Adventure Awaits—Exciting Family Fun in Chattanooga, Tennessee - Wealth of Geeks (2024)

Chattanooga, Tennessee was once an industrial city that played a prominent role in the U.S. Civil War. Nowadays, it's looking to shed those roots and embrace its nickname, the “Scenic City.” Like many towns with a long, varied history, Chattanooga is experiencing growth in its population, economy, and tourism.

As residents of Birmingham, Alabama, my family and I are fortunate enough to be just over two hours south of the Scenic City. We have family members who live in the area, so we don't often get to play tourists when we visit. I recently had the opportunity to explore the city on an invitation from the tourism office at Visit Chattanooga, and my family and I were excited to visit some favorite spots as well as some places we never seem to make time for when we visit.

Large Families Are Welcome in Downtown Chattanooga

Being a mom to three kids with an eight-year age gap can be difficult when trying to decide what to do and where to go on vacation. Transitioning from a family of four to a family of five has also given me a new appreciation for larger families who struggle with finding accommodations to fit their needs when they travel.

Gratefully, Chattanooga has several options in its downtown areas that can fit larger families. We stayed in a hotel for this trip, but looking into an Airbnb or a rental house may be worth it if you're planning a getaway for a bigger group. Weekend rates will always be higher than weekday rates, but considering we saved money by driving to Chattanooga, I would consider it one of the more affordable weekend getaways in the southeast.

Pro tip: Check the city's events and activities calendar so you'll have enough choices for accommodations. Last-minute bookings may be difficult if there are big events in town!

Family-Friendly Things To Do in Chattanooga

My older children have gotten used to doing activities that may typically skew toward younger children so our four-year-old doesn't get left out. Realistically, I think they appreciate the excuse to let loose and have fun instead of trying to be so grown-up. Having written that, we all appreciated the Chattanooga activities because they truly brought something to the table for each member of our party to enjoy.

Creative Discovery Museum

Far and away, the Creative Discovery Museum was at the top of our list of all the activities we enjoyed over the weekend. This facility is really not a museum as much as it is a hands-on learning adventure. It has two floors full of activities for kids, including an area for those five and under and an outdoor space for climbing. As parents, we appreciated the ample seating throughout the venue and the sense of safety we experienced. There were employees and security personnel throughout the museum, and it wasn't so expansive that we couldn't keep up as our children darted from one space to the next.

Pro Tip: It's open every day of the week from 10 am until 5 pm. It is busier on the weekends, but if that's the only time you can go, just set your expectations for higher crowds and have fun!

Tennessee Aquarium

In my opinion, the Tennessee Aquarium is the best in the southeast (sorry, Georgia). Not only does it have two parts, a river section and an ocean section, but the top floors of the ocean building give visitors incredible views of the Tennessee River. The river building focuses on plants, animals, and bodies of water native to Tennessee and the surrounding states. In the ocean section, we were able to see sharks, jellyfish, and saltwater fish.

Pro Tip: The aquarium is accredited by the Associations of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), and if you're a member of your local zoo or aquarium, you might get in free or at a 50% discount!

Chattanooga Zoo

My kids love all zoos. The Chattanooga Zoo is not the biggest zoo we've ever visited, but it is worthwhile nonetheless. It is currently under construction as it's improving its entrance area, so be aware of that if you plan a visit over the summer. We visited right as the zoo was opening on a Saturday morning, and it was a great time to be there because the crowds were minimal.

Pro Tip: The petting zoo was a big hit with all of my kids, and the youngest appreciated the free play on the playground inside the zoo. The Chattanooga Zoo is open daily from 9 am until 5 pm.

Incline Railway

As many times as I've been to Chattanooga, I've never been on the Incline Railway to the top of Lookout Mountain. It is a funicular railway system that is over 128 years old. A funicular is a mountainside railway in which ascending and descending cars are counterbalanced. At the top is a historical exhibit that explains the railway's history and includes incredible photographs of how it has changed over 128 years.

My party was a little unnerved by the steep grade going up and down the mountain, but I felt like it was a safe experience. The car itself is angled, so sure footing is needed to traverse the steps in and out of the train car. The cars are wheelchair accessible for both manual and electric wheelchairs, but I wouldn't take a walker or can on the ride. The spectacular views of Chattanooga and the surrounding areas were worth the journey.

The Incline Railway is open weekdays from 9 am until 6 pm and weekends from 9 am until 7 pm. Tickets are $15 for ages thirteen and older (roundtrip) and $7 for ages three to twelve (roundtrip).

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

Our last stop on our weekend getaway was a visit to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. This activity was about a ten-minute drive from downtown, but it was worth the extra effort to visit. We were fortunate enough to be there at the end of their “Day Out with Thomas”celebration, so my youngest was delighted with the extra activities he was able to partake in after our train ride. Thomas and his friends are from the popular children's book series and show “Thomas the Tank Engine.”

We rode on the Missionary Ridge Local, which took us to the East Chattanooga station and back to the Grand Junction Station. Though it was not a long ride, we were entertained by historical facts and information about the railroad and the train cars themselves. We were told the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is the state's only full-sized, regularly scheduled train ride.

My family and I had so much fun on the train ride that we didn't even make it to the museum exhibits before it was time to go home. I guess that just means we'll have to plan another trip! Do note that tickets for the exhibits do not cover train rides, but all train ride tickets allow free admission to the exhibits.

Pro Tip: Adults can enjoy a classy evening out with a dinner ride aboard the train or afternoon tea at the depot followed by an accompanying train ride.

Chattanooga Is an Affordable Family Destination

Travel doesn't have to be costly. Chattanooga is an affordable destination for our family because it is a drivable location, and we know we don't have to fit all of our fun into one weekend. In fact, we did not have time to visit Rock City or Ruby Falls on our most recent visit, but we know those are experiences we love and will return to on another trip.

Another way we make getaways affordable is by checking our local museum or zoo memberships to see if they are reciprocal partners with museums or zoos in destinations we want to visit. Doing that ahead of our trip allows us to plan for dining splurges or extra activities that might normally be out of our budget.