I still love Ruby falls. I've been here about 5 times over the years, all during different times. We arrived about an hour before they close and we had no issues. It was really nice because the palace was pretty empty. Surprising for a holiday weekend. They open for the Christmas lights next week, so that may be part of it. The whole process has changed since I was here last. You make your cave your reservation's online. No more hour long wait in line to get tickets. They added a cafe where the old gift shop used to be and expanded the shop. They also changed the entrance to the lookout tower. There is a zip line option too. read more

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So we came here to check on the had to must do cave in ruby falls. We walked up, there is a castle above the cave which you learned about later was built with limestone used when they excavated the cave. Anyway, tickets are expensive, 25 a person but ok. We met our tour guide who was very sarcastic. Tall guy blonde. Anyway we walked a half a mile to the waterfall. It was pretty. Nothing that I would pay 25 dollars for. But along the way they had things labeled from the creations. This was a 1 time thing for me. Free parking and I don't know how you can give a natural thing 3 stars but ok? read more

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A very hostile environment. The lady at the counter kept staring at us with the meanest face you could possibly make. My family and I had a great experience on the tour, but at the end when you receive your photos the lady is very rude and unpleasant. My youngest daughter snapped a pic of the photo they took of us, the lady in a very rude unprofessional way told her not to. She could've politely asked her not to. When we made a complaint all the person did was smile... and the lady that was staring us just followed us to hear the complaint. read more

2/17/23 FRIDAY (President's Day Weekend) Stopped at Ruby Falls as a person in our party recommended it. We expected to do a small walk to a waterfall. That's it! But there was so much more! WEATHER: We got there when it opened and it was around 35 degrees. The park was pretty empty but I can imagine it quite busy during the warmer months. The Spring foliage hadn't started to bloom so the focus was really on the engineering wonder of building this place. MILITARY DISCOUNT: YES LOCAL WINES: There is an area on your way out where you can sample some of the local wines. Our friends bought some and now I wished we had too. They also offer free samples. TIMELINE: There were 6 of us (no children) it took us about 2.hours tops but we didn't have to compete with the crowds and waiting for the scenic spots to take pictures along the way. The pictures speak for themselves. read more

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We visited on 12/18, the tour guide was not informative at all. His voice was very low and most of us couldn't hear him. When asked: where does the water come from? He says: from above. That's it. No other details. Yes we all know from above but where? We had to listen to another tour guide from another group to learn anything. read more

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Nice your and impressive under ground water fall. The walk wasn't too bad. The only thing I didn't like was the close quarters when you had to pass another group. However, the tour guides worked together to make it a pleasant tour. Very professional and fun. I would recommend but warn this is not for very tall people. The walk height is no higher than 5'7 in most of the walking trail. Only four stars because it was very crowded and if you're in the back you won't hear any of the tour guides information. read more

This is amazing. Highly recommend. The price is a little high to walk through the cave but the water fall is AMAZING. Kid friendly, be prepared to walk. read more

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Very cool waterfall! I wish it wasn't so commercialized, but definitely a cool adventure, read more

Ruby Falls - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Go to the bathroom first. There are signs that let you know there no restrooms available during the 90-minute tour. A quick elevator ride down, and several tour groups are going through the area at the same time, so occasionally you will have to pause while one passes. Once you get to the falls, it is beautiful. You get a few minutes to view and take photos. It is a comfortable 60 degrees. read more

