7centsworth
Well-known member
We are going to Chattanooga on a small vacation in April. I was wondering if any of you have been there and what it is like. Also what are things to do and see while there . Thanks Travis.
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Chattanooga
- Thread starter 7centsworth
- Start date
TreasureDigger
Active member
Travis,
I got your PM about Chattanooga the other day, and am RIGHT NOW typing up some info for you. Will be sending it shortly.
Lisa
I got your PM about Chattanooga the other day, and am RIGHT NOW typing up some info for you. Will be sending it shortly.
Lisa
7centsworth
Well-known member
Thanks.
TreasureDigger
Active member
I just now sent it to you, but think I'll post it here too in case it might help someone else out.
Lisa
Hey Travis,
We used to go for the weekend up to Chattanooga a lot when our kids were young (they are grown now), but now days we usually just pass through on our way to Gatlinburg or N. Ga. Mountains. I can give you some suggestions of things to do:
1. Ride the Southern Belle Riverboat! They offer different types of excursions. General sight seeing cruise, or dinner cruise. The riverboat is located on the landing behind the Tennessee Aquarium, down on the river. There are other types of boats that offer tours as well, but I think you would like the atmosphere of the riverboat.
2. The Aquarium is a really neat place that you ought to visit.
3. Ride the Incline Railway up the side of the mountain to the top. There's a park up there, some nice scenery and overlooks, and other odds and ends - nothing special or fancy, but worth the ride. Not sure if you have any interest in the Civil War stuff, but there is a little building on top of the mountain that offers the story of the Civil War fought on the mountain. Me being a history buff and history teacher, not to mention a metal detorist who likes digging up CW artifacts, I kind of liked it. But if you aren't interested in that type of stuff, then don't waste your time or money there. Your wife and kiddo would probably hate the CW story place.
4. Go over to see the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo stuff. Walk around and look at the trains. They have some little gift shops there that you may, or may not, want to go in.
5. On the other side of Chattanooga (from the Choo Choo) you can take a train ride on the Tennessee Valley Railroad. There is also a small museum at one of the depots you visit, along with trains out in the rail yard that you can walk around and look at and climb on.
6. There used to be (I guess there still is) and Imax theater across from the Aquarium. If you've never been to an Imax to see a movie, then PLEASE go!!! It is a wonderful experience!!! You and your family would love it.
7. You used to be able to tour a TVA dam on top of Raccoon Mountain, but I don't think you can go through it anymore. However, I think they have a small museum up there and employees tell you lots of interesting stuff about the TVA.
8. Rock City is a FAIR place to visit. Lots of overlooks, rock formations, and a few little piddly things to do. Everybody ought to go at least once, but once you've been, that will probably do you for a lifetime.
9. Don't waste your time, efforts, and money to go see Ruby Falls!!! It's a rip off!!! You feel like you're walking 50 miles just to get there!!! And when you are finally there, you find that it's really nothing more than a trickle of water with a red light behind it.
10. Coming down from Kentucky, I assume you will hit I-75 into Chattanooga. If so, stop in Athens Tennessee (not too far outside of Chattanooga) to visit and tour the Mayfield Dairy!!! It's probably 5-8 miles or so off the Interstate. I will look up the info for you if you'd like to find out days and times for tours. Some days they are making ice cream, other days it's just milk. I'm thinking that it MIGHT be at exit 152, but would need to check to be sure.
11. Not sure if y'all would be interested or not, but at the Sweet Water exit (before you get to the Mayfield Dairy exit - headed toward Chattanooga) there is a place called, The Lost Sea. It's a guided tour, waaaaay down deep underground into a HUGE cave. The guide points out all types of "cave stuff" like the different types of rock formations and how many thousands of years it took for them to form and how they formed. Tell you stories about how soldiers were in there during the CW. Take you to the bottom where there is a really big underground lake and you get to go out in flat bottom boats with glass bottoms and feed the fish. The fish are blind because they have never seen daylight. They tell you that the lake has different chambers throughout the cave and in places, divers have never been able to find a bottom to the lake.
12. On 75, before you get into the heart of Chattanooga, there is a TON of GREAT shopping at Hamilton Place. Not far off the Interstate.
13. Downtown Chattanooga has a lot of shopping to offer too.
14. Ride a DUCK!!!!!!!! A DUCK is an old military outfit that runs on land and water. You ride it through the streets down to the Tennessee River and it dives right in! They take you out into the river on a little tour and most of the time offer to let passengers drive the thing out in the water. Very COOL!!!!
