I occasionally afford myself the luxury of visiting places without really knowing what to expect…read more This park just wasn't that clear to me in its purpose, but it became more so after arrival, with a visitor center focused on Native American history and identifying this as a Cherokee Nation headquarters. A spread of recreated buildings outside offers opportunities for perusal. The most aesthetically distinctive site is a large spring of the sort that seem more common in Kentucky than Tennessee, which evinces a robust blue color and empties into a clear stream. The spring itself is off-limits, but the stream is open for wading. All of these sites are within sight of the initial entrance, but a trek uphill reveals picnic areas, an amphitheater, and a couple of mile trail through the woods. Between the different elements of the park, it was easy to spend a couple of hours there, and best of all, it's free, though the gift shop warrants examination.

Extremely nice! Not a bad price either You can bring your own food which is nice. A great way to…read morehave a family day

Our tour guide Matt did a great job telling us the history of the area. He answered all our…read morequestions and took his time explaining.

Our guide, Jody, made it great! Upon driving up to the museum, we didn't expect much and inside the…read moresmall museum wasn't much. But once we boarded the golf cart on the guided tour with Jody, that all changed. The weather was great, which always helps but the knowledge Jody shared at each stop took us back in history. As a teacher, I appreciated each detail and he (Jody) was always ready to answer questions. The property around the museum is where all of the history took place and Tunnel Hill takes great pride in their local treasure. I was surprised to learn all the seemingly small place had to offer. Kudos to all the people who work hard to keep this place alive. My kids and I had a great visit! I will note that it is more for middle school and up. And it's good for the kids to already have some knowledge about the Civil War. I only rate it one star less than perfect because the displays and mannequins need quite a bit of updating. You do have to have a good guide!

I remember taking my daughter there maybe 20+ years ago. Not much after they opened. Kids love it…read moreand my 6 year old grandson wanted to stay when I was ready to leave after 3 hours :-) If you go be sure to look around because there are tons of activities and things for kids to do and explore. They also have a cafeteria, which I found by accident. The only complaint I might have is some of the activities on the second level were in disrepair or not well maintained. Still if you have kidlets, highly recommended. Don't forget if you have an aquarium membership, you get a discount!!

We took our son to Chattanooga for a surprise birthday trip and concluded our weekend visit with a…read moretrip to the Creative Discovery Museum and I am so happy that we got a chance to visit. This place is absolutely amazing and so much fun for both kiddos and parents! Since we stayed at a nearby hotel, we walked about a block to the museum but there is plenty of parking available behind the building but I am not sure about the cost. We arrived just as they opened and the staff member that assisted us was super sweet and because it was my son's birthday, she gifted him with free admission which was a huge win for our budget. As soon as walked into the actual museum, the first thing my kiddos saw was the water area which of course the only thing they wanted to play with. The water area is setup in a way that kids can play with toys, learn about water conservation, build bridges, and have a wonderful time prior to getting into the nitty gritty of all the museum has to offer. They have aprons so my kiddos weren't drenched but just know that area gets a bit congested. There are sooooo many things to do from art to a robot car build and challenge to playing musical instruments. There is also a fun little outdoor space with a cool play area, fun artwork, and games. We had sooooo much fun and it is truly a wonderful place to try and learn new things. There is also an area for the tinier ones where they can "ride a tractor", take care of bunnies (stuffed of course), set the dinner table, cook, and do other household chores. I mean there is soooooo much to do and so much fun to be had. I cannot recommend this place enough and I promise by the time your leave, the kiddos will definitely have a blast as will you!

This museum is a real gem! My husband and I have been to…read moreseveral car museums, but this one is truly special. Starting with the owners of the museum. Kind, polite, personable, and very passionate about their collection and their family. The vibe of the museum was our favorite part too. The garage vibe isn't something I've seen yet, and honestly, it's really something special in their favor. We took three laps around the museum and found something new every time. My favorite was the Piper Cub. I rode in one myself in high school. I never thought I'd see one again so it was a very special moment for me! I highly recommend this museum whether by yourself, with your family like I was, or for an event.

