed nature sanctuary that relies on donations and the occasional gift shop buying binge. Wonder if they still sell the souvenir Crown of Thorns and nails "like those used to crucify our Lord"? December 2007: Added this photo from Elizabeth Massie's visit in 1994, here in front of "King Herod's Idol" folk art contraption.

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Welcome to anastasis tours usa.

Unique pilgrimages to explore your Christian Faith

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In our tours, we aim to not only allow you to share the blood and body of Jesus Christ with the christian communities of the holy land, but to also be part of the efforts of maintaining the Christian identity of the Holy Land.

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• Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe-Mexico (September 23-29, 2024)
• Join Fr. Pascal Nguyen in the Pilgrimage to Italy, visiting Florence, Assisi, San Giovanni Rotondo (Padre Pio) and Rome (October 7-17, 2024)

Join Father Kenneth Sales in the Pilgrimage to Portugal, Spain, and Italy 14 days 12 nights Pilgrimage (October 06-19, 2024)

Join father carlos serrano in a pilgrimage to the marian shrines from fatima to barcelona a 12 days 10 nights pilgrimage (september 2-13, 2024), join father jesus reynaga in a pilgrimage to the marian shrines from fatima to barcelona a 12 days 10 nights pilgrimage (september 16-27, 2024), join fr. joshy mathew, in the pilgrimage to portugal- spain- france 16 days 14 nights (september 12-27, 2024), join deacon jerry giger in a pilgrimage to the marian shrines from fatima to barcelona a 12 days 10 nights pilgrimage (september 16-27,2024), join fr. marcel emmeh & deacon dan haverty in a pilgrimage to the marian shrines from fatima to barcelona a 12 days 10 nights pilgrimage (april 9-20 of 2024), join father felix kauta on the pilgrimage to the holy land for 9 days 7 nights (september 9-17, 2024), join father raymond kalema on the pilgrimage to the holy land for 9 days 7 nights (september 16-24, 2024), join father ariel f. durian in the pilgrimage to rome & the holy land & jordan (may 6- 20, 2024), join father john ikponko in the pilgrimage to the holy land – jordan( february 26 – march 8, 2024), join fr. miguel campos in the pilgrimage to the turkey (the seven churches of revelation) and greece (with st. paul in athens and corinth)(april 15-25, 2024), join father viktor perez in the pilgrimage to the rome – holy land & egypt (january 15-30, 2024, join msgr. perry kavookjian in a pilgrimage to the marian shrines from fatima to barcelona (march 4-15, 2024), join fr. isaque meneses in the pilgrimage to the marian shrines of lourdes, zaragoza, burgos, santiago de compostela, porto, braga, fatima, and lisbon (november 6 – 16, 2023), join fr. salvador ledesma & fr. benjamin puente in the pilgrimage to the holy land & jordan & egypt (october 2-14, 2023), join fr. jesus reynaga in the pilgrimage to the holy land, jordan & egypt (september 18-30, 2023), join fr. guillermo preciado in the pilgrimage to the holy land & jordan & egypt (october 9-21, 2023), join fr. walter martinez & fr. gonzalo siller in a pilgrimage to the marian shrines from fatima to barcelona- ( september 18-29, 2023), join us on facebook >>, visit the holy land- walk the footsteps of jesus.

On our Christian tours to the Holy Land, we offer a complete itinerary under the guidance of theologically and historically knowledgeable directors, covering locations such as Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Jerusalem. Our tours provide opportunities for pilgrims to walk in the Footsteps of Jesus.

We hope that you will be part of our partnership and you will enjoy an unforgettable journey with us in the Land of the Bible.

Rami Qumsiyeh

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I'm trying to plan a trip for my church family. I can't find any information or rating for Holy Land, in or near Bedford, Va. I heard the one in Conn. is a real mess, very trashy looking. If anyone has been the Holy Land, please let me know how your trip was !!!! Thank you...

