Chattanooga Camping Trip --See Rock City!

Above: Grandson Gabriel, age 5 at Rock City Gardens

Chattanooga Camping Trip --See Rock City! 

 September 17-19, 2021

Kenny, Dana & Gabriel Koogler

Adam, Crystal, Michael and Tessa Lindsey

See Rock City Photos 

Rock City Website 

   We  talked about taking a  family camping trip back to Chattanooga to see the sights over the past two or three years.   The trouble with being this far behind on writing trip reports is forgetting details.  I realize now that I don't recall exactly what motivated us to put it on the books.  Whatever the reason, we finally did it.   We stayed at Holiday Travel Park in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.    Chattanooga is part of  Lookout Mountain and is part of the Cumberland Plateau.   A trip to Chattanooga to stay often involves traveling back and forth across the Tennessee-Georgia state line.  Our campground was situated less than a quarter mile across the line into Georgia.   We  stayed there once before and liked it.   We found it to be even more enjoyable this time.  It was hot so we took advantage of the pool each day.  It was uncrowded, family friendly and fun!  We had  shady campsites that were spacious.   Things we loved about it? The pool. Convenient location.  Shady sites. Lots to do in the area.  The only drawback was we forgot it is across the road from Brainerd Motorsports Park.  A couple nights we had race noise after dark when we were trying to go to bed.  We could hear it, but it did not ruin the trip or keep me from sleeping.   It won't prevent me from staying there again.  

Things we planned to do this trip:

• See Rock City-did it/loved it
• Creative Discovery Museum--did it/loved it/didn't want to leave
• The Passage -Did it/loved it/didn't want to leave
• Shop the stores in downtown Chattanooga-did it/loved it
• Wilder Tower--didn't get to do it this trip
• Chickamauga Battlefield --didn't do it this trip
• Williams Stairway --Forgot it/didn't do it this trip
• Hit up some of the thrift stores in Ft. Oglethorpe--did it/regretted it. Waste of time.  

Rock City with the Family

   We visited Rock City around nineteen years ago as a family with our children ages 15 and 12.   We returned this trip with grandchildren!  It was as much if not more fun.   It is a very special, unique, and beautiful place. It is a very family friendly environment.  If you go remember that while there are a few places in Rock City that offer dining... it is crowded and a very limited selection. Kenny and I remembered eating at a barbecue joint at the base of the mountain with Mike Gourley and Mike Maples on a road trip several years back.   Instead of hassling with the crowds and limited selection of foods, we went to Mike's Smokehouse.

It was delicious and made us all feel better. It was cool inside.  A wise decision. 

Above:  going beneath a bridge at the start of the tour

Below: Kenny, Tessa and Michael by the first red door and archway.

Below: Son-in-law Adam going to Goblin's Underpass

Below: Gabe and Tessa on one of the stone bridges

Below: a very neat suspension bridge . I remember helping a panicked lady this trip to cross a bridge she was terrified of, but I don't remember which one. I don't think it was the suspension bridge, but I was happy she trusted me and let me help her.   

Below is a video of Rock City.  We had the extreme good fortune to hear a live version of the song Valerie performed by some local artists.  It was originally written about a real lady make up artist by Dave McCabe of The Zutons.  I don't care for that version of it too well. It was made iconic when performed by Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse and the Wine-ettes.   The video is a hearkening back to the 1960s Liverpool look and sound.  

Click the link above to listen to the Mark Ronson/Amy Winehouse version and listen to the more bluesy/jazzy sound of these local artists and decide which one you prefer.  I like both equally.  

 

Below: A view from Rock City out over the plateau

Below: The Sky Bridge at Rock City.

Below: Gabe, Tessa, and Michael enjoy the mist fans that are set up for cooling  on a hot day.

Below: is a photo of one of the overlooks at Lovers Leap and the waterfall

Above: one of the passages in Fairyland Caverns

Below: There are many vignettes of Fairy Tale stories in the caverns. This is my favorite.. Little Red Ridinghood with the big bad wolf.