Ruby Falls - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

*Insert dad joke about chasing waterfalls here* Location and Parking Ruby Falls is part of Lookout Mountain, which boasts other attractions such as a zip line and observation tower. Parking is plentiful and free, but could be uphill and a long walk to the front door. Venue and Atmosphere You will enter through the gift shop (of course) and proceed all the way to the back where the restrooms and cave entrance are. There are no restrooms in the cave so please be prepared. A guide will lead you to the elevator which descends 26 stories in 30 seconds. Did your ears pop just reading that? The tour itself moves pretty fast, but our guide told funny jokes and made the time pass quickly. The tour lasts over one hour, but a lot of it is spent walking, waiting, and moving to the side so that other groups can pass. For the amount of time spent, I did think that there could be some more talking or information from the guide. Also, most of the groups seemed rather large to all be in a narrow cave at once. There are colorful lights to present rock formations along the way, some of which have cute names such as "dragon's foot" or "steak and potatoes." When you get to the actual waterfall, there are several safety rules, undoubtedly inspired by people who tried to swim, fish, or bathe in the waterfall (none of those things are allowed by the way). You get a certain amount of time to take as many photos as you wish, and the guide will give a one minute warning. The walk back is pretty much on your own, and your guide will meet you at the elevator for some final jokes and then you will exit through the gift shop (of course). Bonus: there is an observation tower with beautiful views of the river and city. Food and Beverages There is a cafe available but my friends and I had just eaten brunch so we didn't try it. I did smell the pizza from the bottom of the elevator in the cave though... hopefully that counts for something. Service Our guide was friendly and told dad jokes. That's all I needed to get through the day. Verdict The waterfall is beautiful, but the tour didn't flow at a good pace and the whole experience seemed "Disney-fied." The observation tower had beautiful views of the city and was worth the 3 flights of stairs. They say you have to have a ticket to go up there, but no one checked our tickets at all. You didn't hear that from me though... read more

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The tour is advertised as a 90 minute exploration, but they don't tell you that one hour is spent just standing still waiting for your group to catch up and letting other groups pass by you. The entire experience could've been completed within 30 minutes. It was a complete waste of time and way too expensive. The tour guides did a good job but the entire experience felt like a scam. You get to see the waterfall for about 5 minutes before they force you out. read more

I visited a few days ago on a trip up towards Tennessee with my family and some younger children and we had an absolute blast! Our tour guide, Russell, was so amazing and fun to be around! He made sure we all understood the history around us as we walked through the caves and made the experience 100x more memorable for all those of us, adults and children. He was full of facts about Ruby falls and jokes as well! We also happened to have our dog with us and the staff was so helpful and friendly when it came to accommodation for her! They offered us a kennel free of charge for her to stay in as we explored the tunnels which was fully shaded and had a bowl full of fresh water. Overall, it was such a cool experience with the nicest staff and prettiest views! Ps. To Russell, remember to duck! read more

Walk up to counter to pay for the tour. You get access to the viewing tower and a guided tour of the cave and falls. You enter the cave via an elevator ride a couple hundred feet down, then there's is an approximately 1/4 mile walk to the falls through the cave. The cave itself is beautiful and the falls are gorgeous. Parking out front is easy and accessible for all. Discounts for military/veterans. read more

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Definitely worth a visit. The tour is about one hour. The temperature is about 66°. The fall is absolutely breathtaking. It's crowded... (I went in mid September) so pack a little patience. Our tour guide was really good. read more

Ruby Falls - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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This was a really nice attraction and great for a hot day because it is chilly down there! The tours are prompt so make sure you are there in time. They say you need to book ahead of time but there was people that looked like they were booking at the door. It's about a mile walk in total, beautiful waterfall, nice light show. Some spaces are tight so if you have claustrophobia, this may not be the best idea. They have a nice lookout area and a decent café inside. The pricing was decent. I would recommend it and I would love to go again to check out the lantern tour. read more

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The cave walk tour is great! So pretty. Be warned that the pace is quicker than I expected. You will walk single file through the cave to reach the waterfall. As you walk through the cave and encounter each labeled formation, you only have about 15 seconds to take your photo so keep your camera handy. I wish the groups were smaller. My time (1:40 pm) was merged with the session before hand and we ended up in a group of 38 people. Way too many. It was hard to hear our guide Randall as we had some chatty Kathy's in the bunch. Make sure to have tennis shoes on or something with a good solid sole as the ground is slippery. Also, there are sections of the walk where you go up and down stairs so if you have knee problems, you may have a few issues. The cave is a bit cold but I did not need a jacket. The brisk walk keeps the blood pumping. There is a substantial lack of head space. If you are 5'10" or taller, you will need to be consistently ducking your head. You may have a neck ache afterwards but the good thing is there are breaks in the ducking where you can stand up straight to work out the kinks. When you reach the waterfall, you will only have about 45 seconds to one minute to take your photo so have your pose ready to go and pray you ask someone who knows how to take a good photo. read more

