A Top Getaway for Families
(above) Creative Discovery Museum, photo courtesy of Creative Discovery Museum
Noted by Lonely Planet as a top travel destination for 2018, Chattanooga boasts over 15.6 million visitors annually and offers museums, attractions, and adventures for the whole family.
A leading Scenic City destination, the Tennessee Aquarium is ranked among TripAdvisor’s 10 best aquariums in the world. Its River Journey and Ocean Journey buildings are home to more than 12,000 animals, including penguins, sharks, reptiles, and the largest collection of freshwater turtles in North America. With its state-of-the-art laser projection technology, the IMAX Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium adds to the viewer experience.
Home to Rock City, Ruby Falls, and the Incline Railway, historic Lookout Mountain claimed a spot on Northwestern Mutual’s list of the best affordable family vacations in 2018. Full of charm, Rock City features beautiful gardens, ancient rock formations, and a panoramic view of seven states. Ruby Falls is the nation’s tallest underground waterfall open to the public – located 1,120 feet below the earth’s surface. Nearby, Ruby Falls’ ZIPstream Aerial Adventure thrills visitors with ziplines and a 40-foot climbing tower. In operation since 1895, the Incline Railway takes passengers on a ride up Lookout Mountain at a 72.2% grade.
Downtown, the Creative Discovery Museum displays hands-on exhibits that encourage creativity and learning, while High Point Climbing and Fitness features more than 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor climbing space. The iconic Chattanooga Choo Choo has something for the whole family, including authentic Pullman train cars where you can spend the night. Railway enthusiasts will also enjoy the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, offering daily trips from Grand Junction Station.
Outdoor activities are available year-round. More than 300 acres can be explored at Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center, highlighting Chattanooga’s natural beauty. Scenic tours of the Tennessee River are enjoyed on the Southern Belle, one of the city’s oldest attractions. Chattanooga Ducks invites guests to ride around downtown on a WWII amphibious landing craft before splashing into the Tennessee River.
At the Chattanooga Zoo, visitors stroll through the Himalayan Passage, Gombe Forest, and Corcovado Jungle, where red pandas, meerkats, and even a two-toed sloth are found. Lake Winnepesaukah, a family-favorite amusement park, is open daily in the summer months and on select weekends throughout the year.
With 13 miles of paved trails, picnic areas, fishing piers, and more, the Tennessee Riverpark is known for its picturesque views and safe areas for jogging, skating, biking, or walking. Bike rentals are available at several locations along the Riverpark and downtown. Chattanooga’s Horse Trams and a Gray Line Hop On/Off Trolley Tour provide a unique way to get around the city.
For sports fans, the UTC Mocs athletic teams, the Chattanooga Lookouts baseball team, the Chattanooga Football Club, the Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, and the Nooga Rugby team call the Scenic City home. Manker Patten, the city’s premier tennis club, hosts top tennis matches and leagues for all skill levels. A number of tennis courts, as well as golf courses, are open to the public.
Chattanooga is no stranger to the music scene, playing host to some of the South’s most popular music festivals. Drawing crowds as large as 350,000, the Riverbend Festival features five stages and nearly 100 artists. New in 2018, a two-day outdoor music festival held at Coolidge Park, Moon River Music Festival, was a sold-out event. Nightfall (Friday evenings, May to August) and Riverfront Nights (Saturday evenings, July and August) are free outdoor concert series that showcase local performers and national acts. Station Street is the place to catch a live musical performance, while Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium and the Tivoli Theatre are centers for top-quality entertainment.
Seasonal and cultural events are held throughout the year. In the fall, the Chattanooga Market and Rock City celebrate Bavarian culture with German cuisine, beer, music, and more. The Tennessee Aquarium’s Aqua-Scarium and Ruby Falls’ Dread Hollow are favorite fall activities as well. The winter brings Rock City’s Enchanted Garden of Lights, Ruby Falls Christmas Underground, Tennessee Valley Railroad’s North Pole Limited, and the Chattanooga Zoo’s Holiday Lights. Ruby Falls celebrates Valentine’s Day with Romance at Ruby. In the spring, Rock City transforms into Shamrock City to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day; additional spring events include EarthDayz and the Southern Blooms Festival. In the summer, the Armed Forces Day Parade honors veterans and fallen war heroes, closely followed by Independence Day celebrations and fireworks on the river.
No matter the occasion, a visit to Chattanooga promises to be a memorable experience.
(above) Tennessee Aquarium, photo courtesy of Tennessee Aquarium
Adventure Sports Innovation
191 River St.
Chattanooga, TN 37405
(423) 591-5654
adventuresports
innovation.com
Air Bounce!