15. Buttonwillow Church Civil War Dinner Theater, is kind of like a dinner show. It's about the CW (kind of like watching a play while you eat).
I could keep going but I think you have enough to chew on for now. These are the main things that come to mind. I'll be glad to help you find out info/times/etc if you'd like; just let me know. Hope this helps.
Lisa
Lisa
Hey Travis,
We used to go for the weekend up to Chattanooga a lot when our kids were young (they are grown now), but now days we usually just pass through on our way to Gatlinburg or N. Ga. Mountains. I can give you some suggestions of things to do:
1. Ride the Southern Belle Riverboat! They offer different types of excursions. General sight seeing cruise, or dinner cruise. The riverboat is located on the landing behind the Tennessee Aquarium, down on the river. There are other types of boats that offer tours as well, but I think you would like the atmosphere of the riverboat.
2. The Aquarium is a really neat place that you ought to visit.
3. Ride the Incline Railway up the side of the mountain to the top. There's a park up there, some nice scenery and overlooks, and other odds and ends - nothing special or fancy, but worth the ride. Not sure if you have any interest in the Civil War stuff, but there is a little building on top of the mountain that offers the story of the Civil War fought on the mountain. Me being a history buff and history teacher, not to mention a metal detorist who likes digging up CW artifacts, I kind of liked it. But if you aren't interested in that type of stuff, then don't waste your time or money there. Your wife and kiddo would probably hate the CW story place.
4. Go over to see the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo stuff. Walk around and look at the trains. They have some little gift shops there that you may, or may not, want to go in.
5. On the other side of Chattanooga (from the Choo Choo) you can take a train ride on the Tennessee Valley Railroad. There is also a small museum at one of the depots you visit, along with trains out in the rail yard that you can walk around and look at and climb on.
6. There used to be (I guess there still is) and Imax theater across from the Aquarium. If you've never been to an Imax to see a movie, then PLEASE go!!! It is a wonderful experience!!! You and your family would love it.
7. You used to be able to tour a TVA dam on top of Raccoon Mountain, but I don't think you can go through it anymore. However, I think they have a small museum up there and employees tell you lots of interesting stuff about the TVA.
8. Rock City is a FAIR place to visit. Lots of overlooks, rock formations, and a few little piddly things to do. Everybody ought to go at least once, but once you've been, that will probably do you for a lifetime.
9. Don't waste your time, efforts, and money to go see Ruby Falls!!! It's a rip off!!! You feel like you're walking 50 miles just to get there!!! And when you are finally there, you find that it's really nothing more than a trickle of water with a red light behind it.
10. Coming down from Kentucky, I assume you will hit I-75 into Chattanooga. If so, stop in Athens Tennessee (not too far outside of Chattanooga) to visit and tour the Mayfield Dairy!!! It's probably 5-8 miles or so off the Interstate. I will look up the info for you if you'd like to find out days and times for tours. Some days they are making ice cream, other days it's just milk. I'm thinking that it MIGHT be at exit 152, but would need to check to be sure.
11. Not sure if y'all would be interested or not, but at the Sweet Water exit (before you get to the Mayfield Dairy exit - headed toward Chattanooga) there is a place called, The Lost Sea. It's a guided tour, waaaaay down deep underground into a HUGE cave. The guide points out all types of "cave stuff" like the different types of rock formations and how many thousands of years it took for them to form and how they formed. Tell you stories about how soldiers were in there during the CW. Take you to the bottom where there is a really big underground lake and you get to go out in flat bottom boats with glass bottoms and feed the fish. The fish are blind because they have never seen daylight. They tell you that the lake has different chambers throughout the cave and in places, divers have never been able to find a bottom to the lake.
12. On 75, before you get into the heart of Chattanooga, there is a TON of GREAT shopping at Hamilton Place. Not far off the Interstate.
13. Downtown Chattanooga has a lot of shopping to offer too.
14. Ride a DUCK!!!!!!!! A DUCK is an old military outfit that runs on land and water. You ride it through the streets down to the Tennessee River and it dives right in! They take you out into the river on a little tour and most of the time offer to let passengers drive the thing out in the water. Very COOL!!!!
15. Buttonwillow Church Civil War Dinner Theater, is kind of like a dinner show. It's about the CW (kind of like watching a play while you eat).
