February 2008 | Chattanooga, Tenn. | By D. Fran Morley

A Tennessee City Set For Casual, Fun Reunions

Site Visit By D. Fran Morley
Known as “The Scenic City” for its picturesque location between Lookout Mountain and the Tennessee River, Chattanooga, Tenn., has been drawing visitors—including reunion groups of all kinds—for more than 75 years. On a recent press trip sponsored by the Chattanooga Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), I had an opportunity to tour historic, family-favorite attractions as well as newer developments on the city’s exciting riverfront.

A new low-wake ferry, the Tennessee River Gorge Explorer, is set to launch in May 2008. Thom Benson, communications manager for the Tennessee Aquarium, told us that the ferry will take up to 70 visitors at a time to a part of the river that had been difficult to access. “This gorgeous section of river now will be only minutes away from downtown, and the ferry is designed to not harm the river’s natural environment.” An on-board naturalist will point out native plants and animals and discuss the river’s history and unique biodiversity.

Much of the area’s aquatic diversity is already on display at the Tennessee Aquarium. River Journey (opened in 1992 as one of the first riverfront improvements) and Ocean Journey (opened in 2005) are home to thousands of creatures in more than 1 million gallons of fresh and salt water.

Our visit was packed with activity, and we agreed that Chattanooga has lots to do for people of all ages and with all interests. Oh, yeah, and the food is good, too. We enjoyed award-winning ribs at Sticky Fingers Rib House; creative, made-from-scratch diner fare at Blue Plate; and elegant meals at Hennen’s and Back Inn Café. The “singing servers” at the Station House restaurant at The Chattanooga Choo Choo were great fun.

I love a good cup of coffee, and coffee houses all over town are roasting and brewing the best. I highly recommend Rembrandt’s in the Bluff View Art District and Chattz, the downtown outlet for Chattanooga Coffee Company.

Downtown Chattanooga is very walkable, but I found the city’s free electric shuttles to be a fun way to see downtown and the North Shore’s “hip to historic” Frazier Avenue. The shuttle’s southern terminus is next to the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo, built in 1909 as a railroad depot and now a 363-room, 24-acre Holiday Inn complex. Our tour included the hotel’s restored Pullman train sleeper cars and group event space that can accommodate up to 1,500 people.

Our adventures also included a dinner cruise on the 500-passenger Southern Belle riverboat, a stop at the hands-on Creative Discovery Museum, and visits to two of the area’s most time-honored attractions, Rock City and Ruby Falls. Rock City’s newly opened 3,200-square-foot pavilion can seat up to about 250 for special events, said Meagan Jolley, marketing coordinator.

We also enjoyed a visit to the new Chattanooga Market, held every Sunday from the end of April through December. This European-styled market includes fresh produce, baked goods, arts and crafts, chef demos, a rock-climbing wall, and special entertainment or activities every week—and admission is free.

The home of the nation’s first military park and the site of several Civil War battles, Chattanooga is a natural for military reunion planners. And there are many ways to explore the area’s battlefields, parks and waterways. Our group didn’t have time to “get out and play,” but we learned that Outdoor Chattanooga, a division of the city’s parks and recreation department, could arrange all sorts of adventures for groups, including kayaking, hiking and biking.