271 Northgate Mall, Suite 102
Chattanooga, TN 37415
(423) 777-5424
airbounceparty.com
All In Adventures
2100 Hamilton Place Blvd.,
Suite 274
Chattanooga, TN 37421
(423) 377-0066
allinadventures.com
Breakout Games – Chattanooga
7540 E. Brainerd Rd., Suite 111
Chattanooga, TN 37421
(423) 661-8087
breakoutgames.com/chattanooga
Chattanooga Brew Choo
(423) 432-0116
chattbrewchoo.com
Chattanooga Ghost Tours
57 E. Fifth St.
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 800-5998
chattanoogaghosttours.com
Chattanooga Hop On/Off Trolley Tour
(423) 876-9633
graylinetn.com/tour/chattanooga-hop-on-off-trolley-tour-2
Coolidge Park Antique Carousel
150 River St.
Chattanooga, TN 37405
(423) 643-6311
chattanooga.gov
Eat Sip Walk
(423) 708-5328
eatsipwalk.com
Escape Experience Chattanooga
1800 Rossville Ave., Suite 1
Chattanooga, TN 37408
(423) 551-3306
escapeexperience.com/chattanooga
Escape Mission Chattanooga
405 River St.
Chattanooga, TN 37405
(423) 364-5672
escapemissionchattanooga.com
Hillbilly Jeep Turs
9632 Dayton Pk., Suite 101
Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379
(423) 332-2632
hillbillyjeepturs.com
Insane Paintball
1200 Wisdom St.
Chattanooga, TN 37406
(423) 624-2121
liveinsane.com
Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park
1730 Lakeview Dr.
Rossville, GA 30741
(706) 866-5681
lakewinnie.com
Pints and Pedals
(423) 380-8359
pintsandpedalstn.com
Red Bank Bounce
2011 Dayton Blvd.
Chattanooga, TN 37415
(423) 269-6861
redbankbounce.com
Time to Escape
432 Market St. #204
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 414-2527
itstimetoescape.com
Sir Goony’s Fun Zone
5918 Brainerd Rd.
Chattanooga, TN 37421
(423) 892-5922
sirgoonys.com
Superfly Extreme Air Sports
7455 Commons Blvd.
Chattanooga, TN 37421
(423) 825-9320
superfly.me
Bessie Smith Cultural Center
200 E. MLK Blvd.
Chattanooga, TN 37403
(423) 266-8658
bessiesmithcc.org
Charles H. Coolidge Medal of Honor
Heritage Center
P.O. Box 11467
Chattanooga, TN 37401
(423) 405-3677
mohm.org
Chattanooga Choo Choo
1400 Market St.
Chattanooga, TN 37408
(423) 266-5000
choochoo.com
Chattanooga Market
1826 Carter St.
Chattanooga, TN 37408
(423) 648-2496
publicmarkets.us
The Chattanooga Zoo
301 N. Holtzclaw Ave.
Chattanooga, TN 37404
(423) 697-1322
chattzoo.org
Creative Discovery Museum
321 Chestnut St.
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 756-2738
cdmfun.org
Museum of Flight
1824 E. Crabtree Rd.
Hixson, TN 37343
(423) 228-2359
mofts.org
Incline Railway
3917 St. Elmo Ave.
Chattanooga, TN 37409
(423) 821-4224
ridetheincline.com
International Towing Museum
3315 Broad St.
Chattanooga, TN 37408
(423) 267-3132
internationaltowingmuseum.org
Mayfield Dairy Farms
4 Mayfield Ln.
Athens, TN 37303
(423) 649-2653
mayfielddairy.com
(above) Ruby Falls, photo courtesy of Ruby Falls
Rock City
1400 Patten Rd.
Lookout Mtn., GA 30750
(800) 854-0675
(706) 820-2531
seerockcity.com
Ruby Falls/ZIPstream Aerial Adventure
1720 S. Scenic Hwy.
Chattanooga, TN 37409
(423) 821-2544
rubyfalls.com
rubyfallszip.com
Southern Belle Riverboat
201 Riverfront Pkwy.
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 266-4488
chattanoogariverboat.com
Tennessee Aquarium
1 Broad St.
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(800) 262-0695
tnaqua.org
Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
4119 Cromwell Rd.
Chattanooga, TN 37421
(423) 894-8028
tvrail.com
Chattanooga Visitors Center
215 Broad St.
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 756-8687
chattanoogafun.com
Chattanooga Lookouts
AT&T Field
201 Power Alley
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 267-2208
lookouts.com
UTC Football
615 McCallie Ave.,
Dept. 3503
Chattanooga, TN 37403
(423) 266-6627
gomocs.com
Pin Strikes
6241 Perimeter Dr.
Chattanooga, TN 37421
(423) 710-3530
pinstrikes1.com
Southside Social
1818 Chestnut St.
Chattanooga, TN 37408
(423) 708-3280
thesouthsidesocial.com
Spare Time Chattanooga
5518 Brainerd Rd.
Chattanooga, TN 37411
(423) 899-2695
sparetimeentertainment.com/chattanooga
Spare Time Hixson
5530 Hixson Pk.
Hixson, TN 37343
(423) 843-2695
sparetimeentertainment.com/hixson
Black Creek Club
4700 Cummings Cove Dr.
Chattanooga, TN 37419
(423) 822-2582
blackcreekclub.com
The Champions Club at Hampton Creek
7502 Snow Hill Rd.
