Rock City Gardens, Chattanooga

Rock City Gardens, in Georgia but very close to Chattanooga, is a short garden walk that leads to gorgeous views over the valley. It is part of the touristy conglomerate that includes Ruby Falls and the Incline Railway. You can buy tickets to see one, two, or all of these attractions. You get the feeling that you've been lured into a tourist trap, though the walk is a delightful one.

At the top of a mountain, you walk through rock slots, under stone bridges, over a swinging bridge, past a waterfall (operated with a pump), past cute gnomes, and to a lookout. The lookout is stunning, with views over the valley from the top of sheer rock faces. There are rocking chairs where you can sit in the sun and listen to live jazzy music.
Fairyland Caverns is a magical area that kids remember: a cave full of scenes from nursery rhymes, with bright glow-in-the-dark colors. Overall, Rock City Gardens doesn't take very long to see and it's a nice outing but it's expensive for a whole family to visit.
Check out the cool town of Chattanooga, and its riverfront area and pedestrian bridge called Walnut Street Bridge.

Directions

Rock City is located at 1400 Patten Rd, Lookout Mountain GA (close to Chattanooga TN) 30750, call (706) 820-2531.
Open daily 8:30-8 (these are the summer hours). Hours vary by season so check their website.
Admission is $20 for adults, $12 for kids aged 3-12.

Click on map for interactive view