What do Chattanooga, Tennessee; Melbourne, Australia; Vancouver, British Columbia; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Curitiba, Brazil and Tilburg, the Netherlands have in common?  You might be surprised to learn that they are recognized as the most revitalized and sustainable cities throughout the world. 

That's right, Chattanooga, home of the fabled ChooChoo, is one of six examples of what the U.S. News and World Reports dubs a "Smart City" - a city that exemplifies extraordinary and successful efforts to improve the quality of life for its citizens while protecting its resources.

It began in 1969, when the federal government announced that Chattanooga was "the dirtiest city in America."  Literally awash in urban blight, the community made a valiant decision to not abandon the city. 

Through sheer tenacity and pride, its leaders and citizens, along with private interests and investors, have totally transformed Chattanooga into something you really have to see to believe.  Portions of downtown were razed to make way for a restored riverfront and attractions such as the world-famous Tennessee Aquarium.  Factory pollution was controlled with the best available technology.  The sewer system was overhauled, one of the bridges over the Tennessee River was refurbished into a pedestrian-only walkway, and a mass transit system of free electric buses cut pollution.  This was just the beginning.

For being an environmentally healthy, sustainable and economically viable place people want to be, Chattanooga was one of 12 international recipients (and the only US City) selected by the United Nations for their Award of Excellence in Improving the Living Environment. 

Located in the southern Appalachians on the sinuous Tennessee River, Chattanooga is pleasantly remote but not far away.  Families will best appreciate its delights, because they are made for children of all ages. 

Exploring Downtown Chattanooga

Explore first with the free and efficient public electric bus departing from the Holiday Inn Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel (423/266-5000) to the waterfront. (Peek into the hotel's railcar Diner.) Circle the streets and admire the renaissance of building and commerce and entertainment downtown.  If the weather permits, take a walking tour starting with Ross's Landing Park and Plaza, where downtown meets the Tennessee River.  Follow the Tennessee River Walk to the Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge over the river.  True to Chattanooga's recycling renaissance, this renovated 110-year-old bridge was rescued from demolition to become the longest pedestrian bridge in the world.  At the Convention and Visitor's Bureau Office across from the Aquarium, you can pick up information and maps.

Six-acre Coolidge Park - on the other side of the river - has a fully restored 100-year-old carousel of 52 animals carved by Horsin' Around, the only carousel carving school in the U. S.  People from all parts of the country come here to learn, and you may observe carvers at work before you experience the vintage organ music and the undulating, hand-crafted figures.  Most fountains in other cities are for aesthetics only but in Coolidge Park they are sculpted animals you can play on when the day gets hot.

Touring the Arts District

Avid walkers can venture onward to see downtown's new shops, restaurants, Theatre Centre and the Star Riverboat.  Upon returning from the North shore, continue on the River Walk to the Bluff View Art District, where you'll experience the city's cultural renaissance.  This community of working artists, chefs, museums, historic inns, cafes and gardens offers many relaxing ways to end your day.  A first stop can be the south's largest collection of American art,  The Hunter Museum.  Comprised of a century-old revival mansion as well as an adjacent contemporary complex, the museum houses over 1,500 works including glass sculptures.  Ask about art classes for kids (423/267-0968).

Across the street, experience the Houston Museum of the Decorative Arts, a renovated Victorian residence with a fine collection of American antique glass, furniture and ceramics from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. (Do this without rambunctious young ones due to frail display mountings and cramped quarters.) Owner, Anna Houston, amassed the "collection" as wife to at least nine different husbands, then left the estate to the people of Chattanooga upon her death in 1951.  Refresh the young ones at Rembrandt's Coffee House in the River Gallery, then take in the view of the river while strolling through the River Gallery Sculpture Garden.

Favorite Family Attractions 

If it were up to my family, visiting the Tennessee Aquarium (800/262-0695) would be a legal requirement for all out-of-town residents.  Credited for priming Chattanooga's renaissance pump, this truly spectacular showpiece, until recently the world's largest freshwater aquarium, hosts 9,000 specimens and more than a million annual visitors.  Anyone who loves freshwater fishing will appreciate staring directly into the eyes of past prey.  Any childhood collector of stream critters, even channel surfers caught watching an underwater nature documentary, will enjoy this visit to the aquatic world.

