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Chattanooga Brings Out the Kid in Everyoneby Angela Wibking
Having
fun in Chattanooga is easier than ever. In fact, you might say, it’s child’s
play. The city, nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in
Tennessee’s extreme southeast corner, is so jam-packed with family-friendly
activities and attractions it’s simply impossible not to have fun here –
whether you’ve got kids or are just a kid at heart.
For more information on Chattanooga, call 800-322-3344 or
visit the web site at www.chattanoogacvb.com. Photos by Angela Wibking -Updated 11-19-99- |
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On a recent visit to the city with my 5-year-old nephew
and his parents we packed many of the top attractions into one whirlwind day.
We started the day downtown at the Tennessee Aquarium, arriving just after
opening at 10 a.m. The aquarium is the city’s biggest tourism draw so arriving
early is a good way to beat the crowds. The aquarium sits on the banks of the
Tennessee River in a beautifully landscaped urban park. Inside there are dozens
of exhibits featuring diving ducks, playful river otters, fascinating turtles
and slithering snakes, plus enormous glass tanks filled with every sort of
fresh-water fish imaginable. There are also tanks filled with sharks, stingrays
and other salt-water fish in the Gulf of Mexico exhibit. During the upcoming
months, visitors to the aquarium can “Dive Into Winter” with special events that
include watching the otters, sharks and ducks being fed. Divers will be in the
tanks with the sharks and ducks, tossing them tidbits while visitors watch and
experts will be on hand to explain the feeding processes of various species in
the aquarium.
After our trip through the
aquarium, we dove a little deeper into sea life at the IMAX Theater, right
across the street, by watching a fascinating film on the ocean. Shown in 3-D,
the film was a big hit with my nephew, who loved the special glasses we all had
to wear, and the amazing visuals had all of our group reaching out toward the
screen as giant kelp, squid and schools of glittering fish seemed to swim right
up to us. There’s a new ocean adventure now showing at the theater that sounds
even more exciting that the one we saw. It’s called “The Living Sea” and it
features music by Sting and narration by Meryl Streep. In this film you’ll feel
the power of the ocean as you surf the waves in Hawaii and ride with the Coast
Guard off Cape Disappointment, home to some of the roughest waters in the
world. You’ll also submerge to 3,000 feet and see the strange creatures that
live in the depths where no sunlight ever penetrates. During the holiday
season, IMAX theatergoers can see a brand new version of the classic story “The
Nutcracker,” about a little girl who dreams her way into a magical world filled
with enchanted Christmas trees, giant soldier mice, sugarplum fairies and
handsome princes.
After our IMAX adventure we made
the short drive up Lookout Mountain to “See Rock City.” That familiar slogan
has been painted on barns across the Southeast for decades, beckoning visitors
to the 14-acre attraction. Seeing is believing and our group thoroughly enjoyed
walking the winding pathways, lined with unusual rock formations like the Fat
Man’s Squeeze and the 1000-Ton Balanced Rock, up to the lookout point from
which you can see seven states. On the way back down we passed through
Fairyland Caverns and Mother Goose Village, an underground exhibit where
colorful statues of gnomes and other characters are featured in scenes from
beloved fairy tales.
Next on our agenda
was a ride on the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway, a delightful one-mile trip
almost straight up – and down. The specially built trolley-style cars have both
side and ceiling windows so you can really appreciate the view as you travel on
a track that has a breathtaking grade of nearly 73 percent near the top. The railway
has the distinction of being the world’s steepest passenger train and the views
are truly panoramic. There was so much more to do in Chattanooga, but the sun
was setting and we had to head home to Nashville, just a 2-hour drive away. We
resolved to return another time soon, however, to check out some of the other
family-oriented attractions. At the top of our list is the Creative Discovery
Museum, with its array of permanent and changing hands-on art, science and
cultural exhibits for kids; Ruby Falls, a 145-foot underground waterfall; and
the International Towing and Recovery Museum, filled with vintage tow trucks
and wrecking vehicles. Of course, by the time we return the city will probably
have added even more things for kids and grownups to do, so we may have to plan
several trips – and stay longer.