Chattanooga Review

Craving a quick spring break getaway, our little family of three headed to Chattanooga for a couple of days. Luke talked non-stop about "Chaganooga" for days. I'll now recap our trip in detail only interesting to me, and maybe Luke some day as we recount our family vacations.

We arrived Monday mid afternoon and checked into our fabulously family friend hotel, just steps away from the downtown attractions. After settling in we headed to the Creative Discovery Museum. Luke's last experience at a museum was a friend's birthday party. Luke was three at the time and was totally overwhelmed by the crowds, noise, lights, all his nemeses at that age. So why not spend $32 to try again?

Just after spending that $32 I learn it is Chattanooga's spring break and the place is packed. It was about 3 p.m. and the museum looked like it had had a rough day.


After trying out the smallish indoor playground and the water works, Luke stopped by face painting. The mirrors were a bit graffitied with scribbles, but Luke was able to create this masterpiece.



Checking out the puppet theatre. The cropping is weird here because I had to remove myself from the photo. HAD to.

Hands down Luke's favorites were the computerized exhibits. Shocker.

Easily his favorite was this make your own stop action movie exhibit. He eyed another boy doing this and could hardly wait to try it out. He arranged several animals. Took a picture. Moved them. Took another picture.

His 16 photos then combined into a very short movie. He was most pleased with his work.

The roof had several cool exhibits/rides demonstrating simple machines. Luke found it to be a needlessly complicated playground.

After leaving the roof Luke decided he had to wash the paint off his face and insisted we leave. We had completed the museum at this point, so good timing with the mild freak out.

After face washing and clothes changing we explored downtown a bit. Our hotel gave us a handful of restaurant coupons. Luke strongly suggested we stop at Easy Bistro, which looked a bit out of our budget and not exactly kid friendly. But the friendly hostess outside (I think she was the main reason Luke wanted to stay. He loved that she talked to him.) quickly showed us their kids' menu. So we enjoyed an outside table, a free appetizer, and great po boys.

at Easy Bistro

Still at Easy Bistro

After a very filling dinner we did a little more exploring. Luke frequently asked, "Where is Chaganooga?" I attempted to explain Chattanooga was a city, just like our hometown. He finally said, "OH!!! ALL these (sweeping his hand all around) are Chaganoogas!"

We discovered several people sliding down this hill (covered with dead grass) right by the riverfront. Perhaps the grass is dead from all the people sliding on cardboard boxes down the hill. We found a couple of unclaimed boxes and Daddy and Luke were off. The first trip down Luke slid off the box many times.

So Daddy and Luke tried sharing a box. Much more successful.

Then they tried again with Daddy running alongside. Daddy is the best sport.

And now he's got it. Luke even convinced me to join them in the final slide of the evening. No photo of that event for certain.

We headed back to the hotel for the swim time we'd promised Luke. We suited up and went to the tiny indoor pool packed with every child staying in the hotel, all of whom love cannonballing into the pool repeatedly. Luke loved every second of it and left the pool knowing every child's name there.

After drying off Luke suggested we get ice cream. Lamar and I were still stuffed from dinner, but off to Ben & Jerry's where Luke had chocolate fudge brownie with M&M's and sprinkles. Luke couldn't polish off the last few bites. Thankfully I was suddenly hungry again and helped him out.

Tuesday morning we began with the delicious breakfast buffet at our hotel. The place was packed but the service was great and the food was delicious. Excellent french toast.

In case it's unclear from the photo, we headed to the aquarium. We started with gusto.

My favorite picture of Luke at the aquarium is unfortunately in front of these rather boring fish. Sad considering all the really exquisite, amazing fish. Sorry gray fish, whatever you are. Luke wasn't really into reading and learning about the fish. That's my excuse.

Here was a touch tank exhibit. I don't remember what these were. For some reason sturgeon is stuck in my head, but Lamar thinks it's some sort of toothless shark. Regardless, I was impressed Luke would put his hands in the water and attempt to touch the fishies. Of course he was motivated by all the other kids he wanted so badly to interact with. Can you tell here he is so ready to join this boy's family? I had to remind him many times he had to stay with our family and look at the fishes. Sorry if we're boring.

These I remember. The piranhas. I was really taken with the piranhas for some reason. So beautifully ugly. And I love their color palette.

Here's another pretty good one of Luke with some slightly more exotic looking fish.

In the butterfly exhibit. Again amazed he would attempt to hold one.

