Seniors Enjoy ‘The Scenic City’

Chattanooga, Tennessee. With a name like that it just has to be good. Seniors, do you know where that name comes from?“Chattanooga” comes from the Creek Indian word for “rock coming to a point.”

This refers to Lookout Mountain, one of the city’s major attractions, where senior visitors can explore extraordinary rock formations, see a roaring enclosed waterfall and travel by train to the top of the mountain for truly awesome views.  

Perhaps you will recall that Chattanooga is internationally known for the 1941 song by Glenn Miller, “Chattanooga Choo Choo.” The city has received several meaningful awards over the past few years including All-American City and Tree City USA.

The Tennessee Aquarium is home to 9,000 animals that swim, crawl or fly…one of the top attractions in town. The beautiful blue Walnut Street Bridge and Lookout Mountain both rate very high as well.

Senior Visitors Head Downtown

The Scenic City, has an incredibly walkable ‘Downtown’, the place where people go to be a part of the energy and excitement of Chattanooga.  “Downtown! It’s the place to live, play, grow, innovate and plug directly into the source of what makes Chattanooga one of America’s best cities.”

The free electric shuttle covers all of Downtown and connects to the Northshore.  Chattanooga also boasts one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world connecting the North and South shores as well as a thirteen mile Riverwalk.

The first city-wide bike share system in the South is found in Chattanooga with 300 bikes at 30 locations throughout the city.  So ditch the car and ride the shuttle, walk or easily rent a bike for the day as you enjoy Chattanooga.

City Rich in History

Chattanooga was the site of three major battles during the War Between the States and is rich in history with the nation’s first and largest military park,  the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum and the Bessie Smith Cultural Center.

The city used to be a highly industrial town, but now caters mostly to tourism. Located on the southern edge of Tennessee and sandwiched right between Lookout Mountain and Signal Mountain. Should you arrive in autumn, the hills surrounding Chattanooga explode with colorful fall foliage.

Chattanooga hums with excitement in the summer months, despite the fact that this city is the Deep South and one can cut the humidity with a knife. The many air-conditioned attractions in the Downtown district, coupled with the abundance of water fountains and features in the park system, make for plenty of opportunities to cool down. Classy restaurants abound throughout the city.

The wealth of history, outdoor recreation and fun activities Chattanooga offers might qualify the town for a spot on a best place in Tennessee for a senior to visit list. -jeb