Fantastic! My family, including my sister, niece and nephews loved the cars and other memorabilia…read more We spent over an hour looking at the collection. My youngest nephew was fascinated with the vehicles that were over 100 years old.

Tony and I went to Chickamauga, Georgia on the way the long way to Chattanooga via Georgia on a…read moregorgeous day...love to take our drives...so on October 23, 2013 we happened upon this historical lovely depot that they turned into a museum. I enjoyed the quaint little town and we spent about 4 hrs here walking around the depot, the town and the various sights that I also will review. A little history: Sometime around 1888-89, the first railroad was built to the little town of Crawfish Springs, later renamed Chickamauga, Georgia. A Syndicate Company bought large tracts of land for the railroad and a large summer resort. The painting and sketch below shows how the train depot and Park Hotel appeared in the 1890's. The hotel opened in 1891 and the train depot was built with expectations of many visitors. But, the dreams of the investors did not materialize, and in 1898 the hotel was used as a hospital for soldiers at Camp Thomas, located in the Chickamauga Battlefield, in training for the Spanish-American War. It was later demolished and replaced with the two-story brick community house which survives today. The stone depot was constructed by the Central of Georgia Railroad and trains made round trips twice a day between Chattanooga and Cedartown, stopping in Chickamauga. Passenger service stopped in the early 50's and the depot was locked in the late 60's. Over the years, the depot was used by the City Schools, as a public library, by the Recreation Association and Walker County; until the City of Chickamauga was deeded the property in the late 1990's. Hours are from 10 am to 4 pm Thursday thru Saturday, closed on Sunday and Monday. Admission is $2.00 and parking is free. A steam locomotive carries passengers on excursions and day trips from Chattanooga during the summer months, stopping at the Chickamauga Depot. Phone 706-375-4488 for additional information.

This place is so cool. So much history and so worth checking out…read more We drove through much of this but stopped by the tower. Of course I had to walk up it ....and back down. I had spaghetti legs after that, but it was so worth it. The view from the top is so beautiful.

Had an amazing visit here today. It is absolutely worth the visit. So much history…read more I can truly appreciate the self guided narration by utilizing the NPS app. It helps keep you on track as you navigate through the battlefield. Next visit I plan to do a little more walking around. This is a huge land mass and there are some areas you cannot get to via vehicle. It was nice to see lots of people on bike, flying kites and with the pets.

Museum uses generative AI for advertisements. Of all the places in the world, an art museum that's…read morea multi-million dollar institution should be the absolute last place on Earth that uses one. This place has featured some incredibly talented artists in the past, and then they pull this garbage. I will not be visiting again anytime soon.

What drew me to the Hunter was the photo of the stunning architecture above the bluff on the…read moreTennessee River. What I found was a pretty decent collection of American art for a small city! ++. The HMAA is really 3 buildings in one : The main building is where the entrance and the gift shop are. It has exhibits and event space. In between the main building and the mansion is a long hallway with series of rooms filled with most of their permanent collection, works from the 20th century. The mansion seems to house earlier works from 18th and 19th centuries and a few from the 20th century . +. There were several pieces that grabbed my attention. Andrew Wyeth's striking The Lobsterman, 1937 from his first one man show. It was painted when he was only 20 years old. Willem de Kooning's Untitled 1969. First of his that didn't cause strong reaction. Edward Curtis' Canyon de Chelly was on exhibit. I was thrilled as it's rare to find Curtis' work in the South. Edward Ruscha's America, Her Best Product 1974-1975 struck me with current tariffs and policy changes. Perhaps so much yet not much has changed in the past 6 decades. James Cameron's View of Moccasin Bend, Chattanooga. It's the site of 12,000 years of continuous human habitation since the Paleo-Indian Period (10,000 BCE - 8,000 BCE), My favorite find was Victor De Grailly's Niagara Falls, c. 1850. It captured the view of the Falls from the American side overlooks Terrapin Point. In 1833, an observation tower was connected to a 300-foot-long wooden bridge to walk above the rushing water! So if you've been to Niagara Falls, you know THIS BRIDGE no longer exists! I soO wish it was still there :) +. The Hunter charges $20pp and $18pp for seniors, students, veterans and others. It's a bit steep for a collection worth apx. 1-2 hour visit. Though it's good to support this non-profit! ++. Service was friendly and informative by Tim? at the front desk. He shared with us that Chattanooga has deep Native American roots with the Cherokee and Trail of Tears while he showed us their 2nd floor balcony. =. Parking is a tiny (~20) private paid lot. It was full and we were lucky to find a street parking nearly. The HMAA owes its legacy to the original owner of the mansion, George Hunter of the Coke Bottling Company. This museum is worth a stop. MY RATINGS - - - Inhumane - - Disgusted - Don't bother = Missed the Mark +. Good ++ Better +++ EDIBLE... WHERE have you bee my LiFe!