I could keep going but I think you have enough to chew on for now. These are the main things that come to mind. I'll be glad to help you find out info/times/etc if you'd like; just let me know. Hope this helps.
Lisa
7centsworth
Well-known member
Thanks for all the information. All of it sounds good to me and yes I do like the civil war. I did not know the mayfield dairy was so close , Liz said we were definitely going there. I alos want to ride the duck , but whooo how to do it all . Looking forward to going and Thanks again for all the information . I did not know if I wanted to go or not until reading all this.
You have got to do the Tennessee Aquarium! It is the best I have ever seen. We have went hundreds of miles out of our way just to go back again. Been there 4 times now. Be sure to see the Sea Horse exibit. There are two of them that are amazing!
TreasureDigger
Active member
Travis, Here are a few websites for you to check out. Nowhere near all of them, but it should get you headed in the right direction. Once you get to Chattanooga, you will be a little over 90 miles from where I live. It might be that Tim and I could meet you and your family one night for supper... if y'all would be interested in doing that.
Lisa
Chattanooga Ducks
http://www.chattanoogaducks.com/
Southern Belle Riverboat
http://www.chattanoogariverboat.com/www
Incline Railway
http://www.ridetheincline.com/
Tennessee Valley Railroad (2 examples below. They offer many different rides. Some are pricey, others are fairly reasonable.)
http://tvrail.com/pages/schedule/missionaryridgelocal.php
http://tvrail.com/pages/schedule/chickamaugaturn.php
Mayfield Dairy (Athens Tennessee)
http://www.mayfielddairy.com/ (click on "Take a Tour" and then click on "Athens Tennessee" to get times and directions)
The Lost Sea
http://www.thelostsea.com/
Rock City
http://www.seerockcity.com/
The Battles for Chattanooga (This is the one that could be a little iffy if you aren't a big CW fan (like I am). Nothing fancy.
http://www.battlesforchattanooga.com/
Aquarium
http://www.tnaqua.org/Home.aspx
http://www.tnaqua.org/VisitorInfo/VisitorInfo.asp
River Gorge Explorer
http://www.tnaqua.org/RiverGorgeExplorer/RiverGorgeExplorer.aspx
Lisa
Chattanooga Ducks
http://www.chattanoogaducks.com/
Southern Belle Riverboat
http://www.chattanoogariverboat.com/www
Incline Railway
http://www.ridetheincline.com/
Tennessee Valley Railroad (2 examples below. They offer many different rides. Some are pricey, others are fairly reasonable.)
http://tvrail.com/pages/schedule/missionaryridgelocal.php
http://tvrail.com/pages/schedule/chickamaugaturn.php
Mayfield Dairy (Athens Tennessee)
http://www.mayfielddairy.com/ (click on "Take a Tour" and then click on "Athens Tennessee" to get times and directions)
The Lost Sea
http://www.thelostsea.com/
Rock City
http://www.seerockcity.com/
The Battles for Chattanooga (This is the one that could be a little iffy if you aren't a big CW fan (like I am). Nothing fancy.
http://www.battlesforchattanooga.com/
Aquarium
http://www.tnaqua.org/Home.aspx
http://www.tnaqua.org/VisitorInfo/VisitorInfo.asp
River Gorge Explorer
http://www.tnaqua.org/RiverGorgeExplorer/RiverGorgeExplorer.aspx
Mike Chgo area
Well-known member
n/t
RickIowa2009
New member
I hope it is warm there!
RJinTennessee
New member
Exit 52Mt.Verd road and follow signs to Mayfields. Best ice cream you will ever eat.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Welcome RJinTennesee to the CMD Forum and hope you will keep posting and be with us often, as we like to have new members and we are a family on here and want you as a brother, too! May God Bless! Amen! 
Ma Betty
Ma BettyGlad to see ya here. Hope we see you again.
God bless.
Mike
God bless.
Mike
7centsworth
Well-known member
Thanks for all the websites Lisa . Supper sounds good to me . Yall know the good restaraunts , name one and we can meet there. We like pretty much all foods.
It is here in Michigan. Can't wait to see ya there! is saturday good? 
A
Anonymous
Guest
Hello, me son, there are quite a few miles between Tennesee and Michigan, so they may not be there! 
But would be nice if I and all our brothers and sisters could come , also! Would you foot the bill???? Just kidding! 
May God Bless! Amen! Ma Betty
But would be nice if I and all our brothers and sisters could come , also! Would you foot the bill???? Just kidding! May God Bless! Amen! Ma Betty