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Chattanooga is a great family destination that offers decades old favorites such as Ruby Falls and Rock City with newer attractions, including the Tennessee Aquarium.
Summer fun in Chattanooga: Rock City, Ruby Falls, Tennessee Aquarium among family favorites
Ruby Falls has beautiful caverns and breath-taking underground waterfall; Rock City offers gorgeous gardens located along winding paths with amazing views; and the Tennessee Aquarium has hands-on experiences with animals. A trip to Chattanooga isn’t complete without stops at these three attractions. Throw in a ride on the Tennessee Valley Railroad and a dinner buffet on the Southern Belle and your vacation is complete.
Chattanooga also has delicious dining options and a variety of accommodation options that all make for a perfect family vacation destination. The location just three hours from North Georgia is another reason it’s a great vacation choice.
RUBY FALLS
Ruby Falls has been a vacation destination for more than 75 years and it has been voted one of the top seven natural attractions in the United States. It is the deepest commercial cavern in the United States and is located 1,000 feet underground deep inside Lookout Mountain.
Visitors begin their journey by boarding an elevator and heading down to the caverns. An informative and entertaining guide leads you through the caverns and to the spectacular 145-foot waterfall.
As you walk through the cavern, it’s amazing to see the small crevices and imagine how the caverns were first discovered. It’s also fun to look at the formations and figure out what they resemble. You might spot steak and eggs or an elephant’s ears as you go deep into the caverns.
An evening lantern tour is offered, as our special events during the holidays. This offers a different experience in the caverns.
Ruby Falls is located at 1720 South Scenic Highway. For more information, check out wwwrubyfalls.com or call 800-755-7105.
ROCK CITY
Rock City has been a landmark vacation destination for decades thanks to a unique marketing campaign. The huge red barns and birdhouses with “See Rock City” are located across the country and have led many people to the Chattanooga garden spot.
A walk through the garden lightens the heart and stimulates the mind. As the owner says, “Our vision is to create memories worth repeating.” It has been success as the enchanted trail has been delighting adults and children alike since 1932.
Highlights include the overlook where you can “See Seven States” and the view from the swinging bridge where you get a great look at the massive rock formations, gardens and countryside. Special events are held during the summer, including a bird show.
For more information, go to www.seerockcity.com or call 800-854-0675.
INCLINE RAILWAY
While at Lookout Mountain to visit Ruby Falls and Rock City, take time for a ride on the Incline Railway. You can take a ride on a trolley style rail car for a scenic view of Lookout Mountain. The world’s steepest passenger railway, it gives you a panoramic view from the top of the mountain.
For more information, check out www.RidetheIncline.com or call 423-821-4224.
AQUARIUM
The Tennessee Aquarium follows a drop of water from an Appalachian cave forest down the Tennessee River to the Gulf of Mexico. Exhibits are located in two buildings, so be sure to check them both out. It takes approximately two and a half hours to go through both buildings. Go early to avoid the long lines.
My favorite stop at the aquarium had to be the penguin exhibit. During the few minutes I was there, I saw a male penguin get a rock and take it over to the female who was sitting on a nest. She hopped up and he added the rock to the nest.
Other fun stops were the sea horse exhibit, otters, a touch tank where you can feed the stingrays, a butterfly garden and animal encounters. You never know when you will see a staff member with an animal. We saw a corn snake and several in the group gave it a quick pet.
New this year is “Jellies: Living Art,” a joint effort of the Hunter Art Museum and the Tennessee Aquarium. The mysterious creatures from the sea are paired alongside some breathtaking glass sculptures inspired by nature. The artwork cleverly shows the connection between art and nature.
The aquarium now also offers catamaran rides on the River Gorge Explorer. A naturalist gives information on the river as you speed along in a fully, enclosed air-conditioned catamaran. We spotted blue heron, osprey and white tail deer during our afternoon adventure.
For more information on the aquarium and the riverboat cruise, go to www.tnaqua.org or call 800-262-0695.
TENNESSEE VALLEY RAILROAD
For a relaxing ride through the countryside in the manner popular in earlier days, take a journey on the Tennessee Valley Railroad. A ride on one of the vintage trains provides an experience on travel from the past. The railroad offers daily rides using restored vintage rail coaches pulled by a steam locomotive.
The train runs daily from March through October and weekends in November and December. For more information, call 423-894-8028 or go to www.tvrail.com.
SOUTHERN BELLE RIVERBOAT
A dinner cruise on the Southern Belle Riverboat is a relaxing way to end one of your days of sightseeing. The buffet includes prime rib, vegetables and cheesecake. The cruise delights children and adults alike with its nighttime tour of the Tennessee River.
For more information, go to www.chattanoogariverboat.com or call 800-766-2674.
WHERE TO STAY
The Doubletree located at 407 Chestnut Street in downtown Chattanooga is a great place to stay. It’s in a great location within walking distance to downtown attractions and the amenities include large rooms, restaurants, fitness center and pool and, best of all, a wonderful, friendly staff who make you feel special. And can’t forget those wonderful hot chocolate chip cookies waiting for you at the front desk.
I had a two-room suite which is a great choice for families. The living room has a microwave and refrigerator, flat screen television, coffee maker and large L-shaped, sectional couch. The bedroom also has a flat screen television, king size bed with wonderfully comfortable bedding and a large closet. The bathroom is also spacious with a large shower and bathtub. It has modern, art deco décor with neutral colors.
