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CHATTANOOGA |
Few cities are so identified with a song as CHATTANOOGA , in the
southeast corner of Tennessee. Though visitors expecting Tex Beneke's
and Glenn Miller's Chattanooga Choo-Choo may be let down to find that
there is no longer even an Amtrak service, the town continues to
celebrate its railroad history, and has plenty more to offer besides not
least its beautiful location on a deep bend in the Tennessee River ,
walled in by forested plateaus on three sides. This setting led John
Ross, of Scottish and Cherokee ancestry, to found a trading post on the
spot in 1815, and its strategic importance made it a great prize during
the Civil War; victories here in 1863 were the springboard for Sherman's
march through Georgia.
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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from $55.00
USD