Ooltewah, TN 37363
(423) 238-6812
Chattanooga Golf and Country Club
1511 Riverview Rd.
Chattanooga, TN 37405
(423) 266-6178
chattanoogagcc.org
Cleveland Country Club
345 Kyle Ln.
Cleveland, TN 37312
(423) 336-3661
clevelandcountryclub.org
Council Fire Golf Club
100 Council Fire Dr.
Chattanooga, TN 37421
(423) 499-6300
councilfire.net
(above) Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, courtesy of Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
Creeks Bend Golf Club
5900 Hixson Pk.
Hixson, TN 37343
(423) 842-5911
creeksbendgolfclub.com
Eagle Bluff Golf Club
5808 Clubhouse Dr.
Chattanooga, TN 37416
(423) 326-0202
eaglebluffgolf.com
The Honors Course
9603 Lee Hwy.
Ooltewah, TN 37363
(423) 238-4272
honorscourse.net
The Lookout Mountain Club
1201 Fleetwood Dr.
Lookout Mtn., GA 30750
(706) 820-1551
lookoutmountain.club
Signal Mountain Golf and Country Club
809 James Blvd.
Signal Mtn., TN 37377
(423) 886-5767
smgcc.org
Valleybrook Golf and Country Club
180 Valleybrook Rd.
Hixson, TN 37343
(423) 842-4646
WindStone Golf Club
9230 Windstone Dr.
Ringgold, GA 30736
(423) 894-1231
windstone.com
Bear Trace at Harrison Bay
8919 Harrison Bay Rd.
Harrison, TN 37341
(423) 326-0885
tnstateparks.com
Brainerd Golf Course
5303 Old Mission Rd.
Chattanooga, TN 37411
(423) 855-2692
chattanooga.gov
Brown Acres Golf Club
406 Brown Rd.
Chattanooga, TN 37421
(423) 855-2680
chattanooga.gov
Concord Golf Club
1207 Radmoor Ln.
Chattanooga, TN 37421
(423) 894-4536
Moccasin Bend Golf Club
381 Moccasin Bend Rd.
Chattanooga, TN 37405
(423) 267-3585
moccasinbendgc.com
Montlake Golf Club
9104 Brow Lake Rd.
Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379
(423) 332-3111
Chattanooga Football Club
chattanoogafc.com
Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
chattredwolves.com
Manker Patten Tennis Club/Zan Guerry Clubhouse
100 Douglas St.
Chattanooga, TN 37403
(423) 266-6767
mankerpatten.org
Audubon Acres, Elise Chapin Sanctuary
900 N. Sanctuary Rd.
Chattanooga, TN 37421
(423) 892-1499
chattanoogaaudubon.org
Chattanooga National Cemetery
1200 Bailey Ave.
Chattanooga, TN 37404
(423) 855-6590
cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/chattanooga.asp
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
3370 Lafayette Rd.
Ft. Oglethorpe, GA 30742
(706) 866-9241
nps.gov
Cravens House
Cravens Terrace
Lookout Mtn., TN 37350
(423) 821-7786
aboutnorthgeorgia.com/ang/Cravens_House
Engel Stadium
1130 E. Third St.
Chattanooga, TN 37403
(423) 314-1378
engelfoundation.com
Missionary Ridge
nps.gov
Point Park Battlefield
110 Point Park Rd.
Lookout Mtn., TN 37350
(423) 821-7786
nps.gov
Raccoon Mountain Caverns
319 W. Hills Dr.
Chattanooga, TN 37419
(423) 821-9403, ext. 1
raccoonmountain.com
Red Clay State Historic Park
1140 Red Clay Park Rd. SW
Cleveland, TN 37311
(423) 478-0339
tnstateparks.com
Signal Point
Signal Mtn., TN 37377
nps.gov
Silverdale Confederate Cemetery
7710 Lee Hwy.
Chattanooga, TN 37421
Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
nps.gov
Within an hour of the Chattanooga area
AMC Chattanooga 18
5080 South Terrace
Chattanooga, TN 37412
(423) 855-9652
amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/chattanooga-tn/amc-chattanooga-18
AMC Classic Battlefield 10
1100 Battlefield Pkwy.
Ft. Oglethorpe, GA 30742
(706) 861-8594
amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/chattanooga-tn/amc-classic-battlefield-10
AMC Classic Chattanooga 10
2210 Gunbarrel Rd.
Chattanooga, TN 37421
(423) 855-1005
amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/chattanooga-tn/amc-classic-chattanooga-10
AMC Classic Majestic 12
311 Broad St.
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 826-2375
amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/chattanooga-tn/amc-classic-majestic-12
AMC Classic Northgate 14
310 Northgate Mall Dr.
Hixson, TN 37343
(423) 870-9908
amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/chattanooga-tn/amc-classic-northgate-14
IMAX 3D Theater
1 Broad St.
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(800) 262-0695
tnaqua.org/imax
Palace Theater
818 Georgia Ave. #118
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 803-6578
chattpalace.com
Regal Hamilton Place 8
2000 Hamilton
Place Blvd.
Chattanooga, TN 37421
(844) 462-7342, ext. 353
regmovies.com