For more information, call 423-756-5150 or go to www.doubletree.com.
For more information on visiting Chattanooga, go to www.chattanoogafun.com or call 800-322-3344.
Chattanooga also has delicious dining options and a variety of accommodation options that all make for a perfect family vacation destination. The location just three hours from North Georgia is another reason it’s a great vacation choice.
RUBY FALLS
Ruby Falls has been a vacation destination for more than 75 years and it has been voted one of the top seven natural attractions in the United States. It is the deepest commercial cavern in the United States and is located 1,000 feet underground deep inside Lookout Mountain.
Visitors begin their journey by boarding an elevator and heading down to the caverns. An informative and entertaining guide leads you through the caverns and to the spectacular 145-foot waterfall.
As you walk through the cavern, it’s amazing to see the small crevices and imagine how the caverns were first discovered. It’s also fun to look at the formations and figure out what they resemble. You might spot steak and eggs or an elephant’s ears as you go deep into the caverns.
An evening lantern tour is offered, as our special events during the holidays. This offers a different experience in the caverns.
Ruby Falls is located at 1720 South Scenic Highway. For more information, check out wwwrubyfalls.com or call 800-755-7105.
ROCK CITY
Rock City has been a landmark vacation destination for decades thanks to a unique marketing campaign. The huge red barns and birdhouses with “See Rock City” are located across the country and have led many people to the Chattanooga garden spot.
A walk through the garden lightens the heart and stimulates the mind. As the owner says, “Our vision is to create memories worth repeating.” It has been success as the enchanted trail has been delighting adults and children alike since 1932.
Highlights include the overlook where you can “See Seven States” and the view from the swinging bridge where you get a great look at the massive rock formations, gardens and countryside. Special events are held during the summer, including a bird show.
For more information, go to www.seerockcity.com or call 800-854-0675.
INCLINE RAILWAY
While at Lookout Mountain to visit Ruby Falls and Rock City, take time for a ride on the Incline Railway. You can take a ride on a trolley style rail car for a scenic view of Lookout Mountain. The world’s steepest passenger railway, it gives you a panoramic view from the top of the mountain.
For more information, check out www.RidetheIncline.com or call 423-821-4224.
AQUARIUM
The Tennessee Aquarium follows a drop of water from an Appalachian cave forest down the Tennessee River to the Gulf of Mexico. Exhibits are located in two buildings, so be sure to check them both out. It takes approximately two and a half hours to go through both buildings. Go early to avoid the long lines.
My favorite stop at the aquarium had to be the penguin exhibit. During the few minutes I was there, I saw a male penguin get a rock and take it over to the female who was sitting on a nest. She hopped up and he added the rock to the nest.
Other fun stops were the sea horse exhibit, otters, a touch tank where you can feed the stingrays, a butterfly garden and animal encounters. You never know when you will see a staff member with an animal. We saw a corn snake and several in the group gave it a quick pet.
New this year is “Jellies: Living Art,” a joint effort of the Hunter Art Museum and the Tennessee Aquarium. The mysterious creatures from the sea are paired alongside some breathtaking glass sculptures inspired by nature. The artwork cleverly shows the connection between art and nature.
The aquarium now also offers catamaran rides on the River Gorge Explorer. A naturalist gives information on the river as you speed along in a fully, enclosed air-conditioned catamaran. We spotted blue heron, osprey and white tail deer during our afternoon adventure.
For more information on the aquarium and the riverboat cruise, go to www.tnaqua.org or call 800-262-0695.
TENNESSEE VALLEY RAILROAD
For a relaxing ride through the countryside in the manner popular in earlier days, take a journey on the Tennessee Valley Railroad. A ride on one of the vintage trains provides an experience on travel from the past. The railroad offers daily rides using restored vintage rail coaches pulled by a steam locomotive.
The train runs daily from March through October and weekends in November and December. For more information, call 423-894-8028 or go to www.tvrail.com.
SOUTHERN BELLE RIVERBOAT
A dinner cruise on the Southern Belle Riverboat is a relaxing way to end one of your days of sightseeing. The buffet includes prime rib, vegetables and cheesecake. The cruise delights children and adults alike with its nighttime tour of the Tennessee River.
For more information, go to www.chattanoogariverboat.com or call 800-766-2674.
WHERE TO STAY
The Doubletree located at 407 Chestnut Street in downtown Chattanooga is a great place to stay. It’s in a great location within walking distance to downtown attractions and the amenities include large rooms, restaurants, fitness center and pool and, best of all, a wonderful, friendly staff who make you feel special. And can’t forget those wonderful hot chocolate chip cookies waiting for you at the front desk.
I had a two-room suite which is a great choice for families. The living room has a microwave and refrigerator, flat screen television, coffee maker and large L-shaped, sectional couch. The bedroom also has a flat screen television, king size bed with wonderfully comfortable bedding and a large closet. The bathroom is also spacious with a large shower and bathtub. It has modern, art deco décor with neutral colors.
For more information, call 423-756-5150 or go to www.doubletree.com.
For more information on visiting Chattanooga, go to www.chattanoogafun.com or call 800-322-3344.
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