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Booked an after hours Friday night lantern tour for my visit to Chattanooga. My tour guide Jayden was awesome! Super knowledgeable about the history of the falls, very chatty, and made the experience cooler. Definitely recommend stopping here to experience this; it is cold in the cavern, so wear pants and/or a jacket. read more

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Ruby Falls was a really cool experience. I just happened to be there during the height of the Covid pandemic. The caverns are neat and the waterfall is beautiful. Good family fun. read more

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The cave was mostly cool, there were parts that just felt like a rock hallway, and I've seen 47 caves so I understand It can be like this but the fall was very pretty. HOWEVER during the dry season they pump the falls and so it kind of takes away from its natural beauty but it is still very cool. Our tour guide was amazing and as great fun, I can't remember his name but he knew what he was talking about and thought he was very fun. 6/10 would go again but only if somebody I was with wanted to. read more

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Definitely worth seeing with interesting history. A little disappointed the zip line was closed and only open on weekends during this time of year. read more

Ruby Falls - Ruby Falls, underground waterfall. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

If you have an annoying group good luck. And you better hope everyone showered and doesn't cough in the elevator. Tourist cash grab. The tour guide was pretty cool though. read more

Let me sum it up for everyone real quick: *Groups are much larger than the 20 they state online. giving everyone even less time for everything. *This is not a walk its a non stop march you better have your camera ready because there's no time to try to get a good picture. *With the increased group size only having one tour guide at the front is terribly unsafe as someone not even close to the caboose answered for them that they where still with the group when they weren't as we where behind them trying to capture a picture. *The actual waterfall though pretty is nothing but a cash grab there's no regulation on people getting to capture as everyone hogs the front and will not move. As if that wasn't enough the light show gives you maybe a single minute total of good light and as soon as its done they shut all the lights off so better hope you got it on time. *Regardless of the single mention of not touching the Stalactite there's was no other mention of preservation and no sign that they truly mean the preservation as coins can be seen littered through every little water pool within arms reach. (Also no mention of making sure not to do that.) So in the end don't go you're better off donating that money to an actual organization that does real conservative work. read more

This was super neat! I loved our tour guide Taylor(?), he was really fun he needs a raise. The waterfall was beautiful, and the rest of the cave was cool, too. Also the view of the city from the entrance was awesome. Thee gift shop was great, and as a soda enthusiast, I appreciated there being Pineapple Fanta and Mello Yello at the coke fridges. Not much places like this have those (I bought the latter). Definitely worth seeing! read more

We had the most amazing experience at Ruby Falls!! HIGHLY recommend getting there early! We took the 8:10 tour and there was only a total of four people! However, the 9am tours were completely booked!! Our tour guide Cooper was great!! read more

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A very enjoyable tour. It took 1.5-2 hours total. The pace of the tour was fine for us! Not super fast, slow enough to see things but not stand in one place for too long. There are a few stopping points on the tour where the guide talks about the formations and the discovery of the cave. Very cool LED lighting throughout the cave. I also thought we had plenty of time at the actual falls. We took a ton of photos and selfies. You can't really hear the music but the lights were nice. It was chilly by the waterfall, but surprisingly not very cold through the rest of the cave trail. I would NOT recommend for anyone claustrophobic at all. I also would not recommend for young children. That was really the only negative part of the tour, there were babies and young kids in the tour who got bored and cried a lot or touched things in the cave. read more

