Chattanooga's Charm

From the flat-topped mountains of the Cumberland Plateau to the depths of the Tennessee River, Chattanooga is an enchanting city full of scenic beauty, rich history, and exciting attractions.

The heart of downtown Chattanooga is nestled along the shores of the Tennessee River. Once known as one of America's dirtiest cities, Chattanooga has revitalized into one of the nation's cleanest cities, a family-friendly destination filled with both excitement and relaxation.

The cool waters of the river are home to thousands of creatures that dance, swim and play beneath its surface. If you want to get a close up, all you have to do is hop aboard the Chattanooga Riverboat's Southern Belle, a 500-passenger vessel that journeys from Ross's Landing to Moccasin Bend. Or try something unique and cruise the river aboard the Chattanooga Ducks, an authentic renovated WWII Amphibious Landing Vehicle.

Still not close enough? Then step inside the Tennessee Aquarium, the world's largest freshwater aquarium and home to 9,000 animals! Their newest exhibit, "Venom: Striking Beauties," features 40 species that bite, strike, sting, harpoon, inject and poison. The gallery houses some of the biggest, deadliest and most exotic creatures known to man!

For a different view of what lives beneath the surface, dive "Into the Deep" to an enchanting world of swaying kelp forests and glowing coral all viewed in 3D on a six-story screen. Also showing at the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater is "Galapagos," where schools of hammerhead sharks can be seen swimming in the same waters as a group of inquisitive moray eels.

Next, take a journey back in time as you ride aboard the Tennessee Valley Railroad through a pre-Civil War tunnel. Or experience the Golden Age of Railroad when you climb aboard the famous Chattanooga Choo Choo! Enjoy an antique trolley ride, have dinner in a Victorian railcar, stroll through the formal rose garden, and sleep in a vintage railcar!

As incredible as the city is in and of itself, with the Hunter Museum of American Art and the Houston Museum of Decorative Art both located downtown in the Bluff View Art District, there is no shortage of man-made beauty in Chattanooga as well. The Hunter houses the best showing of American art in the Southeast, and the Houston contains some of the most amazing pieces of decorative artwork in the world.

The Bluff View Art District is the perfect place to bask in the ambience of the art world. With the Hunter and Houston Museums, a sculpture garden, art gallery, coffee house, and two fantastic restaurants all located on the same two blocks, the heart of the District is a wonderful on-the-river bed & breakfast that gives guests time to sit back and enjoy the finer things in life.

You are also given the chance to glimpse Bluff View's artists at work as you meander through the district's flora-lined streets. The Working Artists Studios make it easy to watch artists create studio glass, paintings and sculptures, chocolates and pastries, bread baking, pasta pulling and more!

Shaded by a towering magnolia tree and overlooking the Tennessee River is the District's Bocce Court. Bocce is an ancient game brought to America at the turn of the century by Italian immigrants. The District even has an annual tournament for those who really get into the game.

Next to the River Gallery Sculpture Garden, which features sculpture in the Gallery's permanent collection as well as changing exhibits, is a blue-lined walkway. This blue is seen along the river's edge in a 20-mile stretch and identifies the sections of the Tennessee Riverwalk.

From the Bluff View Art District, you can take a short walk to the Walnut Street Bridge, the world's longest pedestrian bridge complete with its very own climbing wall. The bridge connects downtown Chattanooga to the north shore, where you can shop Frazier Avenue and its quaint row of shops or visit Coolidge Park and its 12-acres of green grass, animal-shaped fountains surrounded by dancing children and musical laughter, and a restored historic carousel where it's not uncommon to see someone riding atop a frog, a turtle, or even a pig.

In the back drop of downtown Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain's famed attractions Rock City, Ruby Falls, and the Incline Railway have been attracting people from all over the world since the turn of the century.

If you're in the mood for underground fun, visit Ruby Falls where you can view a 145-foot natural waterfall and caverns deep within the heart of Lookout Mountain. Or, if you're claustrophobic but like living on the edge, visit Rock City and famed Lovers' Leap, Fat Man's Squeeze, Mother Goose Village, and the Swinging Bridge.

Take a ride along America's Most Amazing Mile on the Incline Railway, the world's steepest passenger railway. Enjoy the panoramic view from the top of the mountain or visit the Tennessee Civil War Museum at the bottom where you can view exhibits created by Smithsonian designers and films developed by History Channel documentarians. This museum features a million dollar collection of artifacts, and authentic letters and journals give firsthand accounts of the lives of soldiers and their families during this tragic period of America's history.

For more Civil War history, enter the gates of Point Park, part of the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park. With portions of the park on Lookout Mountain, Signal Mountain, Orchard Knob, Missionary Ridge, and in Chickamauga, GA, this is the oldest and largest National Military Park in the nation! Inside the park are 38 miles of hiking trails, rock climbing and rappelling, as well as an in-depth history lesson on the Campaign for Chattanooga.

At the foot of the mountain, adjacent to Point Park, is Reflection Riding, a 300-acre arboretum, nature preserve and historic site containing 14 miles of hiking trails, biking trails, and an impressive variety of native trees, shrubs and wildflowers. In this peaceful setting, escape the confines of a hectic life and enjoy a few moments of quiet reflection in the natural world.

Also on Lookout Mountain is the Lookout Mountain Flight Park where jumping off the top of the mountain is an everyday occurrence as hang gliders soar over the incredible scenery of the Chattanooga Valley.

If you'd prefer to stick a little closer to land, then take a wild ride down the roaring whitewater rapids of the Ocoee River, site of the 1996 Olympic Canoe and Kayak Slalom Competition. Or if the thundering roar of the rapids isn't your style, then try out the gentle thrills of the Sequatchie River in a canoe.

Chattanooga has wineries, amusement parks, romantic bed & breakfasts, unique restaurants, exciting attractions, and three of the top 50 golf courses in the nation including The Farm, The Honor's Course at Bear Trace, and the newly opened Black Creek Golf Club.

If the call of the wild has you reaching for your fishing rod, Chattanooga and the Tennessee River offer a vast number of fishing holes, marinas, and lake resorts.

Interested in learning how Chattanooga uses its rivers and lakes to create electricity? Then head on up to the Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Station where you can take a free tour of the unique underground power plant, drive along the man-made lake, view the spectacular wildlife, or spend some time in the recreation area playing volleyball and baseball or throwing around a Frisbee.

Also on Raccoon Mountain, or rather in the mountain, you'll find the Raccoon Mountain Caverns, carved from pure limestone by the forces of nature. Thought to be the largest caverns in the Southeast, Raccoon Mountain Caverns offers some of the most challenging cave expeditions in the country!

Contact the Visitors Center at 800/322-3344 to request a free visitors guide to find out more about the Scenic City or visit their web site at http://www.chattanoogafun.com