Begin your journey at level four which is the top level.  The first gallery is the Appalachian Cove Forest representing the Tennessee Rivers' source in the Appalachian high country.  Next is the Tennessee River Gallery, followed by the Mississippi Delta in the Gulf of Mexico.  Along the way, enjoy side trips and diversions such as the Rivers of the World Gallery representing Africa, South America, Siberia and Asia. The remaining gallery, Discovery Hall, features changing exhibits with unique themes such as venomous animals.  To round out the experience, explore a 60' high central canyon that is a self-contained riverine ecosystem.  To pursue more study and exploration for the kids, inquire about opportunities at the Aquarium's Environmental Learning Lab.  Finish off the experience with a film at the nationally renowned 3D IMAX Theater.

For children, another highlight of Chattanooga is the Creative Discovery Museum (423/756-2738.)  Especially appreciated for a rainy day, children will be delighted to discover that touching is actually encouraged.  The museum offers hands-on learning experiences designed to foster creative thinking in the sciences and arts.  Do not be surprised if you find yourself more involved with tinkering and playing than your children.  The sciences are well represented by a Excavation Station and Inventor's Clubhouse. Here, children can investigate with microscopes and computers, dig for bones, manipulate motors, pulleys and magnets and create their own inventions.  The Musician's Studio and Artist's Studio allow the kids to experiment with sculpting, painting, printing, musical instruments and a recording studio.

A treat for gear-headed guys (and maybe gals) who are at one with cars and engines is an unexpectedly delightful sliver of automotive history at the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum. (423/267-3132.)  I learned the difference between a tow truck and wrecker and I learned that Earnest Holmes built the first tow truck in Chattanooga by replacing the back end of a 1913 Cadillac touring car with a hoisting device.  Show the kids trucks of all shapes, colors and sizes, some being modified antique autos, while others were custom designed.  The oldest truck is a 1919 Holmes 485 Wrecker, whose 485 model number was the sticker price. 

Railroad Buffs Love Chattanooga

Make your first stop the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM; 423/894-8028.)  Best enjoyed as a family activity, the Museum, which includes a fully operational train ride, is an ideal excursion into the Golden Age of Railroading.  Referring to itself as "Tennessee Valley's Rolling Time Machine," the TVRM is the largest operating historic railroad in the South. A 1952 steam locomotive and passenger cars run on 40 acres of track laid during the Civil War, including four bridges and a tunnel through historic Missionary Ridge. Visitors can hop aboard the restored coaches and hear the authentic engine hisses that inspired "The Little Engine That Could."  After the 30-minute ride to the East depot, visitors will disembark to watch the locomotive rotate on a giant turntable to prepare for the return trip.  While waiting, check out the restoration and maintenance shop.  After the return, enjoy the cornucopia of historic trains displayed in front of the station including sleeper cars, office cars, dining cars and a caboose, some of which can be entered.  My favorite is the actual 1924 Pullman used by Marilyn Monroe in the film "Some Like It Hot."

Inquire in advance about seasonal rail excursions to other communities; some include stopovers with lunch, concerts and events.  The TVRM also offers truly unique opportunities for the diehard railroad enthusiast.  For $13.50, ride up in the cab to observe the engineer and fireman operating the locomotive.  Better yet, you can actually drive a locomotive under supervision for one hour. If staying a while, become a TVRM member and volunteer.  You will dress in period and occupational clothing and be given instruction and training for duties like conducting, braking, engine service and passenger assistance. 

On the quirky side try the separate Lookout Mountain Incline Railway (423/821-4224), built in 1895 to provide easy local access to cooler areas, picturesque views of the Tennessee Valley and Civil War battlefields.  Riders will experience the trolley-like railcars at a 72-degree incline near the top. The railcars are made comfortable by incline seating.  

Chattanooga's Great Outdoors

For the nature lover or adventurer, Chattanooga is located in a geographic region of unique ecological significance.  Numerous habitats and species, some endangered, naturally converge in the pristine regions around the area where mountains meet the valley on the river.  Recreational walkers will enjoy the botanical richness of the Chattanooga Nature Center and Reflection Riding Gardens offering 300 varieties of wildflowers.  Check out the educational exhibits and canoeing opportunities. While there, stop by the Tennessee Wildlife Center -- an environmental education facility and home to a wildlife rehabilitation hospital  with interpretive activities for the kids.

The North Chickamauga Greenway offers similar hiking opportunities through two miles of forests.  The Chattanooga Audubon Society owns and operates three wildlife sanctuaries, each with unique habitats and recreational opportunities.  For a taste of real wilderness, explore some of the 25,000-acre Tennessee River Gorge, a canyon preserve along the Tennessee River with an unusually diverse concentration of habitats and rich wildlife population. 

