Chatanooga,TN

[momm2four]

The Backstage Dinner Theater is the dinner theater thats interactive with the audience. They have different shows on different days, but have a special one especially for families on Saturday (pizza buffet, I believe).

The Discovery Museum is awesome. My kids could spend the whole day just playing in the water room. If you don't want to get stuck there, I'd go through the gift shop to get to the rest of the museum and then hit the water play area at the end.

When are you going? As someone mentioned before, we have a HUGE festival called Riverbend during the week of June 6th - 14th. This year, I know ZZ Top will be there. If you're here during baseball season, our AA Chattanooga Lookouts play in our beautiful stadium downtown. I think our first home game is around April4th or 7th, something like that.

We have numerous movies available and one theater right downtown (Bijou Carmike). There's also the IMAX theater available, and if you want to do both that and the aquarium, you can get a discount.

The downtown arts district is one of my favorite places to go with my DH. TOny's Pasta has great food (Lobster ravioli with cream dill sauce, YUMMMM) Rembrandt's Coffee House is our absolute favorite way to end a date or meet friends. You can sit out back and drink great coffee with delicious sweets (or you can also get sandwiches/soup from here as well)

There is a sculpture garden in that area of town that the kids love to walk around and look at. There's also a bed and breakfast there, but I've never stayed there.

Walking across Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge is a great way to see downtown Chattanooga/TN River, and you can end your walk on Frazier Ave at Clumpies Ice Cream or grab a lunch at Subway (at the end of the bridge) and walk down to Coolidge Park. There you can play frisbee, play in the fountain (if it's summer) or grab a ride on the carousel.

You can also check to see if there are any plays going on at The Chattanooga Theater Center during your visit.

Downtown Chattanooga is one of my families' favorite ways to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Try this link, although the Open Air Market is evidently not operating anymore http://www.chattanoogafun.com/

Hopefully, this info will help a little. Let me know if you have any more questions.

Lori P.

 

[tndisneyfan]

If you are into trains, there is a pretty good train museum. I can't remember what it was called. It didn't cost much to get in and you could take a steam engine train ride (the train ride was extra). Ds was really into trains at the time and he really loved it. We spent several hours there.

 

[mpmluvstigger]

You must see the Tennessee Riverwalk! It is beautiful!!! Downtown is awesome and there is soo much to do. There are plenty of hotels downtown, such as CourtYard Marriot, the Clarion pretty close to the aqaurium and everything else. It is all walking distance from those hotels. The Southern Belle riverboat is pretty cool. It is a dinner or lunch cruise down the Tn river. Hope you have a blast while youre here!!!

 

[donaldseeyore]

We are originally from Chattanooga! Love that town and miss it so much. i don't know if anyone recommended the Chattanoogan hotel or not. It is a very nice hotel in DT Chatt. The aquarium recently added penguins. There is also the IMax theater, and the Childrens Creative Discovery Museum. If you are members of AAA check out their ticket prices for these things. There is also a park in the downtown area that has a hand carved wooden carousel that was restored and operates daily. RIght outside of the carousel are animal shaped water fountains for the kids to play in. Great place for a picnic. If you are into baseball check out the Lookouts (minor league for the Cincinnati Reds). Lookout Mountain, the Incline Railway and Ruby Falls aren't a very far drive at all. They recently had a PF Changs built outside of Hamilton Place Mall (good Gymboree and Disney store there) Very easy town to navigate in my opinion, but I also know it. If you need medical there, I would reccomend Erlanger or Memorial hospitals. If you are going in June there is a week long music festival called Riverbend. I do not know what acts are there this year. If you would like to drive about an hour and a half NW of Chat town you can check out Fall Creek Falls State Park. Great hiking and beautiful scenery and gorgeous waterfalls. The big grocers there are Bi-Lo, Food Lion and Super Wal-Mart. Some restaraunts we enjoy are Lupi's, Sicky Fingers, Provino's, Imperial Garden. There is also an amusement park on the East Ridge side of town called Lake Winnepesakah (sp???) Pretty decent pricing too. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

 

[TheRatPack]

Wow I had no idea so many Dis boarders were from Chattanooga We're actually in Chickamauga (just over the line there)....but it's nice to know there are other Disney crazed people here in town...LOL none of my IRL friends get my addiction to Disney.

 

[momm2four]

Wow I had no idea so many Dis boarders were from Chattanooga We're actually in Chickamauga (just over the line there)....but it's nice to know there are other Disney crazed people here in town...LOL none of my IRL friends get my addiction to Disney.

We should have an area support group, lol.

Lori P.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Another vote for Residence Inn. It's a really nice place to stay.

The Big River Grille near the aquarium is one of our favorite places to eat when in Chattanooga.

There is sooo much to see and do. We loved Rock City, Ruby Falls, the aquarium, the steep train that I can't remember what it's called with the Battlefield area we walked to at the top. We also love Raccoon Mountain cave. I just heard about something called the Lost Sea that's 45 minutes away from Chattanooga. That sounded really interesting.

It seems like every time we go, we find something new to do.
This makes me want to take another weekend trip there.