Over in the ocean building we visited the penguins. I was surprised how small the penguin exhibit was. I hope those penguins are happy in there. Pretty cool to be this super close to a swimming penguin. Again, I was surprised he didn't freak out when the penguin jumped in the water right in front of him. But again, all the other kids were doing it. We are in serious trouble when he's a teen.

Taking advantage of the cheesy shark tank photo op.

After the aquarium we rushed over to the IMAX theater for the 12:00 movie. Luke chose the ocean film over the Hubble space flick. We've never taken Luke to the theater before. We tried at Christmas but our movie of choice was sold out. I realized an IMAX 3D was likely not the best first movie experience. But it was only 45 minutes.

Luke did okay during the demo of the incredible surround sound, but did have to cover his ears a couple of times. But the 3D freaked him out. Anytime something jumped from the screen, he flinched and jerked his glasses off. He lost interest in his popcorn and Coke and moved to my lap and let me know of his dislike. About 30 minutes in he said he had to go to bathroom. After climbing over a family of 5 I determined we would not be returning. I was actually a little bored with the preachy documentary following a school (?) of sardines migration and waiting for all the animals that would hunt them.

Luke and I waited for Daddy in the lobby. He was not interested in a commemorative t-shirt from the gift shop. He needed to sit and wait for Daddy. So we did. Lamar said he would have left too, but thought better of traipsing over the family of five with lots of refreshments on the floor. But I was relieved to know the sardines did eventually arrive at their destination without being overhunted by the local fisherman. Apparently the last five minutes of the film when several species feed on the sardines simultaneously were pretty exciting.

We ventured out to the mall from some lunch, a little indoor playground time, a new DS game, and a trip to Walgreen's for a pool float and a small ball.

We returned back to the hotel from some more swimming time. Luke had the best time "hiding" the ball by pushing it under the water and then letting it pop up. He insisted we all take turns and we played forever.

I did not take the camera to the pool. I should have because Luke said the pool was his favorite thing in Chattanooga. But I value my camera and it would have been soaked in the pool room.

So here is Luke post swim.

Tuesday night we had our absolute best meal at Blue Plate just a couple of blocks from the aquarium and right by the river. Such good food I was mad I couldn't finish every bite. And another great free appetizer thanks to our coupons. If I'd taken my camera there would totally be a photo of my meatloaf, grilled asparagus, and mac and cheese here.

After dinner we headed back to the hill for more sliding. Luke was so tired that after a few trips he begged Lamar to carry him up the hill to slide again. Have I mentioned Daddy is a good sport?

Then exhausted Luke headed to the playground just beside the sliding hill. I told him he didn't have to do the playground if he was too tired. No, he needed to try it. The playground had a big rock wall and several other challenging climbs. Lamar encouraged Luke to try things independently. I was fearful of him breaking a bone in a city where I know no one. I've never hidden the fact Luke inherited most of his paranoia from his mother.

After the playground we headed back to the hotel for the night. But Luke needed ice cream. So we stopped in Cold Stone for Luke to say "I've already had chocolate. Today I'm going to have valina." He was a big fan of valina and ate every bite, polishing off the last as Daddy carried him on his shoulders. We got back just in time for Luke to change into pajamas, brush his teeth, and doze off just in time for Lamar and me to enjoy a fabulous LOST.

Wednesday morning we got ready to head home, but enjoyed one more fabulous meal at the hotel breakfast buffet. I had a great omelet and Luke had some seriously delicious chocolate chip pancakes that I sampled more than once (Seriously the diet of champions for Luke this trip.) Luke played his DS while we waited for our food and Lamar and I shared the free USA Today. I'd forgotten about free USA Todays outside the hotel door. It used to be my favorite travel perk back in my travelin' days.

Saying bye to Chattanooga. Fun times.

Overall I was so proud of Luke this trip. He did completely loose it over not being allowed to program the GPS on our trip to the mall. And the IMAX was a bust. But his flexibility and enjoyment were great most of the time. I loved listening to Luke say good bye to everything thing we saw and did as we drove home. I love that when he called me at work today (to tell me he was sick. boo!) he said, "Hey Mom, I had fun in Chaganooga."

And I was impressed by how family friendly downtown Chattanooga is. I'm sure this is driven by the aquarium. It's been years since we've been to our local downtown, but I don't remember anything there being at all family friendly. The Chattanooga attractions were not cheap, but everything was well done and worth the price in my opinion.

So hooray for spring break vacations!