Tennessee Aquarium
Two buildings of river and ocean life.
Chattanooga
A revived river city between mountains, with the steep Incline Railway, Ruby Falls and a great freshwater aquarium.
Once the most polluted city in America, Chattanooga cleaned up, with a pedestrian bridge, riverfront and the Choo Choo hotel in the old station. Lookout Mountain has the region's sights.
- Best Time
- April to October
- Time Needed
- 2 days
- Cost Level
- $$$$
- Open
- Year-round
- Getting There
- About 2 hours from Atlanta or Nashville.
What to See
1 of 5 are freeRuby Falls
A 145-foot waterfall deep in a cave.
Lookout Mountain Incline
One of the world's steepest passenger railways.
Rock City
See Seven States on a garden trail with quirky rock formations.
Chickamauga Battlefield and Point Park
Where the Union was routed in September 1863, then broke the siege of Chattanooga that November, in the "Battle Above the Clouds".
Know Before You Go
- Lookout Mountain is partly in Georgia, an hour ahead or behind in places.
- Combo tickets are available.
Where to Stay
Stay downtown or at the Chattanooga Choo Choo.
Where to Eat
Our picks are on the way.
Editor's picks. Nobody paid to be on this list.
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Go Next
Must-SeeGreat Smoky Mountains
North Carolina and Tennessee
America's most visited national park: misty ridges and old-growth forest.
Full Guide
If You're NearbyAtlanta
Georgia
Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthplace and church, the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca-Cola.
Full Guide
Worth a DetourLast checked 2026-11-01. Part of the Southeast list.