Aquarium, caverns and Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga
Chattanooga, TN
If you were considering Pigeon Forge, this is a different kind of trip.
- Who it suits
- Families with little kids, families with teens and couples
- How long
- 3, 4 or 5 days
- Getting there
- Drive. A drive from Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Columbus, Louisville, Nashville, Atlanta, Charlotte, St. Louis (about 8 hours or less by car).
- Seasons
- Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Why it works
- The Tennessee Aquarium has two buildings, River Journey and Ocean Journey, on one ticket.
- At Ruby Falls, a glass-front elevator descends 260 feet into Lookout Mountain and a guide leads a walk to an underground waterfall.
- The Incline Railway, a funicular more than a hundred years old, has daily departures between its lower and upper stations on Lookout Mountain.
- Creative Discovery Museum is Chattanooga's children's museum.
Watch out for
- Ruby Falls sells timed-entry cave tickets and says time slots sell out quickly, so buy online before you go.
Sources
- The Tennessee Aquarium has two buildings, River Journey and Ocean Journey, on one ticket. source (checked 2026-11-13)
- At Ruby Falls, a glass-front elevator descends 260 feet into Lookout Mountain and a guide leads a walk to an underground waterfall. source (checked 2026-11-13)
- The Incline Railway, a funicular more than a hundred years old, has daily departures between its lower and upper stations on Lookout Mountain. source (checked 2026-11-13)
- Creative Discovery Museum is Chattanooga's children's museum. source (checked 2026-11-13)
- Ruby Falls sells timed-entry cave tickets and says time slots sell out quickly, so buy online before you go. source (checked 2026-11-13)