Need Chattanooga Info

[donnac]

Ok, Susan and all of you from Tennessee, please tell me what to see and what not to see in Chattanooga.

I know that we will be going to the zoo, and we will probably be riding the incline train.

DH wants to make the trip as short as possible. He thinks that we can stay only one night, and I figure that it will have to be two.

Any attraction suggestions would be most helpful.

Thanks, Donna

[Emilysmom]

Wow Donna.....I hate to think you'll be this close and we won't see you!!! We used to go to Chattanooga a lot, when our 17 year old was younger. Haven't been there in a while. Let me tell you what I remember.

There is an aquarium and all my kids have been there on school trips, but honestly.....I do not think it is any different than any of the great aquariums across the country. Actually, the one in Gatlinburg seems better to me. There is also a children's science museum, but we haven't gone there either.

There is a place called Rock City. It is basically a park with tons of large rocks in the shape of different things, and the view from the top of that place is AWESOME!!! There is one place where you can stand and overlook 7 states! LOL When our oldest son went there for the first time (I think he was about 5), he looked out over the area and looked disgusted and said to me "Mom! I think they lied. I can only see SIX states"!!!!! Too funny, considering there is NO way to tell exactly what you are seeing....it basically looks like non-stop tree tops!!! We thought it was a fun place at the time.

There is another place you might want to look into called Ruby Falls. We have never been there, but always talked about going. I'm guessing it is another of the places where you ride some sort of incline thing to get to the top, and there is a water fall? I'd still like to see that.

The incline railway is cool if you've never done it. It is like a trolley car that basically goes backward UP the mountain.....and when you get there, the view is beautiful!! And when you are ready, the car goes slowly back down the mountain.

The thing we loved MOST in Chattanooga is now gone, and we were SO upset when we learned about it. It was called the Alpine Slide at Raccoon Mountain. They have an alpine slide in Gatlinburg, and somewhere in KY too. You ride to the top of this mountain (My mom, who was from CA , used to say that they are really just HILLS......but they are the most beautiful hills to me!!) in a chair lift thing like you see at ski resorts. When you get to the top, you can either just ride back down on the ski lift, OR you get off and get this little thing that I can't describe! It's sort of like a a little seat with a handle that controls how fast or slow you go. Anyway, you ride that thing down a cement track.....winding and turning and going downhill. It is a blast!! There are side by side tracks so you can even RACE against another person if you want....or go really slow. We took my grandmother there many years ago....when she was like 78 years old!!! Anyway........last time I checked, it was closed. Don't you love it....the thing I'm MOST excited about in Chattanooga is closed!!

Honestly, that's all I know. There is a small amusement park called Lake Winnepesauka or something like that. It is very very old, and we've never been there before.

I hope you have a great time!! When are you going?

Susan

[donnac]

Wow Susan, that's a lot of info. I've already looked most of it up on the internet.

Tyler loves the zoo which is why we are going there (plus we are zoo members here, and get in free there). He also loves trains which is why I looked into the incline train. We've been to the aquarium in Charleston, and I don't think that he would care too much for that. He paid a recent visit to a children's museum, and there is another good one in Charlotte that we could go to also, so I don't think that we will do any museums.

I wasn's sure if he would like Rock City (sounds like DH and I would) or Ruby Falls. You can purchase a package and hit those two with the Incline Train.

We will probably end up going to the zoo one day, and hit the three other sites our second day. It sound like we will enjoy it all.

We are not sure when we are going. We had planned to go to Montana this month, but back in April my 20 year old gave me five weeks notice that she was getting married (husband wants to enlist), and my Mom who lives 600 miles away and I made the dress. I also became sick the day after the wedding and that next week was hospitalized for four days. Needless to say, Montana did not get planned, and I didn't think that I'd feel up to it. Fortunatley DH works for himself and can schedule his vacation whenever (well, as long as his employees haven't already scheduled their time off). I wanted to go to Louisville, but that weekend didn't look good, and it would have been even further for us to travel. Maybe when ya'll decide to get together further south!

Donna

[Emilysmom]

Donna~
If you are into trains......a quick stop and fun thing to see is the Chattanooga Choo Choo. It is right downtown, and is easy to park, walk thru the train, take pics and be back on your way! I think there is actually a hotel there, and maybe a restaurant. We went there quite a few times many years ago. My 23 year old loved it when he was 5!!!

Depending on when you'll be there, maybe we could meet up with you? It's just over an hour from us. Our youngest kids (Jordan and Emily) have never done the Incline Railway.

Susan

[donnac]

Susan --

I'll let you know when we get it together and have our dates lined up.

Donna