(Photo) The Tennessee Aquarium.

Piece 1: Tennessee Aquarium. Located in Chattanooga TN just north of downtown near the riverfront is the Tennessee Aquarium.

The original building, known as “The River Journey”, opened in 1992 and focuses on freshwater creatures and species.

A second building on the complex, called “The Ocean Journey”, opened in 2005 and focuses on sea creatures and species.

The Aquarium structures themselves are beautiful public art creations, with their crystalline glass roofs adding a distinctive element to the Chattanooga skyline.

We started our roughly 2.5 hour tour in the freshwater building, an immersive and multi-sensory experience that takes patrons through a variety of re-created habitats. The otters are typically very active and fun to watch.

I would say our favorite freshwater exhibit is “River Giants” which features some of the largest river-dwelling creatures in existence; including alligator gars, shark catfish, and whip rays.

Moving on to the seawater building, we really enjoyed the multilevel “Secret Reef” exhibit, which takes visitors into the depths of the Gulf of Mexico to see green sea turtles and a variety of sharks.

An “undersea cavern” allows for panoramic views of the re-created deep sea landscape and encounters with exotic bottom-dwelling creatures.

The Tennessee Aquarium is definitely a “destination point” to build a trip around.

The Incline Railway Climbing Lookout Mt.

Piece 2: Incline/Lookout Mountain. A short drive south from the Tennessee Aquarium is a long-standing Chattanooga attraction; the Incline Railway at Lookout Mountain (3917 St. Elmo Avenue).

Originally established in the late 1800’s, the Incline has persevered through several service interruptions over the years.

There is ample parking available at the Incline station at the foot of Lookout Mountain, where you board the rail car for a scenic 10-minute ride up to an observation deck.

Once atop the mountain, Point Park (a unit of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park) is a short distance away.

We enjoyed the park’s beautiful views and informational signage relevant to the American Civil War history of the area.

Staring into the Tennessee Valley, while standing next to canons still positioned on the bluff, it’s hard to imagine a place so peaceful was (at one time) a place of such violence and carnage.

The park visitor center features an enormous mural by Civil War-era artist James Walker, representing his eyewitness account of the infamous “Battle Above the Clouds”.

Also close by is The Battles for Chattanooga Electric Map and Museum, featuring a panoramic visual description of the multi-day conflict and the Union’s decisive victories at Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, and Orchard Knob.

The Incline Railway descent offers another memorable perspective of Lookout Mountain. This is a fun and educational experience; budget a couple of hours for it.

Rock City Multi-State Viewpoint

Piece 3: Rock City/Ruby Falls. From the Incline Railway in Chattanooga, it’s about a 10-minute drive south to Rock City, a well-known tourist attraction at Lookout Mountain GA.

Garnet and Frieda Carter owned 700 acres that included the area that would become Rock City. In the early 1930’s, the couple created a walkable pathway (decorated with plants and gnome statues) connecting the extraordinary rock formations and vistas on the property.

The iconic advertising strategy of painting “See Rock City” on barn sides and roofs began soon after this; progressively imprinting the attraction in the minds of travelers and tourists.

It’s a fun place to experience; swinging bridge, a narrow space along the trail to squeeze through, a big mushroom shaped rock, a vista that reputedly provides a view of seven states, and the magical “black lit” Fairytale Caverns and Mother Goose Village.

We really enjoy going to Rock City at night during December, when the whole place is illuminated with holiday lights.

Heading back north toward Chattanooga, another area tourism staple, Ruby Falls Cave, is located at 120 Scenic Highway.

Discovered in the late 1920’s by Leo Lambert and named after his wife, Ruby Falls Cave began allowing visitors in the early 1930’s.

The entrance building resembles a castle, and there are some great views of the Cumberland Valley from this vantage point.

The cave tour begins with a 260-foot descent in a glass-front elevator. The underground pathway to the spectacular 145-foot indoor waterfall is about a half mile long, and the round-trip walk takes just over an hour.

The temperature in the cave is always about 60 degrees, so a light waterproof jacket is recommended.

A slower paced cave tour option is available, and we liked that. It provides more opportunity to observe and enjoy the decoratively-lighted rock formations, and more time at the falls.

NOW…READY TO START PLANNING YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE?

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