Went here in the afternoon with my husband and kids (age 7&8). We did the guided tour and it was…read morewonderful! The inside museum is self guided. We took probably 20-30 minutes inside, then hopped on a golf cart for the guided part of the tour. It ended up taking about an hour to an hour and a half. Our guide was so knowledgeable and made learning fun (per my kids!). If you want to learn a little history in a relaxed and engaging environment, you should stop in here! Keep in mind that most of the tour/museum is outside, so if you don't want to get wet or be too cold or too hot, plan your visit with the weather in mind.

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!

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.

This was my first visit here. I started not to go but I am very glad I did. Today was a beautiful…read moreday to be out and doing an outdoor activity. This Fall Festival is well talked about in around Chattanooga and brings in people from miles around. Features: Well, one is that there is the Sequatchie River flowing right beside it. There's also a dam on it too built by early settlers. There's an old two story house on the property that I wish they would let people tour. There is a non- working water powered sawmill on the site with the equipment still there. Anyway you get all kinds of different food here like; fried pies, BBQ sandwiches, roasted sweet potato, roasted sweet corn, kettle corn, local honey, northern beans, turnip greens, chicken on a stick and etc. of course you can get sweet tea here too. They have some talented crafters. One makes things from leather like belts, gun holsters, bill folds, any etc. he was very reasonable too. They have entertainers that come here too where you can sit back in your lawn chair and relax to music. They had two places for entertainers. One at the main stage and the other at the Jammin Tent ( Food Barn). History: Ketners Mill was built in 1868 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The last year that the sawmill operated was in 1955. The last year that Ketners Mill was in full operation was in 1992. Wagon Rides: For only $3 you ride a horse drawn wagon thru the woods. See photos. I really regret not doing this. Extra thoughts: I think Ketners Mill is a place to come and relax and enjoy good food and entertainment. I wished I had brought my lawn chair and stayed longer in front of the stage where people were singing and playing their instruments. There are some shade trees to put them under close to the stage. Directions: I recommend using I 75 and taking exit 155. You can also get here by using exit 158 but 155 is what I will use next time. Once arriving at the site you can park in the open field they direct you to depending upon where you enter. I made a mistake and decided to go through the mountains on the way back and ended up in the Signal Mountain area. I thought I wanted to take more scenic view but it's just a bunch of woods and a winding curvy road that just slows you down big time. I should have gone back the way I came in.

I have visited Ketner's Mill a few times over many years. It is not far from Chattanooga and easy…read moreto find. We got there on a Sunday around 1 PM and left around 3 or so. It got very busy during our visit and the line to enter when we left was long. They have free parking and it cost 7 dollars a person to enter, which I felt was a little steep but we paid. It is a typical farm fair atmosphere with numerous vendors, food, craft and drink (no alcohol). They had everything from carmel corn to chicken on a stick. Lots of homemade jams, honey, bread and other food stuff. We walked around the area and looked at various crafts, which there is a huge selection. They have an animal petting area and also canoes you can rent. They had a rustic stage where musicians played various blue grass and country music. It is a great place to take the family for a nice afternoon get away. I give it a 4 even though I am kind of cheap and personally will not go again for $7. There are too many free or more reasonable festivals all summer.

This sculpture garden is part of The River Gallery. The River Gallery is a gallery space in a turn…read moreof the century home that showcases regional and national fine arts and crafts, while the Sculpture Garden is a captivating outdoor experience in a lovely garden setting that showcases sculptures from their permanent collection as well as sculptures available to purchase. Information regarding sculpture purchases is available through The River Gallery. Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed in the Sculpture Garden. Since we had our dog with us while visiting the area, we walked along the sidewalk on the street while looking down at the Sculpture Garden. From this vantage point, you're still able to admire a snippet of the lovely curved paths and public works of art. This outdoor garden landscape is supposedly on a two-acre space, and it overlooks the beautiful Tennessee River. The garden is also said to feature not only the works of art to admire but also boasts a meditation area, formal garden, and an informal garden with a recycling mountain stream. If you're in the area and dog free, it's certainly worth a visit.

