Chattanooga Campground?

[Kazoo Tom]

We will be traveling through the area on or about 6/13 - 6/14 and would like to stop to show my 9 yr old grandson the Chattanooga Choo Choo. He loves trains. Can anyone suggest a campground that is convenient to the downtown area for a 1 night stop. We will be arriving from the north.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Latitude]

Hi Tom

This year on our Way South we stayed at the Best Holiday Park It was Great, easy in -out, Close to Town

Rick

[Kazoo Tom]

Thank you Rick. I've heard about Best Holiday in the past. Sounds like it would be a good place to stop.

[vwd]

Best Holiday Travel Park is probably your best bet. There are some trains at the Choo Choo, but you really want to take him to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. It is on the outskirts of town about 15 miles from the Cho Choo.

[clubmed98]

agree on Best Holiday Park..stayed about a week 2 to 3 years ago..quiet and clean..air conditioned shower rooms were nice..Incline RR is also interesting..and the Fresh Water Aquarium is great, considered best fresh water one in US

[Sixpack98]

I have stayed at Best Holiday and Raccoon Mtn and both are great campgrounds. Both are close to town and easy to get to. Best Holiday is a little closer to downtown while Raccoon is closer to Lookout Mtn and Ruby Falls. Best Holiday is a little more urban while Raccoon Mtn is more country and rustic. Both have good roads, Best Holiday has gravel while Raccoon Mtn's roads are paved. Some of the sites at Raccoon Mtn can be a little tight for a large Class A so you have to ask for a large site.

[Lorna]

We lived in the campgrounds in Chattanooga for over a year before buying a house in neighbouring Marion County. Both Best's & Shipp's were more like KOA's in that by the time they finished adding on extra charges, we could have stayed in the Holiday Inn (nice one). As for Campgrounds... We love Chester Frost county Park off Hixson Pike. We stay there for Riverbend fest as its a straight shot down Hixson Pike to Downtown. We lived at Raccoon Mtn for a while too. It has a cavern there that you can do a tour of (I do not reccommend Ruby Falls since the cave walls are dead from about 7' from the ground to the floor of the cave). While you are downtown, cross the bridge (walk only) and check out the carousel in Coolidge Park. All the "animals" were had carved by volunteers. It's pretty cool. We also loved the Aquarium and visited it and the IMAX often while we lived in the area (about 10 years).

[Sixpack98]

Lorna, forgot to mention the cavern at Raccoon Mtn. Can you explain what you mean about the cave walls being dead at Ruby Falls? Thanks for the tip on Chester Frost Park. We may take a look, we will be there mid-June.

mark

[glennb100]

The walls of Ruby Falls don't have typical natural cave decorations because it was necessary to excavate so a path could be installed. Without the path you would be playing snake to get to the falls.

The sight and sound of that water fall thundering out on the cave wall far above your head is what makes a visit to Ruby Falls so special. Well worth the time for a visit!

[Sixpack98]

Quote:

Originally Posted by glennb100 The walls of Ruby Falls don't have typical natural cave decorations because it was necessary to excavate so a path could be installed. Without the path you would be playing snake to get to the falls. The sight and sound of that water fall thundering out on the cave wall far above your head is what makes a visit to Ruby Falls so special. Well worth the time for a visit!

Thanks for the explanation.

[Kazoo Tom]

Thank you all for your suggestions. As we will only be able to spend one night in the area, and only a few hours the next day, it sounds like Holiday would be a good choice for us.

We will be arriving in the evening after visiting Mammouth Cave. We then have to leave for Charlotte, NC (daughter's house) early enough the next day to get there before dark.

Thanks again for all you suggestions and insight.

[Sixpack98]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kazoo Tom Thank you all for your suggestions. As we will only be able to spend one night in the area, and only a few hours the next day, it sounds like Holiday would be a good choice for us. We will be arriving in the evening after visiting Mammouth Cave. We then have to leave for Charlotte, NC (daughter's house) early enough the next day to get there before dark. Thanks again for all you suggestions and insight.

Good choice, that will put you on the south east side of town and wont have to worry about morning traffic.

[Lorna]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sixpack98 ...Can you explain what you mean about the cave walls being dead at Ruby Falls?...

Since we homeschooled our kids, we did a pretty good section on Caving & their fragile wildlife. In the process, we toured several caves in a few states. I was told (by Desoto Caverns, AL) that cave walls are "alive". If you touch the walls, stalagtites or stalagmites, the oils in your skin will prevent the mineral formations from forming. When this occurs the spot is considered "dead" since it will never "grow" and more mineral formations. Ruby Falls is narrow and a bit clostrophobic. If you look at the walls, they have been touched, repeatedly, for decades. No minerals can be deposited by the mineral-laden water that drips down the sides. I am glad I took my kids there. It really emphasized WHY you do not touch cave walls. My kids were very upset by what they saw at Ruby Falls. They really liked the little cave walk we took at Raccon Mtn (cave is just off the camp store). They did want to do the full-blown "Wild Cave Tour" where you can spend the night in the cave system.