Check out their website:

http://www.holyland.pleasevisit.com/

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Follow the asphalt road to the Holy Land

'living memorial' just a moderate car ride away in beford county, va..

Laura Hipps always wanted to visit the Holy Land. That's understandable, considering the fact that she works at a place called Shearly Heaven.

But what the Chesnee mother of five and grandmother of 11 never expected was that she would travel to the Holy Land by bus and view Mt. Moriah, Calvary and Lazarus' tomb from the back of a wagon. The bus Hipps rode didn't have that far to travel, because the Holy Land she visited was Holy Land, USA, located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Bedford County, Va. "I know I'll probably never get to the Holy Land, but when I heard about the trip to Holy Land, USA, I thought that might be the next best thing," Hipps said of the three-day trip she took this fall along with three of her close friends. Hipps is the kind of person who has found she has a knack for listening to others, a skill she's honed during her years working as a hairstylist. She'd taken other trips with Cavin Tours, led by Henry and Don Cavin and their wives, Flora and Catherine, all members of Bethel United Methodist Church, enjoying the "Christian atmosphere" that the couples provided on their tours. As soon as she saw the 2002 offerings, she knew the trip to Holy Land, USA was just what she and her friends needed. "As a hairstylist, I hear it all and I love to help people," she said. "My friends and I got together and decided this would be a great chance for us to be together in a Christian atmosphere. One of my friends had just lost her husband, and the whole trip was like a healing experience, not just for her but for all of us." That's exactly what Holy Land, USA is supposed to be, according to Rita Dooley, office manager for the attraction for the past 21 years. Dooley loves to talk with groups planning to visit the unusual tourist destination, which was built as "a living memorial to all who love God's creation." In fact, Holy Land, USA is a family affair for Dooley. Her husband, Richard, is the general manager and her two daughters, son-in-law and grandson all work in the ministry that attracts 25,000 visitors a year. "We came to work here for what it represents, the ministry, knowing what this ministry stood for and how we could present the Gospel in such a wonderful, realistic manner," Dooley said of the place that founder Robert Johnson began to create out of farmland 30 years ago. Johnson and his son walked around the property, located just 45 minutes from Roanoke and 30 minutes from Lynchburg, envisioning what it could become. They began the process of building the three-mile journey trail as both a nature sanctuary and a place where people can experience what it's like to cross the Jordan River and ride around the Sea of Galilee. The development process is continuing, Dooley said, even though the Johnson family turned over management of the property to a non-denominational ministry, Bible Center Chapel, several years ago. "Development is always ongoing as the Lord decides what we need to do and gives us funds for other representations," Dooley said, calling the result "an open door replica of the nation of Israel." Members of the Upstate tour group found it easy to visualize what undeveloped areas will be like as the trained guides described proposed re-creations. One thing they didn't have to visualize on their riding/guided journey was the improved transportation system. They viewed the recreated scenes from open wagons, comfortably equipped with padded seats and wagon cover and pulled by four-wheel vehicles. "One of the most noticeable changes I've seen in the 20 years I've been here is the wagon ride. In the beginning we took visitors out in wagons filled with hay. There were no seats and the top was open to the sky," Dooley remembered, as she talked about the new wagons that provide a much more comfortable way to view the sites. Groups can also choose to tour in buses, with air conditioning or without, or in vans with air conditioning, extended ceiling and bucket seats. The 16 different options for riding/guided tours are designed to accommodate every need. Prices for the 3-3½ hour guided tour range from $146 for the walking/guided journey, which can accommodate up to 50 people, to $256 for the riding/guided bus journey, which can include up to 44 people. The fact that the recreation of the Holy Land is incomplete didn't seem to bother either Hipps or her fellow travelers, especially once the guides began to talk about the dream out of which Holy Land, USA was born. "The Holy Land is not complete. It is like our lives," Barbara Gross, one of the members of the group, explained. "You can see what it is going to be, and all the scriptures are posted to remind you. The major locations from the Lord's life are portrayed with stones and water, two important symbols from the Bible. The best part of the Holy Land tour is not what you see, but what you are reminded of. That is what I will remember." Holy Land, USA is open from March 15 to Dec. 15, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is free of charge for those who just want to come and walk through the representations on their own. However, groups are required to make advance reservations for riding/guided journeys through the three miles of trails. An Easter Sunrise Service is also held each year at the Garden Tomb. Since all representations are outdoors, visitors are advised to wear casual clothes, bring an umbrella in case of rain, wear comfortable walking shoes with non-skid soles and bring a camera to record the journey. Guides are trained in a seminar each year and are introduced to any new developments that have been installed since the previous year. The training helps them prepare to recreate the Biblical stories and help the sites come alive for guests. "I felt like I had seen what the Holy Land was really like in Jesus' time after I'd taken the tour," Hipps said, explaining that it had been hard for her to picture in her mind a place that she had never seen. "I had pictured the place of Jesus' birth like the wooden manger scenes we have at Christmas. We saw that it was more like a dirt cave in a hillside with a rock front. That really surprised me, because the pictures I had in my mind were really different." After she returned home, Steven Baer, one of her customers at Shearly Heaven, heard her talking about the Holy Land, USA experience and was surprised to find that there was now a Holy Land in this country. He listened to Hipps as she clipped his curly locks. Then he talked about his own visit to the Holy Land, the one in the Middle East, in 1967. Shortly after the Six Days War, he and his father traveled there on a business trip, witnessing firsthand the devastating effects of war. "It's probably a lot safer to go to Virginia," the vice president of Apex Chemical Corp. of SC, Inc., said, alluding to the ongoing conflict in that area of the world. Hipps said she is happy to have had the chance to see the Holy Land on this side of the Atlantic. While in Virginia, the group also visited Charlottesville, where they saw the homes of Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, and went on a luncheon cruise on Smith Mountain Lake, just three miles from Holy Land, USA. The peacefulness of the lake was a perfect complement to Holy Land, USA for Hipps and her friends, Susan Burnette, Doris Billings and Joyce Weeks. "We stood on the bow of that ship and let the wind blow our troubles away," Hipps said of an experience that left her happy she'd finally made it to the Holy Land.