Absolutely Unforgettable - The Hiwassee River Rail Adventure is Pure Magic!…read more I hadn't been on a real train in years, so when I spotted an Instagram video of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum's Hiwassee River excursion, I knew it was the perfect way to celebrate my mom's birthday. We made the 3-hour drive from home, and let me tell you - it was 100% worth every mile! We timed our trip for a Friday in mid-November, after hearing the fall colors were peaking a bit late this year. With just enough leaves fallen, the views of the majestic Hiwassee River opened up dramatically through the trees. Riding midday was key: the sunlight danced across the water, creating that breathtaking "jewel effect" John Muir raved about over 150 years ago when he walked these very banks: "My path all to-day led me along the leafy banks of the Hiwassee, a most impressive mountain river... Such a river is the Hiwassee, with its surface broken to a thousand sparkling gems, and its forest walls vine-draped and flowery as Eden." He wasn't exaggerating - the river truly sparkled like a thousand gems under the autumn sun, framed by the rugged gorge and Cherokee National Forest. It felt like stepping into a living postcard (or Eden itself!). This was the very last Hiwassee Loop trip of the season, and tickets were down to the final four when I booked - we ended up in coach class, but it was perfectly comfortable. The roughly 4-hour round-trip journey (50 miles through the stunning lower Hiwassee Gorge) flew by. We wandered freely between cars, snapped incredible photos and videos from the open-air vestibules (fresh mountain air + epic vistas = perfection), and soaked in the engineering marvel of the historic Hiwassee Loop where the tracks spiral over themselves. The staff were fantastic - friendly, hilarious, and full of fascinating stories about the railroad's history, the local area, and the wildlife along the route. This isn't just a train ride; it's a one-of-a-kind adventure that blends nostalgia, nature, and pure joy. If you're debating it... book it now! You won't regret experiencing one of the most scenic rail journeys in the Southeast. Highly recommend for families, nature lovers, history buffs, or anyone needing a memorable escape. We'll be back!

We booked the one hour train ride with dinner at the depot and that part was on me. I assumed…read moredinner would be served on the train, but we were actually seated upstairs in the depot. It is a very old, nostalgic building, but once we saw the setup I started to worry about the food and unfortunately that instinct was right. The salad was honestly the best part and tasted like a bagged mix. The hors d'oeuvres were hummus, goat cheese, and tomatoes. Just okay, and I normally love goat cheese. We preordered herb chicken with potatoes and asparagus, and salmon with potatoes. The salmon looked pretty but tasted awful and was overcooked. Whatever it was sitting on underneath was not edible. My honey's chicken came out undercooked and bloody. When he sent it back, the waiter, who I truly felt bad for, was told to explain it away as normal near the joint. It is not normal. The replacement chicken was still bloody. That should never happen. Dessert was cheesecake and strawberry crème brûlée. The cheesecake was good. The crème brûlée tasted artificial and missed the mark. The train ride itself was decent, but since it was at night there was not much to see. I would have preferred doing the ride first while there was still some daylight and then dinner after, but that may have been in the details I missed. Next time I would do just the train ride and skip the dinner.