Chattanooga, Tennessee

:This article is about a city in the U.S. State of Tennessee. "Chattanooga" redirects here. For other places and things with "Chattanooga" in their name, see Chattanooga (disambiguation)

Tourism

Chattanooga has traditionally marketed its tourist attractions very aggressively, including the Tennessee Aquarium (a major expansion, coinciding with a completion of a major riverfront development project, opened in May, 2005), caverns, and developments along the Tennessee River. Also in the downtown area are both the Creative Discovery Museum (a hands on children's museum dedicated to science, art, and music), the IMAX 3D Theatre, and the Hunter Museum of Art (which also completed a recent expansion). The red-and-black painted "See Rock City" barns along highways in the Southeast are remnants of a now classic Americana tourism campaign to attract visitors to the Rock City tourist attraction in nearby Lookout Mountain, Georgia. Incidentally, Chattanooga means "rock coming to a point" in the Creek Indian language (most believe it refers to Lookout Mountain or the rock outcroppings thereon). Other attractions in the Lookout Mountain area are Ruby Falls, an underground waterfall, and the Incline Railway, a steep funicular railway which rises to the top of the mountain.

Related Topics:
Marketed - Tennessee Aquarium - May - 2005 - Cavern - Tennessee River - See Rock City - Barn - Highway - Southeast - Americana - Tourism - Rock City - Tourist attraction - Lookout Mountain, Georgia - Ruby Falls - Funicular railway

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Chattanooga, since it is the birthplace of the tow truck, is the fitting home of the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum http://www.internationaltowingmuseum.org/.

Related Topics:
Tow truck - International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum

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Other museums here include National Model Railroad Association and the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.

Related Topics:
National Model Railroad Association - Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

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Chattanooga is also notable for the Riverbend Festival, an annual week-long music festival in the downtown area that is known for drawing huge crowds from in and around the Tennessee Valley. One of the most popular events of the festival is the Bessie Smith Strut, a one night showcase of blues and jazz music. The event is named for Bessie Smith, a pioneering blues singer from Chattanooga.

Related Topics:
Riverbend Festival - Tennessee Valley - Bessie Smith Strut - Bessie Smith

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Chattanooga is the home of NCAA Division I-AA national football championship game, held at Max Finley Stadium, south of downtown. The city also hosts the national softball championships every year.

Related Topics:
NCAA Division I-AA national football championship - National softball championships

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The Chattanooga Lookouts http://www.lookouts.com, a class AA Southern League baseball team, play at BellSouth Park downtown; free parking is provided on first-come, first served basis by several local buisnesses. The Lookouts are perennial participants in the season-end playoffs and have a loyal following. What's more, ticket prices are very low, especially in comparison to major league clubs. A major league ticket can cost around USD$15 for the "cheap seats." As of 2005, however, the most expensive seats at BellSouth Park cost only USD$8.

Related Topics:
Chattanooga Lookouts - AA - Southern League - BellSouth Park - Major league - USD$ - Cheap seat

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In addition to the restoration of downtown, many of Chattanooga's neighborhoods have experienced a rebirth of their own. Chattanooga has many buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including two whole neighborhoods. For more info, see Fort Wood National Historic District and Saint Elmo National Historic District.

Related Topics:
National Register of Historic Places - Fort Wood National Historic District - Saint Elmo National Historic District

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