This was something I very much wanted to see while in Chattanooga. I remember learning about the…read moreTrail of Tears in school in Virginia but, hadn't known a great deal about it. I read about it before visiting and was very impressed by this monument paying tribute to the Cherokee nation and the suffering of those forced from their ancestral lands by mass exodus and essentially a death march, hence the name. I was surprised to see that this is a monument that the city allows you to fully walk, play, and swim in and there were dozens of families with children playing and splashing in the water. It was something I'm not used to seeing and I thought it was wonderful that the city allows this. It was extremely hot the day I visited in July but also, this is interactive and encourages people to come and spent time here. It's a physical tribute to the countless tears shed no doubt during this event and a powerful tribute to a darker part of American history.

The Passage is a permanent exhibit near the aquarium, and pays tribute to the seven clans of the…read moreCherokee Nation through symbolism. The Trail of Tears, when Cherokee tribes were forced from their lands in Chattanooga to Oklahoma, started nearby. The Passage is a walkway, where people can see the Weeping Wall, representing the tears shed as Cherokees were forced from their homes and made to walk the Trail of Tears. 7 disks along the Weeping Wall tell the story of the Cherokee Nation. Facing the Tennessee River are 7 figures playing stickball. Playing the important game of stickball provided a way for members of the Cherokee Nation to settle disagreements, even to the point of players getting injured or killed. Just my opinion, but I think this a valuable exhibit that should be maintained a lot better and treated with respect. During my visit, to The Passage, there were a lot of people wading in the water, and wall that the stainless steel stickball players are on appeared water damaged.

We were here for an entire week in Chattanooga and able to travel up the mountain 4 of those days!…read moreWhat amazing views of surrounding area! And the people I'll never get over how wonderful they were all were to us! We went to Ruby Falls rock city Park point and stopped at several of the small shops on the way up. We could not do the incline due to my grandson's fear Heights, but we did watch it several times from different advantage points every penny we spent was worth it and 1 million more. The memories made this week will last a lifetime for me and I'm so thankful we were able to take our grandsons and experience this beautiful amazing place with them.

If you're in the neighborhood take the drive to the top. On a clear day the view is incredible.read more

This place is so cool. So much history and so worth checking out…read more We drove through much of this but stopped by the tower. Of course I had to walk up it ....and back down. I had spaghetti legs after that, but it was so worth it. The view from the top is so beautiful.

Had an amazing visit here today. It is absolutely worth the visit. So much history…read more I can truly appreciate the self guided narration by utilizing the NPS app. It helps keep you on track as you navigate through the battlefield. Next visit I plan to do a little more walking around. This is a huge land mass and there are some areas you cannot get to via vehicle. It was nice to see lots of people on bike, flying kites and with the pets.

This sculpture garden is part of The River Gallery. The River Gallery is a gallery space in a turn…read moreof the century home that showcases regional and national fine arts and crafts, while the Sculpture Garden is a captivating outdoor experience in a lovely garden setting that showcases sculptures from their permanent collection as well as sculptures available to purchase. Information regarding sculpture purchases is available through The River Gallery. Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed in the Sculpture Garden. Since we had our dog with us while visiting the area, we walked along the sidewalk on the street while looking down at the Sculpture Garden. From this vantage point, you're still able to admire a snippet of the lovely curved paths and public works of art. This outdoor garden landscape is supposedly on a two-acre space, and it overlooks the beautiful Tennessee River. The garden is also said to feature not only the works of art to admire but also boasts a meditation area, formal garden, and an informal garden with a recycling mountain stream. If you're in the area and dog free, it's certainly worth a visit.

The River Gallery Sculpture Garden sneaks up on you....or at least it snuck up on us. We were…read moredoing a day trip in Chattanooga, stopped to park for coffee and saw one funky statue, went to check it out and saw another, and another, and wait...what IS this place??? ***Googles*** OHHHH....Sculpture Garden! As others have said, this is really a hidden in plain sight spot that rests on a cliff overlooking a river. Very picturesque, and the sculptures range from small and neat (a group of fish pouring into water) to things that are larger than life and causes you to ponder. On a nice and warm day, you can easily find yourself missing a few hours here, especially if you bring snacks from the nearby restaurants. I was not expecting it. This was not on the itinerary, but i'm very happy we stumbled upon the Sculpture garden. It's kinda awesome, and that it's just on the outskirts of town sets the mood for how your time in Chattanooga will be. True, i'm not some artsy fartsy soul...but being allowed to dabble in this art environment was well received, and the next time I return it wont be by accident! Check this place out!!

