TRAVEL
In addition to showcasing its history
and natural wonders, Chattanooga has
worked hard to make itself a fun city for
living or visiting. The Tennessee Aquarium
is considered to be one of the best in the
country and continues to add attractions,
such as its new Lemur Forest exhibit, where
we saw red ruffed and ring-tailed lemurs
in a lush rainforest setting, as they studied
us studying them. The aquarium has ocean
and river exhibits as well, featuring over
10,000 animals that range from otters to
alligator turtles.
The nearby one-and-a-half block Bluff
View Art District overlooks the Tennessee
River and is filled with great places to
eat, an art gallery, a bed and breakfast,
an outdoor art display park, a bocce court
and a variety of shopping and cultural
opportunities. The adjacent Hunter
Museum of American Art sits 80 feet above
the river. The art museum’s collection
begins with Colonial times. It also includes
a vast collection of modern works and
is known for its traveling exhibitions.
At the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, we
learned about this renowned singer, who
was called the “Empress of the Blues” and
is considered to be the greatest classic blues
singer of the 1920s. Smith began her career
152 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2018
The Chickamauga and Chattanooga
National Military Park was
dedicated in 1895 as the first such
park. It contains hundreds of
memorials and monuments honoring
those who fought on this battlefield,
both Union and Confederate.
singing and dancing on Chattanooga’s
streets before becoming famous with songs
such as “Nobody Knows You When You’re
Down and Out” and “St. Louis Blues.” In
addition to her piano, gowns and other
memorabilia, the museum also provides
a look at Chattanooga’s African-American
heritage through displays, photographs
and a short film.
As visitors, we stayed downtown at
the newly renovated Marriott Hotel next
to the Chattanooga Convention Center.
We appreciated its central location and
meticulous attention to details. On a
previous trip, we stayed at another good
The entrance to Point Park was built by the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers and replicates the corps insignia.
The Hunter
Museum of
American Art
overlooks the
Tennessee River
on Bluff View and
has three distinct,
interconnected
buildings: a 1905
Classical Revival
Mansion, a 1975
modern wing and
a contemporary
structure that was
built in 2005. It has
placed more than 20
outdoor sculptures
throughout the city.