Ruby Falls - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Rarely do I leave reviews - but I felt this was warranted - especially as Ruby Falls does not have a Google listing, which I believe they do not want to have because of actual true reviews. My first concern was the group size. I do understand the amount of people who are booking for tours, but a group of 40 people does not leave much for entertainment or information from the tour guide. They do provide a more historical tour, but it is more expensive, and only offered on Mondays. We were there over the weekend. Otherwise, the tour is more like a class field trip. Our tour guide did not use a microphone and most of the things he told us I did not hear, as I was in the back of the line. Additionally. I think there should be an age limit. No toddler needs to be taken for an almost 2-hour excursion underground where they are unhappy and crying the entire time. My second and most crucial concern was the lack of inclusivity. Chattanooga and Ruby Falls is known as a major tourist destination. While on our tour, and encountering other tours as we passed each other underground, it was very clear that the majority of the participants were not of American decent. I saw Latinos, Muslims, Hindu's, etc. All of these people paid to come visit and there was not one single sign, nor information in another language. The video that played before the tour had English subtitles only. There was a clear opportunity for inclusion. Based off the lack of inclusivity alone, I do not recommend Ruby Falls to anyone who is not English speaking. It will be a waste of money more than it already is. Ruby Falls itself is okay. It's a waterfall underground. The waterfall at Rock City was more impressive, honestly. You are only allowed 8 minutes inside with the waterfall. It is an amazing cave system and beautiful falls, but truly a lackluster experience. read more

Experience was 0.5/10. While the view is good once you get there, the experience starts with being packed into an elevator with zero breathing room and 20 other people. Each tour had at least 40 people and they started a tour every ten minutes. The website should be more honest about the amount of people with which you are traversing a narrow cave. You are constantly waiting for other tour groups to pass by. If you have any aversion to being in a sardine can where you can smell everyone and cannot breathe, do not pay $30.00 for this experience. The tour guide did his very best to try and distract and entertain, but the odds are stacked against him when you are crammed in a cave with 240 people, babies with dirty diapers, and terrified toddlers. read more

Thoroughly enjoyed our tour of Ruby Falls. Our tour guide was Russell and he was fantastic. I encourage you to check the group size when you book your tour time, the smaller the group the better the experience. Yes there will be corny jokes cracked but it truly makes for an uplifting experience. The waterfall was a magical sight. After watching the video at the beginning of the tour and then seeing the waterfall you can only imagine how Mr. Lambert felt upon seeing it for the first time. Wear a jacket. It is a perfect 60 degrees in the cavern. I would definitely visit again and hope to get Russell as my guide! Thanks for making us Renegades Russell! read more

Ruby Falls - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Ok, this is a beautiful geological wonder. How many times in your life will you see a 260ft waterfall in a cave? It's a relatively easy walk through the caverns and the price includes your admission to Lookout Mountain. The reason for my 3-star rating has entirely to do with management. Tours go every 15min and are about 30 people each. A single elevator takes 10 people at a time down to the caverns from the gift shop. The problem is that at tours every 15 minutes you wind up being bunched up in the caverns. There are spaces you are literally rubbing other guests as you pass and when the tour is done about an hour after you start, you may wait as much as 30min for your turn on the elevator. Masks are optional and there is no way to social distance during this event. It would be so much more enjoyable if they were not loading you up like cattle to maximize how many people they can jam through in a day. The guides are nice and the falls are lovely, but it's an experience I'm unlikely to repeat. read more

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This is an awesome stop on your Chattanooga adventure. Scott/Scooter is the BEST tour guide!! Made it fun for the whole family! read more

Ruby Falls - The falls - worth the wait. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

I see complaints on a couple reviews here. I have done many tours in my lifetime so far and the tour was not bad at all. I mean they aren't charging Disneyland rates! I feel that I got what I paid for and I mean that in a positive way. The guides are all very positive and nice. The story for this is beautiful and I enjoyed everything I saw. I mean if you are an experienced cave explorer the cave itself probably isn't a 'wow' factor for you, but to the average person that doesn't do it... it's a cool thing to see. The waterfall is tall and beautiful, I suggest being ready with your recorder aimed to the top of the waterfall when it's dark and you will get a wonderful recording when the lights switch on. The cons I'm reading on the crowding etc just seems a bit extra. The system they have works for what they have. Yeah, it's tight, but it's a cave!!! Hello? If you are claustrophobic and you go, I'd question you and not the tours. JS. I'd say, listen to directions/ instruction and it will go splendid for you. If you can't hear, let them know instead of being clueless later when needed and the guide is too far ahead to hear you. If you are hard of hearing, maybe ask to be directly behind the guide. Be sure to wear slip resistant shoes if you got any. Some areas are a tiny bit slippery. read more