In addition, many parks and recreational areas such as the Nickajack Reservoir, offer an abundance of camping, boating and fishing.  For the beloved Rainbow Trout, go to the Sequatchie River and try the Chickamauga and Nickajack Reservoirs for Bass.  Many of the area rivers also provide outstanding whitewater canoeing and kayaking in all Classes. 

On the delightfully quirky side, visit Lookout Mountain's Rock City Gardens and the subject of the nostalgic "See Rock City" slogans once painted on 900 barns and birdhouses throughout the south and Midwest.  Opened in 1932, Rock City was a popular honeymoon destination in the 40's and 50's: "The Niagara Falls of the Southeast."  Ebay even has Rock City memorabilia for auction.  Originally planned to be the first miniature golf course, Rock City is best described as a 14-acre monolithic rock garden, a dazzling display of 200-million-year-old geological formations intertwined with pathways, gnomes and gardens of over 400 species of plants.  Included is Lover's Leap with a panoramic view of seven states.  Bring little kids to this one, because underground you will find Fairy Tale Caverns and Mothergoose Village.  These man-made caves are meticulous displays of storybook and fantasy figures with vivid underground lighting effects.

Older children and spelunkers will appreciate Raccoon Mountain Crystal Caverns. Take a leisurely guided walking tour or arrange an exploration of the undeveloped portions with a cave guide and pan for gemstones.  Don't forget to see Ruby Falls, a 145-foot underground waterfall at the end of Lookout Mountain Caverns. An elevator will take you below ground to view stalactites and stalagmites while guides with pun-enriched vocabularies will explain the beautiful formations.  For an adrenaline boost, Chattanooga is also home to Lookout Mountain Flight Park and Training Center.  Billing itself as the hang gliding capital of the East and America's largest hang gliding school, the Center graduates 125 hang glider pilots a year.  The Center's popular tandem flight operations make this an ideal adventure for beginners.  A certified instructor will launch, fly and land the glider with each of you in a harness, making prior experience unnecessary and allowing you to acclimate to the sensation without dealing with any of the operations.  

Chattanooga's Civil War Heritage

To fully appreciate historical Chattanooga, you need to experience its Civil War heritage. For many visitors who may be literate about Northern events, Chattanooga offers the opportunity to round out their knowledge of what some residents refer to as the "War of Northern Aggression". With its protective natural features and strategic location, Chattanooga provided headquarters for Union and Confederate forces alike and was the site of significant battles such as the Battle of Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain's Battle Above the Clouds.  First, visit the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, America's first and largest national military park, and learn about the area's significance in history.  Dedicated in 1895, the park is home to 1,400 monuments and historical land markers and features self-guided tours and Civil War re-enactments in the summer.

Include a stop at the Chickamauga Battlefield Park Headquarters and Visitors Center for audiovisual presentations of the battle.  For the memorabilia buff, stop by the Fuller Collection of American Military Arms to see an outstanding collection of Springfield longrifles.  Back near Chattanooga, Point Park on Lookout Mountain has the Point Park Visitor's Center and a trail leading to the Ochs Museum and Overlook that provides additional battle history.  Don't leave out the Cravens House, once a headquarters for both sides.  The best display depicting the battles is the Battle for Chattanooga Museum and Electric Map, which features a miniaturized reproduction of the terrain and forces along with sound.  When back in the town, visit the Tennessee Civil War Museum, billing itself as "dedicated to the Common Soldier".  The theme is a display of artifacts from the typical soldier's life and includes an introductory film. Cemeteries provide unique snapshots of life in the distant and recent past and Chattanooga's VA National Cemetery is no exception.  Not only is it the burial site for 12,000 Union soldiers but also has veterans of every American war.

Chattanooga is an easy city to enjoy; a visitor's biggest disappointment is likely to be that their visit is too short.  A visit is best summed up by what the hostess at theSheraton Read House said after I finished gorging on an excellent dinner at their restaurant.  True to southern hospitality and in the subtlest accent, she hoped that I "had a merciful plenty".  Handed down from her grandmother when she was a child, this example of country courtesy best describes Chattanooga. 

 
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As an environmental consultant, Andrew Der writes for land development companies and government agencies requiring technical and scientific guidance. Over the last few years, his yearnings have led him to travel journalism and photography focused on creative and cultural family destinations, his children, Eastern Europe - his birthplace - and the occasional offbeat experience or unique niche uncovered in his travels.