WANT TO GO? What: Holy Land, USA Where: 1060 Jericho Road, Bedford, VA 24523 Telephone: (540) 586-2823 Amenities: Gift shop selling Bibles, books and souvenirs Discounts: A 10 percent discount is given for senior citizen groups (55 and older) for all weekday riding/guided tours How to get there: The site is located three miles from Bedford on Route 746

HOLY LAND USA

Since first opening in 1958, Holy Land USA continues to be a cornerstone of the city of Waterbury, with visitors from all over coming together to behold the beauty of the land. Holy Land has a rich history, created to unite the community through peaceful reflection and worship. With one of the best views of the Waterbury area, Holy Land features a lighted cross crowning the city. As one of Waterbury’s main attractions, this historic site still brings to life the stories of the Christian faith to its visitors.

EXPLORE OUR HISTORY

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Chronicles 16:34

GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE

Ways to give.

Support Holy Land by purchasing an engraved brick or making a donation.

Holy Land History

Learn about the history of the park and the cross.

Have Questions?

Get answers to frequently asked questions about Holy Land.

Get Involved

Tour the site or attend an upcoming fundraiser.

See Upcoming Events

Get In Touch

Get assistance with scheduling Holy Land tours, volunteering or planning an event.

Holy Land USA

PO Box 828, Waterbury, CT 06702

855-370-7770

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I'm trying to plan a trip for my church family. I can't find any information or rating for Holy Land, in or near Bedford, Va. I heard the one in Conn. is a real mess, very trashy looking. If anyone has been the Holy Land, please let me know how your trip was !!!! Thank you...

Check out their website:

http://www.holyland.pleasevisit.com/

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