Chattanooga Travel & Ideas for Family Vacations
Great Hotels in Chattanooga, Rock City, Ruby Falls and the Choo Choo
Feb 9, 2009
Chattanooga is one of the countries best sites to plan a family trip. In addition to popular downtown attractions such as the Tennessee Aquarium, Children’s Discovery Museum, and Imax Theater, Lookout Mountain offers hands-on access to some of the world’s most ancient and astounding rock formations.
Chattanooga Travel, See Rock City
Just six miles from downtown Chattanooga, atop historic Lookout Mountain, are the enchanted gardens of Rock City. Stone pathways lead visitors alongside ancient rock formations and through gardens overflowing with 400 native wildflowers and plants. Visitors wind their way along the 4,100 feet of pathways through vast caverns, a 100-foot waterfall, stone bridges spanning immense crevasses, and close-enough-to-touch awe-inspiring geological wonders.
Kids and parents wriggle and giggle their way between the tight rock walls of the aptly named Fat Man’s Squeeze. Brave visitors bounce across the 180-foot long swinging bridge and laugh at the treetops hundreds of feet below. Family members pose for a picture supporting the massive 1,000 ton balancing Rock. And at the mountain’s summit, families enjoy a breathtaking view encompassing seven states 1,700 feet above sea level.
A fairy-tale theme pervades these enchanted gardens. Rocky the elf greets guests at the door, kids tug at massive crystals embedded in the rock walls of “The Hall of the Mountain King,” and a grand finale of storybook scenes await visitors in Fairyland Caverns.
Since Rock City’s narrow passages and steep walkways are inaccessible to strollers, backpacks are the way to travel with babies in these mountain trails. Rock City does allow pets, so families can bring along the four-legged members for a little exercise.
Chattanooga Travel Offers Ruby Falls and Other Attractions on Lookout Mountain
Chattanooga’s Lookout Mountain is home to numerous geological marvels. Perhaps the most astounding is actually located 1,120 feet below ground. An elevator drops families hundreds of feet beneath the mountain to glimpse Ruby Falls, a 145-foot underground waterfall.
On the way to the Falls, guides point out the caves ancient subterranean rock formations such as stalactites, stalagmites, drapes, columns, flowstone and sparkling onyx. Families who tour Ruby Falls can boast of visiting the country’s largest and deepest underground cascade. They’ve also toured one of the world’s deepest caverns open to the commercial public.
Families can conclude their visit to Lookout Mountain with a ride on the Incline Railroad. With its white-knuckle 72.7% grade, the Incline owns the distinction of being the world’s steepest passenger railway.
Tour guides recount fascinating facts from Lookout’s Civil War history while the Incline ascends the mountain. At the midway point, a switch on the railway’s single track allows a second car to pass right alongside on its way down the mountain. On disembarking the train, families enjoy a view from Lookout’s highest observation deck.
Hotels in Chattanooga Include the Choo Choo
Families visiting the attractions of Chattanooga’s downtown and Lookout Mountain will need more than a day to take in all the sites. Hands-down, the Scenic City’s most exciting family accommodations are found at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Holiday Inn. Where else could kids and parents sleep in a refurbished Victorian-style train car with all the modern amenities of T.V. and internet access?
With horse-drawn carriage rides, an arcade, a model railroad museum, an old-time portrait studio, one indoor and two outdoor swimming pools, an ice-cream parlor, pizza in a converted train car, eight restaurants, and $1.00 trolley rides through the gardens, families won’t be at a loss for things to do at the Chattanooga Choo Choo.
Additionally, Chattanooga’s free electric shuttle service stops by the Chattanooga Choo Choo every ten minutes to offer lifts to popular attractions such as the Tennessee Aquarium, Children’s Discovery Museum, waterfront cruises, Imax Theater, and the best of downtown Chattanooga restaurants and shopping.
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