Foster Falls

PICNIC? yes! 

SWIMSUIT? yes!

COST? none

PLAYGROUND? no

AUTHOR'S RATING? five out of five stars!

HOURS? sunrise to sunset

Last summer we took family to Foster Falls to hike and see the falls. 

Here's the map of the trails around the pool where the falls are. The big loop is a really long trail. We hiked from the parking lot to the right around the pool and made it to where the two trails get very near. (That was about a mile away from the parking lot.) There is a way to get from one side to the other there, but you have to do some pretty advanced climbing/scrambling. We hiked to the right of the circle first,

and found a great stream to start our wading in and to eat our picnic by.

The kids caught crawdads.

We hiked more around the rim and then backtracked around to the falls.

The hike down to the falls is a rocky staircase,

and a cool swinging bridge.

The falls are amazing! I wasn't planning to swim, but got in the water anyway. All of us swam under the falls, which is extremely exhilarating. The kids swam across and under the falls using swim rings. The water is COLD, but refreshing, and being out in the middle of the pool with the cliffs going up around you is am awe-inspiring experience. 

{map for Foster Falls}

The Pumpkin Patch

PICNIC? yes! 

SWIMSUIT? no

COST? none

PLAYGROUND? yes

AUTHOR'S RATING? five out of five stars!

HOURS? sunrise to sunset

When it comes to creative, exciting, fun-for-everyone kinds of playgrounds, you can't beat the Pumpkin Patch on Signal Mountain.

From the winding woodsy trails, to the tire dragons to the hillside slide, everything is a fun discovery and adventure for many different ages of kids. And you have to love a playground that has "Be kind" as its first rule!

This playground is always in the shade and with the elevation, pretty cool for most of the summer. The trees do bring in the bugs, so be sure to wear some spray!

I love the picnic area at this playground. It is close to the action, but very picturesque.

Put the Pumpkin Patch on your summer bucket list!

{map for the Pumpkin Patch}

Camp Jordan Park and Arena

The kids and I were at Camp Jordan for a 5k Color Run and festival on Saturday and we were surprised to see some big changes. There is one of the most interesting play structures I've seen on the far side of the park right next to a new restroom. (Hooray for lots of restrooms in large parks!)

When you add that play structure to big open fields, a 2 mile hiking path, a huge event arena, a picnic pavilion, a fishing/duck pond, and a disc golf course (coming soon) you get what I would say is a major force in the Play Chattanooga world!

PICNIC? yes! 

SWIMSUIT? maybe, when the weather is right and you don't mind your kids wading in a muddy creek

COST? none

PLAYGROUND? yes

AUTHOR'S RATING? five out of five stars!

HOURS? n/a

For information about hosting events at Camp Jordan, go to

East Ridge Parks and Recreations.

{MAP FOR CAMP JORDAN}

Chattanooga Choo Choo Model Train Museum

The Chattanooga Choo Choo is not just a song or an icon of our fun city; 

it's also a great place to eat, play or hang out!

I've heard several people say that the Model Train Museum there is one of those hidden gems of the city--come and check it out!

You also might want the Chattanooga Choo Choo if you're looking to sleep in an old railcar, be sung to by a waiter, or walk in lovely formal gardens.

PICNIC? I don't see why not. I don't think I would go full out picnic, but hanging out in the gardens and having a picnic snack would probably be fine.

SWIMSUIT? no

COST? Model Train MuseumDaily at 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm: $5/adults; $3/ages 3-12

Trolley Ride: $3/person

(Daily at 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm)

PLAYGROUND? no

AUTHOR'S RATING? five out of five stars

HOURS? 

Sunday - Friday:  1pm - 6pm 

Saturday:             10am - 8pm

From its earliest days, Chattanooga was a river town. But in 1849 the first train arrived, and Chattanooga also became a town of the rails. In 1871 the luxurious Stanton House was opened to cater to the traffic of those rails. After its heyday the Stanton House was neglected and finally leveled in 1906 to make way for the Terminal Train Station, opened in 1909.