The River Gallery Sculpture Garden sneaks up on you....or at least it snuck up on us. We were…read moredoing a day trip in Chattanooga, stopped to park for coffee and saw one funky statue, went to check it out and saw another, and another, and wait...what IS this place??? ***Googles*** OHHHH....Sculpture Garden! As others have said, this is really a hidden in plain sight spot that rests on a cliff overlooking a river. Very picturesque, and the sculptures range from small and neat (a group of fish pouring into water) to things that are larger than life and causes you to ponder. On a nice and warm day, you can easily find yourself missing a few hours here, especially if you bring snacks from the nearby restaurants. I was not expecting it. This was not on the itinerary, but i'm very happy we stumbled upon the Sculpture garden. It's kinda awesome, and that it's just on the outskirts of town sets the mood for how your time in Chattanooga will be. True, i'm not some artsy fartsy soul...but being allowed to dabble in this art environment was well received, and the next time I return it wont be by accident! Check this place out!!

I have to give a shout out to Signal Mountain. We went here a few years go and it was beautiful. We…read morewent up to the look out point early in the morning and watched the fog clear over the river. I felt like I was in a special place. I could really envision the civil war being fought here in that area. It was really neat to be in a place so deeply rooted in history. Being from the west coast, I don't know anything about the Civil War. They had placards of information available for visitors to read. It was very helpful, I learned a lot about the history and the importance of signal mountain in the history of the Civil War. Check it it out if you have the chance.

If love history and any kind then you must take a few minutes and stop and just take it in. I…read morethink sometimes we forget what this country has gone through and remembering is a way to make the future better for all.

THE BATTLE AT RINGGOLD GAP: A HERO IS REMEMBERED!…read more This little park is easy to miss if you are not looking for it along Highway 41 just east of downtown Ringgold. We drove right past it but realizing what we had missed, we stopped on the return trip. Just look for the stone wall and the large statue. This park consists of a historical monument to General Cleburne and several historic markers commemorating the Battle at Ringgold Gap and the beginning of the Atlanta Campaign. With only 4100 Confederate soldiers, Maj. Gen. Patrick Cleburne successfully defended the city of Ringgold against an army of 20,000 Union soldiers. The bronze statue, erected in 2003, depicts a man in a reflective posture with a determined expression. It pays great respect to a man who faced a sudden call to lead a demoralized group of men. With the number of men he went up against, it was sheer strategy and tenacity that allowed him to stay in control as long as he did. He became known as Stonewall of the West. This little park is a simple roadside park with picnic tables and not much else. It clearly exists as a Civil War Monument and should be respected as such. I

This Memorial started within a couple of weeks of the tragedy, on July 16th 2015 when a young Isis…read moresympathizer decided to open fire here at a military recruiting center and then again 5 miles away on Amnicola Highway where the 5 died. The community rose up to support the families and for more than 2 months. Flags were being waved off bridges and the grass area here because covered in flags and notes. A flag pole went up within two weeks and money was raised for what you see here. Chattanooga stood strong during and after this event but will not be forgotten.

This was something I very much wanted to see while in Chattanooga. I remember learning about the…read moreTrail of Tears in school in Virginia but, hadn't known a great deal about it. I read about it before visiting and was very impressed by this monument paying tribute to the Cherokee nation and the suffering of those forced from their ancestral lands by mass exodus and essentially a death march, hence the name. I was surprised to see that this is a monument that the city allows you to fully walk, play, and swim in and there were dozens of families with children playing and splashing in the water. It was something I'm not used to seeing and I thought it was wonderful that the city allows this. It was extremely hot the day I visited in July but also, this is interactive and encourages people to come and spent time here. It's a physical tribute to the countless tears shed no doubt during this event and a powerful tribute to a darker part of American history.

The Passage is a permanent exhibit near the aquarium, and pays tribute to the seven clans of the…read moreCherokee Nation through symbolism. The Trail of Tears, when Cherokee tribes were forced from their lands in Chattanooga to Oklahoma, started nearby. The Passage is a walkway, where people can see the Weeping Wall, representing the tears shed as Cherokees were forced from their homes and made to walk the Trail of Tears. 7 disks along the Weeping Wall tell the story of the Cherokee Nation. Facing the Tennessee River are 7 figures playing stickball. Playing the important game of stickball provided a way for members of the Cherokee Nation to settle disagreements, even to the point of players getting injured or killed. Just my opinion, but I think this a valuable exhibit that should be maintained a lot better and treated with respect. During my visit, to The Passage, there were a lot of people wading in the water, and wall that the stainless steel stickball players are on appeared water damaged.