The museum was great. I enjoyed seeing all the displays and artifacts from different cultures. Will…read moredo a return visit

Visiting the Bessie Smith Cultural Center was a spectacular experience! As a native Chattanoogan, I…read morehad never had the pleasure of attending before, but my visit today blowed me away! This museum and performance hall features a beautiful array of Chattanooga Black history as well as showcasing the wealth of Black musical talent that has hailed from this wonderful city, including Bessie Smith herself! Each exhibit features tangible artifacts alongside highly informative digital displays with written information, as well as short documentaries playing in select areas. Mr. Elijah was our tour guide and he held a wealth of knowledge about the origination of the area, beginning with the Indigenous peoples that lived in the area, progressing through time. The galleries he led us through featured Chattanooga's greatest African-American movers and shakers, prominent entrepreneurs, important local historical events, and much more! I highly recommend anyone who loves Black history and loves Chattanooga to pay a visit to this powerful and inspiring establishment of historical and cultural celebration!

The Commons in Collegedale is a wonderful community complex located near the Collegedale police…read morestation and public library. It boasts a spread of venue buildings, picnic shelters, pickleball courts, and two fantastic parks: the Imagination Station Playground and the Little Debbie Park. According to their website, The Commons happily hosts everything from bridal showers, weddings, and birthday parties to festivals and farmer's markets! They offer some lovely options for any event with not too shabby rental rates We've enjoyed visiting with our dog for a picnic and walking. It is a very clean and pet friendly complex. It's spacious, offers covered pavilions, walking paths, and multiple restrooms. The grounds are well maintained with plenty of parking, too. We look forward to returning for photos with the larger than life Little Debbie treat replicas at the Little Debbie Park!

First time at The Commons and it's a nice area that holds outside events. Attended a baby story…read moretime there that's put on by the Collegedale Public Library. It's a nice shaded pavilion with plenty of space to fit a good number of people in. The bathrooms are tidy and up to date which is nice for a park type of bathroom. It's close to the Imagination Station so you can walk about and then go play. They hold different events here throughout the year which is great spot for a common meeting area. Plenty of parking around the area which is also a plus.

What a lovely venue for children and families! I can't believe it's free. We are from out of town…read moreand have been here a couple times now, it's great to come here on rainy and sunny days. The Steam Lab and H20 rooms for my toddler and baby make this a great place to have a play date in Buford, especially on a Thursday when they are open until 7 pm (other days it's 4 pm). I didn't take pictures because of other children around, but whether your kids have high sensory needs like mine or you just want the option for indoor or outdoor play this was great for the kids to get to run around outside too. Will definitely be back, wish this was in my area!

Such a cool place that you can easily spend all day, multiple days a week at. There's a kid…read morefriendly play STEM area, a little museum, plenty of animals to see in doors and out. Plus there's walking trails.

We had been wanting to stop at this place and visit for awhile now. We never see any cars here, so…read morewe weren't expecting much. We quickly found that this place is amazing. We didn't expect to be so big, but the memorial just kept going and going. It eventually leads to the Huntsville Depot Museum, if you want to check out some old train cars and steam engines or if you want to keep walking it leads to the Gateway Greenway walk path. This is one of the best memorials I have seen outside of DC. I highly recommend you visit. *I threw in a couple pictures from the Huntsville Depot Museum that's located at the end of the memorial.

This is a beautiful peaceful memorial on the north cusp of downtown near the Depot…read more Mom and I have walked around it several times and when my sister comes to town, she likes to visit it, too. We have purchased pavers in memory of lost beloved Veterans and the process is easy and the people are very professional and prompt. One purchased recently should be installed by the 4th of July. When you order one you get the option of having a certificate mailed to the family of the honored Veteran. I highly recommend this. The certificate is of good quality and comes with a brochure of the memorial and I think, the general location where the brick will be. So happy my hometown honors our beloved Veterans and our great nation with this memorial. There is a lot to see here, so you can stay and learn and walk through all the displays or just get the main gist where the flags and the fountain are. Do check it out - you won't be sorry!