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Tip: curvy road at the end toward Ruby Falls. Drive Slow. **covid-19: the gift store is not social distancing Get a reservation DO NOT show up without a reservation. read more

Ruby Falls - Outdoor front entrance - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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We had a blast! Tim, our tour guide was friendly, funny, and clearly explained the safety and importance of keeping the caves beautiful. We loved learning about all of the formations, and Tim explained the falls beautifully. He also captured a fantastic family photo and explained why he loved that photo spot. read more

Ruby Falls - We made it to Ruby Falls! Our tour guide, Tim, took this great family photo. Thanks Tim! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

The falls tour is great. Be prepared to walk at a relatively quick pace with some narrow and uneven terrain. For mobility impaired (walks with cane), recommend the "gentle pace" tour. Not ADA accessible for Wheelchair/or Walker. read more

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The videos need to be updated or deleted. There was moldy and dustiness all up in dat bitch . There was hair on floor . They smash u in like sardines in the elevator first. Like if someone farted it would be so annoying. Then they swish you and the other group all in a lil tunnal breathin on each other. Then they say dont touch the soft lookin rock which is messed up . But the tour guide he was very talkative which was not needed . Like girl shh. Plz but i do think there were some angles that were kinda cool read more

Beautiful scenery and interesting to visit. Given the cost, the rushed, mandatory guided tour was dissapointing. The food is pricy and the servings are small, but good. read more

Caverns are very unique. That said, tour guides were terrible. The fact that multiple tour groups are going at one time with one group having to stand shoulder to shoulder while another group past seemed like poor planning. Either have a different exit because really no one wants to backtrack what they have just seen or don't schedule tour groups so close. Majority of the tour was spent waiting for everyone in your group to get their photo taken or waiting for other tour groups to pass. Rock City is basically the same with way more freedom to explore on your own. If you have limited time and money, choose Rock City. read more

Our tour was about 1.5 hours - the walk to the falls was about an hour, and the walk back was 30 minutes since there were fewer stops. Our tour guide, Gwen, was awesome and you can tell that she loves her job! I didn't know anything about the history of Ruby Falls so it was pretty interesting to hear its backstory. I had purchased tickets in advance, and to get to the tour you go through the entrance and go to the room in the back of the gift shop, get your tickets scanned, and go down in an elevator with your tour group. The walk was narrow in several spots plus there are areas where two lines of people are going through. If you're tall you need to watch your head! Definitely not the activity for claustrophobic people. It's a cavern so you might get some water drips from above, and the floor can be wet (but not that slippery). You only get a 6 minutes of a light show at the waterfall, so make sure you get your pictures quick! The lights change colors which is fun. I did see some families with young kids, but personally I'm not sure if it would be an activity that kids would find that enjoyable (unless they enjoy hiking). Once you're done, you can purchase pictures, walk around the gift shop, and walk up the stairs to check out the overlook! Overall it's worth a visit! read more

Ruby Falls - Ruby Falls light show - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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After thinking back on the experience and trying out other businesses, I'm updating the review to reflect the experience. Our tour guide was fantastic, but there were a lot of mishaps that happened due to staff and the website. I also sent an email based on the response from the business owner and never got a response back, and I sent that email a few months back. The cave was a really cool and interesting experience, but with all the other issues (zip line not available, being told the day of it was available, screaming children allowed down on tour when they were freaking out 30 min before even starting, etc) I wouldn't say it was worth it. read more

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I visited exactly one year ago and had a far better experience. The group was no larger than 15 people then, but now it's close to 40. The guides no longer share the history of Ruby Falls, which adds to the magic when the lights illuminate the falls. Additionally, we had significantly less time at the waterfall, and there was no music accompanying the falls. It was very disappointing to bring people this year and not have the same amazing experience as last year. Very very disappointed in our experience this year. read more