July 2013

Our Chattanooga trip was a weekend of cave exploration. First, was the aforementioned Scary Gnome Cave at Rock City. After Rock City we headed to Ruby Falls and on our way out of town we hit Raccoon Caverns. Today we are going to compare the two cave experiences side by side in the ULTIMATE CHATTANOOGA CAVE SHOWDOWN.

We will start with Ruby Falls. A little way down lookout mountain (on the way back from rock city) is a curious castle like structure that is the entrance to Ruby Falls.

After waiting in line for a little while, Kenneth from 30 Rock takes your ticket and guides you into the elevator (no joke…Brandon and I instantly looked at each other and said “Kenneth!” in unison). Basically you walk in a long line of people through a dark underground hallway that somewhat resembles a cave until you arrive at Ruby falls. It is not your typical cave tour experience with awesome cave formations. The main attraction is Ruby Falls, a 145-foot tall underground waterfall with a (wait for it…) A LIGHT SHOW!

My favorite experience at Ruby Falls was when I was trying to take a picture of the falls. I couldn’t get a good one because the crowd in front of us were constantly holding up their iphones and taking video. I turned to Brandon to tell him of my troubles and a man walks around me, stops two feet ahead of me and holds up a gigantic ipad. Ha! That’ll teach me to complain! In the end I just went with the iphones and incorporated them into my photo.

We couldn’t leave without an awesome photo op!

Next we have Raccoon Mountain Caverns.

Our tour group was a lot smaller than it was at Ruby Falls. We were guided through the caves by an adorable young man who was very knowledgeable and patiently answered all of our cave questions. There were all kinds of formations and large open caverns within the cave. They even offer a more intense expedition into the unlit areas of the cave, but you have to make advance reservations.

Both experiences were pretty cool, but if you’re looking for a more authentic “cave-ey” experience, Raccoon Caverns wins by a landslide!

In the end no Chattanooga Cave Experience is complete without a trip to Lupi’s Pizza.

For memorial day weekend we decided to head to Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was on my top three list of southern cities that I wanted to visit this summer (along with New Orleans and Savannah, Georgia). It is one of the most picturesque big(ish) cities I have ever visited. Imagine a lush, green city, the perfect mix of modern and southern charm, set on a bend in the Tennessee river, surrounded by mountains (or tall hills to someone from Utah).

Upon arriving we drove strait up to Rock City. We didn’t even make a pit stop at our hotel. We just headed strait up Lookout mountain. How could we not after passing “See Rock City” billboards for hundreds of miles. It was obvious to us that this place was kind of a big deal. There were so many advertisements we turned it into a road trip game. Every time we saw a sign we would punch each other in the arm. It got kind of violent. I might suggest turning it into a less contentious game by…say…eating a piece of candy, or a carrot stick if you’re a health nut. Still, we prefer punching.

Rock City is an attraction on top of Lookout Mountain (close to downtown Chattanooga). There is a path that winds through large rock formations and gardens leading to a Lover’s Leap, a viewpoint that looks out over seven states.

My In-laws are pretty photogenic!

As with most tourist attractions, Rock City is a bit overpriced for a stroll through the woods. On the other hand…it’s just something you have to do while you are on vacation. The experience is totally unique and the view from the top is amazing!

Spoiler Alert: we didn’t jump.

After Lover’s Leap the path leads you through what Rock City calls “Fairyland Caverns”. I call it “The Dark Hallway Strait Out of my Worst Nightmares.” It is a cave filled with back lit figurines of gnomes and fairytale stories. This picture explains it better than I ever could with words.

And on that note, we left Rock City.

The other day I went to Amish country in Tennessee with my mother-in-law. On our way out of town I got a punch in the arm. Rock city will forever be a part of our road trips.

Month: July 2013

Chattanooga: Ruby Falls vs. Racoon Caverns

Chattanooga: Rock City