Huntsville's Polish-American Community (Polonia) represents several generations of Polish…read moreimmigrants and descendants. They've been meeting at this church since 1995, and I only joined in about five years back, though I had previously met and knew several members. They used to be very involved with the Slavic Night in partnership with UAH and others...alas, that celebration is no more, but it was one of the stepping-stones that led to my locating the group and joining in. Wednesday evenings during what are effectively school weeks (October through May), we all show up at about 7:00 p.m. (give or take) in the All Purpose Meeting Room. Everyone is invited to bring a friend and/or a snack or drink and it's not uncommon to find homemade Eastern European foods mixed in with Oreos. Have some Gołąbki with your Fritos®? Topics covered by the group have varied from Polish involvement in WWII to Christmas/Easter traditions to the history of this or that region or city to Polish language/grammar. It's total immersion, more or less, though I'd still like to find a dedicated language class/teacher/books one day. Good luck with that in this neck of the woods. This group offers some of the only Polish holiday events and celebrations available anywhere in the state and certainly in North Alabama. That's how I went from being taught how to make Pierogies to setting up TV interviews to celebrate Święconka, a centuries-old Polish tradition known as "The Blessing of the Easter Baskets," something they celebrate every Holy Saturday. The classes, meetings, and events expose even the most casually interested person to a dedicated group. They've had traveling guest speakers, welcomed visiting Polish dignitaries, partnered with other Polish groups in the area, and hosted Polish families and students. There's also been continually good interaction with the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library's "LearningQUEST" through the class, "Passport to Poland." It's all quite the experience! Very active, the group takes part in the International Festival of North Alabama, among many other community events, and hosts an early Wigilia, or Christmas Eve celebration, the first or second Wednesday in December. No one is allowed to bring meat (lots of fish; no MEAT), and if there's any drink, it had better be nonalcoholic or Krupnik...and it usually is. But everyone is encouraged to bring something Polish (or at least, Eastern European) that they made themselves. And, of course, somebody always kindly brings Opłatki to share! The Pączki someone always brings in to share before Lent kicks in are rarely homemade, but always eaten with glee. Publix or some such usually has them. This is a wonderful opportunity for newcomers of all stripes, but PARTICULARLY for newcomers with Polish heritage, no matter how many generations removed. Polonia HSV even celebrates departures with a Pożegnanie...and that can only mean more food!

This is a terrific facility to hold an event. We celebrated by husband's 50th birthday in the…read moreballroom. It comes with all the equipment you need (sound, projectors, kitchen with warmers and microwaves). They arrange the room, which seats up to 120, how you want. The facility is extremely affordable. I wish there was more parking, but there are other areas nearby to park. The people there are very helpful and kind. If you clean up to their liking after the event, you get your deposit back within the following week. I'd do another event there in the future.

A RELAXING FRIDAY NIGHT!…read more Tonight my husband and I attended one of the First Friday concerts at the center. These concerts occur the first Friday of every month in the upstairs ballroom. They are from 7:00 until 9:00 and feature a variety of artists. Attendees are encouraged to bring their dinner and eat during the concert just as they do during the summer concerts. Tonight's group was "Out of the Rain" featuring Ron HIpp and Carol Statella, a folk duo. It is apparent that they have been together for a very long time because they just flow together seamlessly. I enjoyed tonight's selections which included folk classics and a country waltz. It was great "feel good" music that allows you to forget about everything but sitting back and fully enjoying the moment. It was a great way to spend a Friday evening!

Such an amazing place!!! Definitely the most bang for your buck when staying in Nashville, and the…read morerooms are so expertly done! Will be staying again soon! Check out the speakeasy style room for a guys trip and the Barbie room for a girls.

Kaleidoscope is a wonderful space offering classes and times for drop-in art for both kids and…read moreadults. They also are available for kids' parties or other functions. I've been to an open art time with my son, and he loved it! A group of friends also had a holiday gathering there one evening and it was a great place to get together. I'd like to take one of their watercolor or needle felting classes myself. Here is my 6-year-old's review: "It was the best thing in the world. The art was great. The collages were great."

Before discovering Trinity, I had no idea how rich and delicious Venezuelan food could be. After…read moremany lunch visits, I'm officially obsessed. Their cachapas and arepas are incredible, and the platters are always a great deal, you easily get enough food for both lunch and dinner. The staff is incredibly kind and always happy to offer suggestions if you're not sure what to try. This is a true grab-and-go spot since it's just a small window at the entrance of Plaza Mariachi, but you can take your food into the main dining area with no issues. They'll hand you a little pager that lights up when your order is ready. Absolutely a must-try in Nashville!

Plaza Mariachi has something for everyone. I love how they host community events for all ages. I…read morehave attended a live convert or two there as well as salsa dancing. They always have very good music and there is plenty of seating available. They also have so many food, drink, and shopping options it's like an adventure all in one place. Their staff keeps the place clean by clearing tables, drinks, and spills. Considering the area there is security present in the parking lot and within the venue but I have never been there when anything has gotten out of hand so they must really be doing their job right. All in all Plaza is a vibe so if you are looking for something different definitely check them out.

Nice enough river walk located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I enjoyed my walk along the river as the…read moresun slowly set. Ultimately, the Chattanooga Riverfront is worth checking out.

Kids had so much fun playing in the water in front of the aquarium and down the steps…read more There were groups of moms and littles. Toys and all.