Here at Lula Lake Land Trust in Lookout Mountain, Georgia (20 miles southwest of Chattanooga,…read moreTennessee), this is a fun little journey, a 4-mile out and back or roundtrip hike getting to experience the prized highlight here...120-foot Lula Falls. The area around Lula Falls is private property. The Board of Trustees are sensitive about protecting the ecology of this land and so...visiting capacity is greatly reduced. In order to visit, you must book a reservation online ahead of time at lulalake.org. It's $16 entry per car, regardless of the number of passengers. Visitation dates are totally out of the norm, outside guests can enter the grounds on the first and last weekends of each month. That's 4 days per month and 48 days out of the entire year! Eye opening when you think about that statistic within the bigger picture of making plans to see Lula Falls. The pathway trail to reach Lula Falls is moderately easy. Follow the gravel dirt road for the first 1.5 out of 2 miles. Along the way, on the left hand side of the trail is a terrific overlook of Lula Falls. Although you can enter down to the falls taking Old Falls Trail, those stair steps are pretty steep. It was suggested to me to walk just a little further down to Lula Falls Trail and follow that pathway to Lula Falls. Upon arriving at the heart of it all, Lula Falls is mighty impressive, a magical wonder of a waterfall plunging 120 feet in a straight free-fall. While the sun was shining, I even caught a rainbow at the base of the falls which made the setting here somewhat of a pause in time moment. Backdrops like these don't come around often, I was relishing it all. Feeling thankful and blessed would describe things well. There's no swimming at the falls and I respect that, just enjoying the beauty of the falls was good enough for me. On the return trip back towards the entrance, you can follow the Bluff Trail above the forest tree-line to a panoramic clearing from high atop Lookout Mountain. It's a good chance to view the Chattanooga Valley from an undisturbed vantage point. You can finish out the hike taking the Bluff Trail almost all the way back to the start, or the Middle Trail is just as good too. But if you enjoy hiking in nature, either pathway will get the job done. Overall, getting to venture out to Lula Lake Land Trust and hike to Lula Falls was a joyous occasion for me, someone who loves the great outdoors and takes nothing for granted. Thank you for having me.

Beautiful hike at Lula Falls. It is about 4 miles round trip. We went in May when it wasn't hot but…read morewas still warm enough that my jacket didn't stay on long. The trails are well maintained and easy except for the last quarter mile to the lower falls. Worth the trek down to the lower falls area. A bit of a challenge for this 62 year old but slow and steady won the day. We enjoyed a nice lunch in the picnic area near the stairs to the lower falls.

What a cute park! Unfortunately the zip line is broken. The bathrooms are NOT recommended if you've…read morea child with sensory disorder. The toilets auto flush are extremely loud on top of the air hand dryer that's as loud. I'm an adult w/o problems and wanted to cover my ears. The park has beautiful sidewalks, walking path , kids play area, picnic shelters, benches, bench swings... all with snack cake themed. Super cute! There's a Little Debbie Shop but we didn't make it before they closed

I'm a kid at heart and I love oatmeal cream pies so when I found out about this park, I knew I had…read moreto visit. It's super cute, spacious, and one of my favorite things is that it's sensory inclusive. I enjoyed finding all of the "hidden" snacks in the park. It's kinda like a scavenger hunt for grown up snack junkies! If you're in the area, it's a must visit spot! Pro Tip: The Little Debbie store down the street from the park was closed due to the Labor Day holiday so keep that in mind when planning your visit.

An excellent place to hike around, sit around and have a picnic, check out the gift shops. But the…read moremost important thing is to look at the history here and how important it was in the battle of northern aggression. It has the best views in all of Tennessee I would say.

We got there late in the day, almost at closing time so we didn't see the movie/diorama display. We…read moredid see some of the other displays which we very good and informative. The gift shop was well equipped. The NPS office next door was closed due to Corona.

We stayed at the hotel chalet and it's a really cool place. Incorporate lots of cool local bars and…read morenight scene with live music and the rooms are nice and large. There is a great gym on site and nice little pool for guests. The rail card have been converted into a room and we will be taking a peak at those later today.

I came here to walk around while staying in town and wanted to see the park. It's interesting and…read morecute, a large courtyard where one of the historic train cars sits explaining the famous Choo Choo and all around the inside are open-air patios and restaurants. There is a small arcade with a penny press, a few shops, and about 4-5 restaurants. There is a boutique hotel where about 8 of the train cars have been converted to hotel rooms and the lobby and interior of the hotel is beautiful. Parking nearby is plentiful and metered. Easy enough to find.

I parked here for the start of the Edward's Point trail via Crescent Ridge and found the parking…read morelot pretty empty on a Monday morning around 9:30am. There are maybe 20 spots and the Signal Point overlook is right beside the restrooms and a short paved trail from parking. Worth a stop.

This was a great, easy trail--about 1.6 miles round trip and took us around 65 minutes, including…read moretime spent at the waterfall. The waterfall at the end is beautiful and made a perfect spot to rest. We let Luna take a quick swim to cool off, but were very cautious about her not drinking the water. I had done quite a bit of research beforehand and found mixed reviews about the water quality. Most concerns centered around contamination within 24-48 hours after rainfall. Since it hadn't rained recently, we felt confident it was safe, and thankfully, Luna had no issues after swimming.

In July 2015, four marines and one sailor lost their life to an active shooter. The Wreath of Honor…read morememorializes these armed service members. This is a beautiful spot to reflect and remember them. It's right at the main entrance to the Chattanooga River Park.