OT: Chattanooga

[SteelCurtain74]

Taking the family to Chattanooga next week for a few days. Going whitewater rafting down the Ocoee one of the days. What else would you recommend? Getting mixed reviews on Ruby Falls. Is the incline railway worth the price? Any good museums we need to visit?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Thebulldogcountry1]

The aquarium is top notch. Ruby falls is too touristy. It’s essentially lights on falling water. The kids love Rock City. The incline railway is worth doing once, I suppose. The pedestrian bridge is cool, especially if there is an event on it. Lots of good food in the town, even across the river.

My family loves Chattanooga. As a kid, it was just something on the way to Gatlinburg with a lot of road construction. We always stop for a couple days now.

 

[DawginEthel]

Asheville NC has Navitat, a great zipline course. and the Biltmore.

https://navitat.com/asheville-nc/

https://www.biltmore.com/

Clingman's dome is on the ride through the Smokies.

https://www.clingmansdome.com/

Cloudland Canyon State Park in NW Georgia has good hikes and nice camping.

https://gastateparks.org/CloudlandCanyon

Stone Door/Savage Gulf area has some great day hikes and overnight hikes. I LOVE going there.

https://tnstateparks.com/parks/savage-gulf

https://tnstateparks.com/parks/south-cumberland


Near Ft Payne, Little River Canyon has a great waterfall and hiking

https://www.nps.gov/liri/index.htm

 

[Mobile Bay]

I highly recommend the aquarium as well. It's two buildings. The saltwater one is pretty good. Not nearly has impressive as Atlanta. But still good.

What I love about it is the freshwater building. You start out by going straight to the top floor. It starts with the small feeder streams at the top of the watershed and you work your way down into larger and larger waters, finally ending with a large river and then a swampy delta.

 

[Dawg097]

The Lost Sea in Sweetwater, TN is pretty interesting if you don’t mind the drive.

 

[WilCoDawg]

The aquarium is top notch. Ruby falls is too touristy. It’s essentially lights on falling water. The kids love Rock City. The incline railway is worth doing once, I suppose. The pedestrian bridge is cool, especially if there is an event on it. Lots of good food in the town, even across the river.

My family loves Chattanooga. As a kid, it was just something on the way to Gatlinburg with a lot of road construction. We always stop for a couple days now.

The construction may have stopped but the traffic jams are ever-present!

 

[YesIAmAPirate]

We take a weekend trip to Chattanooga every couple of years. Ruby Falls is one of those things that is ok to do once just to say that you have done it. Aquarium is great. They have a minor league baseball team if you can catch a home game. Lots of good restaurants downtown close to the aquarium. We like Rock City too

 

[WilCoDawg]

You had me at “Chattanooga“. It‘s a great town with lots to do.

All the things mentioned above are excellent. You should also find some hiking around town to do. Also, rent some bikes and experience the greenways.

 

[Jacknut]

Aquarium is good. If you've never done Ruby Falls, you need to do it. The incline train is fun, too.

 

[PearlRiverCoDawg]

Very fun city. Check out Boat House rotisserie, Brewhaus was good as well.

 

[Cantdoitsal]

I figgered this was gonna be about the school Mullen stole Fitz from.

 

[sandwolf.sixpack]

Taking the family to Chattanooga next week for a few days. Going whitewater rafting down the Ocoee one of the days. What else would you recommend? Getting mixed reviews on Ruby Falls. Is the incline railway worth the price? Any good museums we need to visit?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

The aquarium is top tier.

 

[PBDog]

- is there really a difference in aquariums from one city to another

 

[Mobile Bay]

- is there really a difference in aquariums from one city to another

Yes. This one is unique in that it has a full 50% or so dedicated to freshwater ecosystems.

 

[Hugh's Burner Phone]

The incline railway was not that special to me. Everything else I can certainly agree with going to see.

 

[SteelCurtain74]

Thanks for the suggestions. Aquarium will be on the list. The Lookouts are in town while we are there so will try to catch a game. My wife had mentioned Rock City so we'll probably go there.

 

[LocalBeachBum]

If the lookouts are in town, catch one of their games.