This train station bustled until the 60s and then closed entirely when the last passenger train passed through Chattanooga in August of 1970. It wasn't long (just 3 years) until The Chattanooga Choo Choo was opened as a hotel. Cincinnati Southern's engine was brought in to be the official Choo Choo and the bustle of the old railway days surrounds her in the yard of the hotel.

I've given the Choo Choo my highest rating because of its historical place in our city and its variety of entertainment and hotel options. Do you need train pictures of your toddler? A fun date idea? A fancy place for out of town friends to stay? A morning outing for your train-loving son? Shops? Garden background for prom/engagement pics? All of that and more can be found at the Choo Choo!

The Model Railroad Museum has a representation of Chattanooga, her attractions and her resources.

My kids favorite part of the model museum was the few interactive parts of the display. You could push a button to make the Incline Railway run or a lumber jack chop down a tree. They were enthralled!

{map for the Chattanooga Choo Choo}

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

On Saturday, our family celebrated our first Adoption Day. (Hooray!) We want to celebrate that day well, and the best way I could think of to celebrate was to do something fun in our town that we've never done before.

Enter the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.

We took the Missionary Ridge Local service beginning at the Grand Junction Station.

PICNIC? yes

SWIMSUIT? no

COST? $17 for adults and $11 for children age 3-12.  There is no charge for children age 2 and under. 

PLAYGROUND? no

AUTHOR'S RATING? four out of five stars

HOURS? find complete schedule HERE

It was great to get so up close and personal with the fully-refurbished, beautiful 1910 locomotive. 

The kids loved finding our seats on one of the three train cars--also refurbished with loads of history. (The one we rode in still had a dividing wall for when the train cars were segregated.)

The very best part was that we got off at the East Chattanooga restoration shop and got to see the locomotive engine turn on a turntable. It is hard to put into words how impressive and beautiful that was! When this turntable was new, it was so well balanced that it could be turned by four men. It's still well-balanced, but today it turns with a small engine. 

After a quick tour of the restoration shop, it was back to the train for the return trip through a tunnel and over bridges back to the Grand Junction Station.

Oh! And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the two biggest kid-related events for TVRM:

Day Out With Thomas

Thomas the Tank Engine (as close as you're going to get to the real thing) actually pulls the train.

and

North Pole Limited

Ride the train in the evening to see Christmas lights, hear Christmas stories and have a special Christmas guest.

Don't let the location fool you; it's just a hop and skip from downtown!

{MAP FOR TENNESSEE VALLEY RAILROAD MUSEUM}

Renaissance Park

PICNIC? yes--at plenty of picnic tables throughout the park

SWIMSUIT? no

COST? none

PLAYGROUND? no, but there's box sledding : ) and plenty of room to run around

AUTHOR'S RATING? four out of five stars

HOURS? 9-5pm

If you're looking for an artsy, woodsy stroll, Renaissance Park might be the place for you. Of course, if you're looking for picnicking or box sledding, this park is also the one! Add in bridges, amphitheaters, scenic berms, wetlands, historic markers, an outdoor pavilion and restrooms and you have a bit of an idea how Renaissance Park can serve and delight the local Chattanoogan as well as the tourist. 

In my opinion, the best views of downtown are from the several viewpoints of Renaissance. 

And yay for kids getting active and reusing those boxes! Just hop on one and take a thrilling ride down the side of one of the berms scattered throughout the park.

All of the amenities are great, but I think my favorite part of Renaissance is that there are 23 acres around you and not all of them are perfectly manicured and filled with the manmade. There is space to breathe and trees to remind you that the city and the country to not have to compete here in this Southern town.

Renaissance Park also offers the convenience of being adjacent to Coolidge Park and tied into the Tennessee Riverpark System.

{MAP FOR RENAISSANCE PARK}