By Heather Listhartke
With winter in full swing, your options for going places in nature may be limited, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun at a great destination. Lookout Mountain is great during the winter months with holiday decorations and lights for everyone to enjoy, and there is a ton of activities located in a small area.
Located on the border of Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, with access from Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain has a fun mix of sights to see, history to experience, and activities to participate in from riding the Incline Railway to trekking through Rock City. Rent a cabin or stay locally in Chattanooga, then spend a few days experiencing the sights.
Historical Sights:
Sunset Rock is part of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga Military State Park, which is the largest and oldest Civil War national park. Sunset Rock looks over the Tennessee River, Signal Mountain, and Prentice Cooper State Forest. It also has a 100-ft cliff that is great for climbing. Because of the great vantage point, Confederate generals during the Civil War used it as a lookout to track Union troop movement. Though this didn’t provide any extra advantage for the confederates who eventually lost Chattanooga to union forces.
Lookout Mountain also is home to the Battle for Chattanooga Museum, which offers insight into the Battle of Lookout Mountain through figurines and topographical maps that were used. In 2016, the museum was also updated to include digital projections in 3d modeling software. The museum also includes an excellent relic and weapon collection as well as a bookstore of well-known works about the Civil War.
Activities:
Ruby Falls offers a guided tour through Lookout Mountain that ends in a fantastic waterfall that is not only the deepest underground, but also the largest that is publicly accessible. Over the years, they have added lights and music that add to the majestic experience of the underground waterfall. Ruby Falls also has a Zipline aerial adventure playground for the whole family to explore and enjoy.
Rock City also has great sights to see and explore from beautiful gardens, rock formations, to the famous Lover’s Leap and Seven States marker where you can see Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. They also have fantastical experiences for kids like the Enchanted Trail, Fairyland Caverns, and Mother Goose Village.
Last but not least is Incline Railway, where you can ride the world’s steepest passenger railway. It climbs Lookout Mountain at a 72.7% grade and lets you enjoy scenic views of the mountain and valley as well as panoramic views from the top. Also at the top is Point Park and Battle for Chattanooga Museum. At the bottom, there unique restaurants, shops, and attractions for everyone in the family from microbrewery tours, fresh flowers, homemade candlemaking, unique coffee, indoor climbing wall, fresh-made burritos, outdoor local dining, hand-dipped ice cream, nostalgic clothing, or relaxing massages.
Enjoy a weekend full of activities for the whole family on a visit to Lookout Mountain. You can also extend the vacation by visiting the many attractions in Chattanooga for a full week of one of the most enjoyable vacations you’ll have as a family on a low-budget.
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