  Today was awesome at Rock City.  I know the children really enjoyed it.  It is hard to describe it or even illustrate it adequately in photos.  There is so much to it with so many details and intricacies you really should experience it for yourself.

Creative Discovery Museum 

Creative Discovery Museum Pix 

Creative Discovery Museum Website

  The next day after breakfast we got ready and headed downtown to the Creative Discovery Museum to play.  We had visited here once before when Michael and Tessa were small.   Today would be only our second ever visit and Gabriel's first visit.   I absolutely love Creative Discovery Museum and lose myself in there playing.  I have never grown up plus I am a very imaginative, creative person. 

We visit The Muse in Knoxville from time to time, but as nice as it is.. it is not as nice and as big as the one in Chattanooga.  The Muse needs to maintain their exhibits better.   

Below: Grandson Michael is encasing himself in a giant bubble on the front porch of the museum while Tessa and Gabe look on.

Below: Gabe making some music on the xylophone

Below: Crystal, Michael, and Gabe at the water play area. 

Below: Granddaughter Tessa age 7 looks down from the play set which is indoors safe and cool! 

Below: Gabe age 5 at the helm of the river boat

Below: Gabe fishing off the side of the river boat.  

Above: Michael age 12 holds a fish.. apparently Tessa did not cook it first before serving it.  Gabe age 5 looks on. He was the waiter. 

Below: Tessa in the brig for not cooking the right way! hahaha!

Below: Gabe and another little friend are back to water play

Below: Aunt Yaya (my daughter Crystal) and Gabe and Tessa are at the car driving trip console. 

Below:  Papaw Kenny is playing with columns of air in the Science center.

Below: Gabe and Tessa in a car

Below:  Crystal bravely volunteers to be the patient at the doctors office. Tessa is the doctor.  Michael must be the assistant.

Below: a corn snake... a real live one on display. 

Above and below: Michael and Gabe in the arts and crafts section. This is where I got totally lost.  I disappeared on them for a long spell. I lost all track of time and myself. Me and another lady were playing.  They had to come collect me.  hahaha!

  The Creative Discovery Museum is awesome!  If I lived in the area I'd be there every chance I got.  I did not want to leave.  No one really wanted to leave.

   Our tummies got hungry and we finally had to go grab lunch. We walked from the museum to Big River Grille. We  have eaten there many times and today while there was a wait... it was worth it.  Everyone got what they wanted and was satisfied. The food and the service were great. 

   Once we got lunch done with we decided to head to some of the shops in the downtown and walk off some lunch.    We went to the Moonpie General Store, Rocket Fizz Candy store, and I think one more place.  Again, this is the trouble with waiting too long to write these reports up.  

Below is a video that touches on a few highlights from the museum

          The Passage 

The Passage Waterfall Stairs Info

  I had seen photos of stairs with water cascading down them like a waterfall. 
I knew this feature was in Chattanooga, but had never taken the time to go find it.

We found it today and it was amazing! We loved it and did not want to leave.

It is historically significant and marks the beginning of the Trail of Tears.  

That whole episode of history upsets me in ways I can't understand, but today was certainly anything but a trail of tears.   It is a family friend place where kids of all ages can have fun cooling off on a hot day!  You can see some beautiful scenery and artwork. You can learn a bit of history into the bargain.  

Above: The Fam near the Walnut Street bridge and the Tennessee River

Below: The Passage Waterfall Stairs!

Below: Gabe and Michael 

Below: Tessa Grace 

The great spider island in the middle of the pool at the bottom

Above: several action shots of the area

artwork on the wall

   We started out to just be wading in the water, but the kids ended up swimming.  It was hot and this was a blessed relief.   They loved it. We will definitely do this again.   I wish we had something like this in Maryville!

    Our camping trip and our adventures were a real success on the whole.

Chattanooga is a fascinating city with no shortage of fun things to do.  We always have a way longer list of things than we can fit into the trip!

Already looking forward to next time! 

Last of all is a video of our visit to The Passage.  At the beginning you can hear the toot of a river boat!