 

[Hot Rock]

Lots of people that camp love staying at Fall Creek Falls 35-40 minutes away but that is more a a destination on it's own outside Chattanooga toward Nashville. https://tnstateparks.com/parks/fall-creek-falls

It's great to go before it gets too hot but you can swim the falls, fish the lake, hike, golf, restaurant on site, and the falls are great. It's close enough you could drive into the city to do a couple things.

I love Chattanooga myself as my wife was from there. Lots of stuff to do and I agree the Aquarium is on that list of must do's. Driving up lookout mountain for the views (you see several states up there) was a do for me but I also liked Ruby Falls and Rock City. Ruby Falls is simple but I love caves so I may have enjoyed it more than most.

 

[DAWGSANDSAINTS]

Chattanooga is a great little city.
The incline RW and Lookout Mtn are great especially if you’ve never been and the kids will like it too.
The Aquarium is good but like someone said, once you’ve seen a few fish in a big tank, you’ve about seen it all.
The Lookouts games are fun.
Only beer and (maybe mixed drinks) if I remember correctly so if the wife wants wine she’s SOL unless she can sneak it in a bag or in the short shorts.
Whiskey Bar - rooftop on top of the Edwin Hotel is a great spot,
walk across the pedestrian bridge and walk around North River area, Frazier St and River St.
A good little deli over there called River St Deli.
Chattanooga Brewing across from UTC football stadium is cool with good brews.
The Flying Squirrel is a good stopping point for a cold brew in Southside area as well. Games and things for the kids to do I believe.
Take the family out for Italian one night at Tony’s Trattoria right next to the Edwin Hotel.
About all I got on Chattanooga.

 

[DawginEthel]

Lots of people that camp love staying at Fall Creek Falls 35-40 minutes away but that is more a a destination on it's own outside Chattanooga toward Nashville. https://tnstateparks.com/parks/fall-creek-falls

It's great to go before it gets too hot but you can swim the falls, fish the lake, hike, golf, restaurant on site, and the falls are great. It's close enough you could drive into the city to do a couple things.

I love Chattanooga myself as my wife was from there. Lots of stuff to do and I agree the Aquarium is on that list of must do's. Driving up lookout mountain for the views (you see several states up there) was a do for me but I also liked Ruby Falls and Rock City. Ruby Falls is simple but I love caves so I may have enjoyed it more than most.

Fall Creek Falls!!!!!

 

[DawgsGoneWild]

Close to the Ocoee, there are 2 trails that are pretty easy and fun in Benton, TN. Both lead to waterfalls. One is i think Benton falls trail. You go up around an 8 mile drive and hike about 2 miles. It’s a campground but there is plenty of parking. The other is at the bottom of that trail. Take a left out of the Cherokee National forest road and it’s about 1/2 mile on left. Both have great waterfalls to view

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Hunter Museum of American Art might be worth a visit.

It also has a great view of the Tennessee River.

Hunter Museum of American Art | Things to do in Chattanooga, TN

The Hunter Museum of American Art includes 100 years of architectures and the most complete collection of American art in the Southeast.

huntermuseum.org

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

Went years ago and I thought Raccoon Mountain was very interesting.

Raccoon Mountain link

 

[ThreeDawgNight]

Lupi's Pizza Pies is my favorite restaurant on earth. A pepperoni and mushroom calzone from there would be my death row last meal. There are several locations around the 'Noog, but go to the original location on Broad Street downtown. Eat for lunch and then walk five minutes to the aquarium. After the aquarium, walk across the Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge to the north shore for Clumpies Ice Cream. If you have kids, let them ride the carousel in Coolidge Park (just behind Clumpies). Lots of great options for supper on the north shore or back on the aquarium side.

Just a great town all around.

 

[dawgstudent]

Taking the family to Chattanooga next week for a few days. Going whitewater rafting down the Ocoee one of the days. What else would you recommend? Getting mixed reviews on Ruby Falls. Is the incline railway worth the price? Any good museums we need to visit?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

We went end of May. 3 restaurant recommendations.

Purple Daisy
State of Confusion
Tony’s

We did Ruby Falls and Rock city. I liked them both. I would move to Chattanooga in a second if my kids weren’t in school yet. Great city.