Choo Choos and Mountain Views in Chattanooga (cont.)

We saw Rock City! 

Day 4

We woke up on Monday primed for two of Chattanooga's most popular tourist attractions - Ruby Falls and Rock City. I'd never been to either before, but if you have, things have changed due to the pandemic. First of all, timed entry tickets for both attractions must be purchased online for crowd control. Additionally, these attractions are operating at limited capacity to enable social distancing. Masks are also required at both attractions.

Gorgeous Ruby Falls

First, we went to Ruby Falls. We'd booked the 10 a.m. tour and arrived about 15 minutes early. They
staggered entry a bit so as to put only a few people in the elevator down to the caverns at a time. Once we'd seen the introductory video (which I thought was going to be lame, but ended up being very moving), our guide led us slowly through the caverns to the falls. By chance, we were the last people in line in our tour group, which gave us a lot of control over our social distancing. (Everyone was wearing masks, but some of the spaces are tighter than others. Being last allowed us to lag back and keep plenty of distance between ourselves and fellow travelers.) 

Ruby Falls is the nation's tallest and deepest underground waterfall open to the public. It's been in operation since 1929, and it's a quick, 20-minute drive up Lookout Mountain from downtown Chattanooga. We chose the classic cave walk tour, which lasts about 1.5 hours, and it was amazing. You stroll through dramatically lit caverns and observe unique rock formations - stalactites, stalagmites, capillary tubes, columns, drapery formations (always so pretty), and more. Some of the formations bear a striking resemblance to everyday items, and they are denoted with signage. 

The tour culminated in the large cavern that features the falls. We had about 10 minutes in the space to take photos and admire the waterfall. Then, our group returned the way we came. We really enjoyed this tour, and the falls are a special place. When we'd finished, we made a little time to climb the steps to the top of Lookout Tower and enjoy the views before heading to Rock City. 

Formations in the Ruby Falls caverns

We had 12:15 p.m. entry tickets to Rock City, and we'd planned to eat lunch at the attraction shortly after arriving. Once we got our tickets scanned, we went straight to Big Rock Grill. Hubs and my son had burgers and chips (and the burgers were really good - I tried them!), and I had a salad with grilled chicken. We topped it off with chocolate chip cookies to keep us fueled while we explored. 

Once we'd eaten, we followed the red trail through the attraction. The route is clearly marked and takes you through all of the must-sees! My 13-year-old son LOVED this place - the views, the rock arches, the Swing-a-Long bridge, the atmospheric music. We tried out the chairs at Shelter Rock, saw seven states from Lover's Leap, sidled our way through Fat Man's Squeeze, and marveled at the waterfall from the lower trail. It's a leisurely walk, and the weather was absolutely perfect. 

After we'd thoroughly SEEN Rock City (!), we loaded up into the car and headed back to the hotel for a break. That night, we popped out for dinner to Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe, where I had a yummy grilled lamb plate with a Greek salad and rice. This place was quick, the food was healthy and it was super-convenient to our hotel. 

The waterfall from Lover's Leap at Rock City

Day 5

On Tuesday, we opted for a big brunch at the Frothy Monkey. We really loved this place. First, it's situated in a big, airy space of Terminal Station, which is convenient to the Chattanooga Choo Choo (where we were going next). The menu is varied, and prices are reasonable. Plus, there's plenty of room to distance yourself from other diners. I had a big, delicious omelette and a huge cup of coffee. Divine. Service was prompt and friendly. 

The Chattanooga Choo Choo!

Sated, we explored Terminal Station a bit before popping out the back door of the building to see the Chattanooga Choo Choo (of lyrical fame) and Glenn Miller Gardens. The Chattanooga Choo Choo is actually a hotel, and its lobby is housed in the old train station - think soaring ceilings, the old ticket counter, etc. Then out back, on the old tracks, are several train cars that contain bedrooms you can rent for the evening, a little cafe (Again, they were refurbishing it during our visit. Nearly everywhere we went in Chattanooga, we found construction!), etc. Between the tracks, they've landscaped a lovely little garden with a water feature. There are a few historical plaques back there that explain the train's significance, as well as a couple of little shops. This is a fun stop for a quick photo op. 

We snooped a bit, then we loaded back in the car for the quick drive to Sculpture Fields at Montague Park. I'd found this place online, and I KNEW I would love it. Think big, open green space, dotted with large public art installations. Both admission and parking is free. Bring your camera and some good walking shoes! Some of the pieces are HUGE, and others are more human-scaled, but all of them are cool and interesting. We walked all around the gardens and the art for different perspectives and took tons of photos.

Sculpture Fields at Montague Park

By this time, it was getting a little warm. We decided to go back to the hotel for a break. We didn't get hungry for lunch until late. (We'd had such a big, late breakfast.) When our tummies finally started rumbling, we walked to Tony's Pasta Shop and Trattoria in the nearby arts district. They have a lovely back balcony dining area that overlooks the river. I had a gorgeous, light bowl of spaghettini con crudo and a glass of red wine. We ate, talked, laughed, and watched the river go by in the distance. 

On the way back to the hotel, I stopped in the nearby River Gallery Sculpture Garden. It was so peaceful and nice! Perched on a bluff overlooking the river, this free pocket sculpture gallery shows off several pieces to their best advantage. Worth a look! 

Day 6

Today was the perfect day for a hike! I'd scoped out potential hiking opportunities online before our trip and had settled on the Cravens House hike to Sunset Rock. You can do this hike as an out-and-back or as a loop, but both ways give you around 3 miles of good hiking, punctuated by gorgeous views from atop Sunset Rock. 

Bluff Trail between Cravens
House and Sunset Rock

I ate a quick breakfast, and I was at the trailhead by 10 a.m. or so. It's about a 15/20-minute drive from downtown. You can park for free in the lot at Cravens House, where the trailhead is located. I chose to hike via the Bluff Trail. As you make your way along the trail, you first walk through forest dotted with dramatic boulders. Once on the Bluff Trail, you'll have sheer rock bluffs to your left, and beautiful forested gorge on your right. I didn't see too many people on the trail on my way out, a hard-core runner, a couple, two rock climbers, etc., so there was plenty of peace. Many of the leaves on the trees were starting to turn, and the trail was challenging without feeling impossible. 

As you near Sunset Rock, you'll see a small brown sign that points the way. Climb up a last, steep stone staircase, and there you are! You can see Chattanooga and the river valley from the top. I took a break, took a load off, ate my granola bar, and enjoyed my earned view for a bit. Then, it was back down the trail to Cravens House. I SO enjoyed this hike and look forward to more hikes in the Chattanooga area! 

By the time I made it back to the car, I was jonesing for lunch! I navigated to Cafe on the Corner, which wasn't far, for lunch on their beautiful outdoor patio. (It was another day of great weather, after all, and I intended to soak up every second of it.) They had a special Oktoberfest menu, so I tried the chicken schnitzel. So yummy! And you are seated underneath the trees and looking out at some of the beautiful homes in the area. Perfection. 

After my hike, I made my way back to the hotel for a break and a hot shower. That night for dinner, we strolled across Walnut Street Bridge for another Oktoberfest meal on another patio - soft pretzels and brats at Brewhaus Bar! We turned in happy and with full bellies that night!

The view from Sunset Rock

More to come . . .