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Old 07-15-2009, 06:44 PM
 
Location: Madison
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Hs anone been to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chatanooga? I just realized it was only 2 hours away and wondered if it was worth the trip?
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Old 07-15-2009, 06:47 PM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
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Originally Posted by emglo View Post
Hs anone been to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chatanooga? I just realized it was only 2 hours away and wondered if it was worth the trip?

I've heard going to Chatanooga is a lot of fun because there are other things to do besides the aquarium. Bummer, it looks like it is more like 2.5 hours on a very non linear route.
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Old 07-15-2009, 06:56 PM
 
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The aquarium is excellent. Take a weekend a check out the aquarium plus other Chattanooga attractions. Rock City and Lookout Mountain Park are fun. Ride the incline.
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Old 07-15-2009, 07:25 PM
 
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Yes, lots of fun. Also an Imax there and I think a children's museum. Food includes Mellow Mushroom and Cheeburger Cheeburger by the Aquarium. Worth it!
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Old 07-15-2009, 07:27 PM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
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Do most people do it in one day or spend one night?

I've also heard good things about Gatlinburg and Pidgeon Forge and the Smoky Mountains for weekend trips.
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Old 07-15-2009, 07:29 PM
 
Location: Alabama!
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The aquarium is great, and surrounded by other things to do. Well worth a weekend for everything, lots of history in Chattanooga (my hometown), too. And a small, old-fashioned amusement park, Lake Winnepasauka. You can even hang-glide off Lookout Mountain!

More here: Chattanooga Visitors Bureau - Chattanooga's Official Travel Site

The road there is all 4 lanes. I can drive from Decatur to the Chattanooga mall (on the north side) in 2 hours flat.

Take 72 through Scottsboro and Bridgeport to South Pittsburg, where you get on I-24 East. Depending on where you're going, you may take I-75 north to get to that mall area.

Chattanooga sprawls over into Georgia. Rock City is actually in Georgia, so be aware of that when you search for hotel accomodations.
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Old 07-15-2009, 08:33 PM
 
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Have kids? Young kids whose attention span is short and find joy in little things, like a pool of water? - Get a few changes of clothes, swimsuit, swim shoes and towel. There's a "fountain" and "canals" outside the aquarium building where children "monkey sees, monkey does"-it only takes one kid to be in the water, and the rest will follow. The water is ankle-high running water.

Starting this year, the Aquarium offers 2.5 hr riverboat trips thru the gorge. The Tennessee Aquarium, Explore life above and below the waters surface: RIVER GORGE EXPLORER

If no kids, the place is still worth visiting.

And also Children's museum is a blast with the kids (at least the first time) - again: water alert!!

The shortest route time wise is indeed US72-I24 (2hrs)
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Old 07-15-2009, 08:36 PM
 
2,126 posts, read 6,802,659 times
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Originally Posted by Charles View Post
I've heard going to Chatanooga is a lot of fun because there are other things to do besides the aquarium. Bummer, it looks like it is more like 2.5 hours on a very non linear route.
It takes me about 1:40 hours to get from DT Huntsville to DT Chattanooga. Chattanooga is a cool little city, I could easily burn a weekend there or it would make for a nice day trip.
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Old 07-15-2009, 09:14 PM
 
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Charles, from where you live in Hampton Cove, Chattanooga is less than 2 hours, easy.

It's a fun place to visit. The Aquarium is somewhat unique in that it focuses on fresh water rather than salt water.

As others have stated, there are many, many other things to do there. Lookout Mountain has Rock City, Ruby Falls, the Incline Railroad, and Point Park. Downtown Chattanooga has the Aquarium, Children's Museum, the riverfront, the Lookouts (minor league baseball), the Chattanooga Choo-Choo, etc. And I definitely put in another vote for Lake Winnie - it is a cute, old-fashioned amusement park. There is also the Chickamauga Battlefield and other civil war related stuff.
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Old 07-15-2009, 09:28 PM
 
369 posts, read 1,146,215 times
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Originally Posted by Charles View Post
I've also heard good things about Gatlinburg and Pidgeon Forge and the Smoky Mountains for weekend trips.
Pigeon Forge is nothing but tourist trap sprawl. Gatlinburg is better simply because it is geographically constrained, but also is overrun with tourist kitsch.

The Smokies are a great place to visit. Gatlinburg is the most convenient to the park unless you want to camp in the park or hike up to Le Conte Lodge. We usually stay in a condo in Gatlinburg (stay as close to the park entrance as possible) or rent a house in the Townsend or Maggie Valley areas.
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