Chattanooga: The Town
The centerpiece of Chattanooga's twenty miles of reclaimed riverfront is Ross's Landing (the town's original name), a park at the bottom of Broad Street. Here the splendid five-story Tennessee Aquarium traces the aquatic life of the Mississippi from its Tennessee tributaries to the Gulf of Mexico, and also shows giant IMAX movies ($12.95, IMAX $7.25, combined ticket $17; call for hours and reservations tel 423/265-0695 or 1-800/262-0695, ). A variety of different cruises on the Southern Belle riverboat (tel 423/266-4488), from the bottom of nearby Chestnut Street, include the daunting experience of bobbing around in the bottom of a huge lock on Chickamauga Lake. Prices start from $10 for a daytime sightseeing tour.A few blocks from the river, the Chattanooga Regional History Museum at 400 Chestnut St (Mon-Fri 10am-4.30pm, Sat-Sun 11am-4.30pm; $4) takes a look at the area's rich history, with displays on its steel, soft-drink bottling and power industries, and on the Cherokee. A short walk further along are the grand old c.1900 buildings of the lively business district, such as the eye-catching Tivoli Theatre at 709 Broad St.
The further Chattanooga sprawls back from the river, the more run-down it becomes, but it's well worth heading the two miles up to the Choo-Choo complex , where the 1909 Beaux Arts-style Southern Railroad Terminal , at 1400 Market St (tel 423/266-5000), is now a Holiday Inn - the Chattanooga Choo-Choo Hotel . The impressive high-domed waiting room serves as the lobby, leading through to the former platform area, where restored carriages act as hotel suites. Giftshops and cafés share space with a steam engine similar to the original Choo-Choo (the name given by the local paper to the first passenger train to come in from Cincinnati in 1880). You're free to roam around; admission to the world's largest model railway display, on site, is $2.75. A free shuttle runs between the Choo-Choo complex and the Aquarium.
The authentic steam trains of the Tennessee Valley Railroad offer stunning six-mile rides, crossing the river, running through deep tunnels, and turning round on a giant turntable. The two main stations, restored to their 1930s look, are at 2200 N Chamberlain Ave in east Chattanooga and 4119 Cromwell Rd (I-75 exit 4 to Hwy-153); some routes pick up at the Choo-Choo Hotel ($10.50; for schedule call 423/894-8028 or visit ).
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