What Are The Things To Do In Chattanooga For Kids? Know The Fun Activities To Try
BY Abdul Aziz Oct 19, 2023
This outdoor oasis in the South is a solid wanderlust attraction. A scenic city that is always on the move can be your next perfect weekend getaway. The city is bustling with energy on a typical afternoon. You will see its locals as well as weekenders venturing into the Tennessee River along with their boards and boats. The bikers go up and down the hilly streets through the town, running and walking down the pedestrian bridge and playing with frisbees in the numerous parks. The parks look neat, being hedged by bike lanes and carefully placed benches. Public art makes the town come alive with color and socio-cultural significance. The number of things that will stay with you long after you visit this town is too many. However, one of them will be the food and the restaurants. There are also a lot of adventures to be had outdoors in this character-filled city. If you are looking for some weekend fun or a short trip to feel rejuvenated, this city is close by and has a lot to offer. This is going to be the best weekend spot for you, and we have brought you the best of it. Here are some of the most fun and memorable things to do in Chattanooga. Things To Do In Chattanooga hotels.com Here are some of the best things to do in Chattanooga that will stay imprinted in your memory. Tennessee Aquarium tnaqua.org One of the fun things to do in Chattanooga is visiting the aquarium. This aquarium has two buildings. There is River Journey, which showcases the freshwater habitats from around the world. Also, the Ocean Journey treats visitors to magnificent views of sea creatures and ocean life. You must spend at least three hours while visiting to take in a good fraction of the 10,000 animals that are here. If you are looking for things to do in Chattanooga with kids, they will love the adorable macaroni penguins and dreamy sea jellies. Try visiting on a weekday, as it gets busier on weekends, for a more authentic experience. If you are looking for free things to do in Chattanooga, the city also offers a free shuttle to get here, making the experience pocket-friendly. Lookout Mountain cntraveler.com There are three scenic attractions this mountain ridge has to offer. There are the Ruby Falls, Rock City, and the Incline Railway. Ruby Falls is the United States' deepest and tallest underground waterfall, standing at 260 feet. Rock City is where one can see seven states from the iconic Lover's Leap. And when you hop on the Incline Railway, you will be witnessing the steepest passenger railway on Earth. You need to spend a minimum of 4 hours at these mountains to gauge the highlights of the spot. Each of the three attractions has separate expenses, and the tickets are known to sell out fast. Raccoon Mountain Caverns wikimedia.org The Raccoon Mountain Caverns are located 1.3 miles off I-24 at the Lookout Valley exit. It is less than 10 minutes from downtown Chattanooga. This mountain offers views of a cave in its natural state that has thousands of diverse rock formations. There are stalagmites, stalactites, flowstone, delicate soda straws, rimstone pools, columns, draperies, natural bridges, and a rare shield formation. It also offers many wild cave “spelunking” expeditions for all those who want to go deeper into the caves and explore the mountain. An expedition to the waterfall dome allows visitors to get to the place with the view of the tallest underground, unassisted, naturally flowing waterfall. Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum wp.com This nostalgic train trip will offer aesthetically restored vintage locomotives and passenger cars that encase the intricate craftsmanship of ages long gone. The ride will take you through the beautiful Tennessee countryside that has awe-inspiring views bound to make you reflect on the simpler times of the past. The museum's exhibit has an impressive set of artifacts, old photographs, and other memorabilia that help bring the rich railroading history to life. The staff here are highly knowledgeable and will eagerly share information on railroad history while being dressed in period attire. The experience will provide you with lots of fascinating insights whether you are a history buff or otherwise. Ruby Falls simpleviewinc.com This one is the deepest and tallest underground waterfall that is open for public access in the States. There are guided tours such as the classic waterfall tour, the lantern tour, and the extended cavern experience tour. The tour will take you along its beautiful cavern trail to a gorgeous waterfall that is surrounded by old geological formations that took millennia to form. There are also extensively picturesque views of the Cumberland Plateau, Tennessee Valley, and the Tennessee River from the top of the Lookout Mountain Tower. The tours fill up pretty quickly. You must purchase the tickets online in advance for increased availability. Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery chattanoogawhiskey.com One of the other things to do in Chattanooga for adults is to visit the whiskey distillery. This distillery is the first ever to craft whiskey in Chattanooga in over a hundred years. It boasts over 100 different barrels that mature in an aging cellar. Each visit to the distillery is an ode to the past, present, and future of handmade bourbon. You can reserve a tour and tasting trip to check out their latest craft. This can also be one of the things to do in Chattanooga for couples. You must be 21+ with a physical and valid ID. Creative Discovery Museum This museum is a hands-on children's museum at the very heart of downtown Chattanooga. It inspires children of all ages to innovate, explore, play, and create. The exhibits entertain as well as educate children on exploring the world around them. They become inquisitive about art, science, music, water exploration, and dinosaur digging. Moreover, it was rated number #7 by by Trekkr as one of the children's museums in the U.S. in 2015. Getting To Chattanooga And Best Time To Visit Chattanooga has many outdoor attractions packed into one weekend itinerary. It helps to know how to get to Chattanooga in the first place and which season sets you up for the smoothest trip. How To Get There Chattanooga sits at the crossroads of I-24, I-75, and I-59. So, it is an easy weekend drive for a wide swath of the Southeast. It is roughly two hours from Atlanta, about two and a half hours from Nashville, and around an hour and a half from Knoxville. If you're flying, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA) has direct connections to a handful of major hubs. However, many travelers find it cheaper and just as convenient to fly into Atlanta or Nashville and drive the rest of the way. It happens especially since several of the attractions on this list, like Lookout Mountain and Raccoon Mountain Caverns, are more enjoyable with a car anyway. Downtown Chattanooga itself is walkable once you've arrived, with the Walnut Street Bridge connecting the main riverfront attractions on foot. Best Season For Your Visit Spring (April-May) and fall (September-October) are the best times to visit. Mild temperatures in these months make hiking Lookout Mountain, biking along the river, and walking the Walnut Street Bridge genuinely comfortable. Also, fall brings vivid foliage across the surrounding ridges. Summer is Chattanooga's busiest season thanks to river sports and boating on the Tennessee River. However, it also brings heat and humidity that can make the Raccoon Mountain Caverns tour and Lookout Mountain's outdoor attractions feel like more of a workout. You must book tickets for Ruby Falls and Rock City in advance during these peak months. They get sold out quickly. Winter is quieter and less crowded across the board. Some outdoor activities scale back. However, the Tennessee Aquarium and Creative Discovery Museum make for a comfortable cold-weather visit with far shorter lines. Chattanooga Is Not Just For Kids Chattanooga sure has everything you could want for a short trip away from the hustle of the city. If you want to know about things to do in Chattanooga this weekend, we hope this article gave you a head start. If you have thoughts to share or questions to ask, please leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you! Read Also: You Won’t Believe The Best Things To Do When In Fiji! Some Of The Best Things To Do In Navarre Beach, Florida These Are The 30+ Things To Do In Mexico City That You Must Try!


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