Winter Weekend Getaway Package from Gaylord Hotels Chases Away the Blues

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Ranked As One of the Top Places for Wildlife Viewing

Budget Travel recently ranked Great Smoky Mountains National Park among the Top 13 best places in the United States for wildlife viewing. The forest-filled national park is cited as the best place in the U.S. to view black bears. According to the article, Great Smoky Mountains National park houses the largest protected American black bear habitat in the eastern part of the country with an estimated 1,500 bears currently living there. The best places to catch a glimpse of the furry mammals are in Cades Cove and the Cataloochee Valley.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is more than 800 square miles of hiking trails and offers a diverse area teeming with wildlife, including elk and deer, and more than 1,600 flowering plants. The park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Tennessee Civil War Trails Map-Guide Now Available

The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development announced that the Tennessee Civil War Trails map-guides are now available, marking the upcoming 150th anniversary of the Civil War. The map-guides chart nearly 200 Civil War sites throughout the state and serve as a tool to reach and inspire users to discover Tennessee’s rich Civil War history.

Tennessee’s Civil War Trails program, part of a multi-state Civil War Trails initiative, interprets and creates driving tours of both the great campaigns and the lesser-known Civil War sites. Tennessee, second only to Virginia in Civil War sites, joins North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia in this important project. The entire program has been identified by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of the most successful and sustainable heritage tourism programs in the nation.

Visitors can request the map-guides via www.civilwartraveler.com, www.tncivilwar150.com or by calling (615) 741-2159.

Tennessee, the only entire state designated as a Civil War National Heritage area, currently has 150 newly interpreted trail markers as part of this program, with an additional 150 sites currently in the works. Each newly interpreted site encourages visitors to explore the markers along the trail at one’s own pace. In addition, Tennessee’s Civil War Trail offers many additional historical and recreational opportunities including preserved battlefields, hundreds of antique and specialty shops, taverns and restaurants, and much more.

The five-state Civil War Trails program creates a cross promotion marketing effort that places 2.5 million map-guides in the hands of travelers. The entire program identifies more than 1,000 places that tell the stories of civilians and soldiers during the Civil War in Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina.

The Tennessee Civil War Sesquicentennial marks the 150th anniversary of the Civil War through 2015. The state’s Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission will commemorate this anniversary by sponsoring an annual signature event throughout the five-year observance. Among the highlights are scholarly discussions, living history events, stories of the Civil War, brief dramas and musical performances. For more information, please visit www.tncivilwar150.com.

Chattanooga is a safe and walkable city. Park your car and navigate the Riverfront, Southside and NorthShore Districts aboard the free electric shuttle that connects the downtown hotels, attractions, restaurants and shopping venues, all within a very close proximity of each other. But downtown is just the springboard for everything else you will do in the city. Go to Chattanooga's web site to find new features making it more interactive; choose to "like" the attraction, restaurant, hotel, etc. Under each category on the summer site, you can add your own suggestions, travel tips or comments.
For more Summer fun, check out www.summer.chattanoogafun.com.

WHAT’S NEW

Chattanooga Makes it Easy to Stay & Play with Top 10 Summer Adventures

Summer in Chattanooga means events, festivals, music, arts, extreme outdoor adventures, baseball, delectable delights, shopping and so much fun you’ll find something for everyone in the family to do on a great two or three-day getaway. Chattanooga is less than a two-hour drive from Atlanta, Nashville, Knoxville, Huntsville and Birmingham. We’re located along the Tennessee River and surrounded by picturesque mountains.

Once you get here, you can park your car and explore the city aboard the free electric shuttle that connects you to downtown hotels, attractions, boating options, restaurants, riverfront scattered with parks, green spaces and a minor-league baseball stadium, coffee shops, and shopping venues throughout the Downtown/Riverfront, North Shore and Southside Districts.

Chattanooga was named a top destination to live, work and play by Outside Magazine, National Geographic Traveler and Southern Living magazine – and it’s easy to see why. Chattanooga is a vacation paradise for people who want to escape the real world for a while and indulge in a wide variety of activities.

CHATTANOOGA’S TOP 10 ADVENTURES

Chattanooga is not just a day trip and it’s easy to plan your multi-day vacation to include a variety of Chattanooga adventures.

1.       BOATING CRUISES: Explore the downtown riverfront and the Tennessee River on an eco-cruise aboard the Tennessee Aquarium’s River Gorge Explorer or on the Blue Moon; a sightseeing, lunch or dinner cruise on the Southern Belle Riverboat or a scenic ride along the riverfront aboard the amphibious Chattanooga Ducks.
2.      WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS: Come face-to-face with sharks, stingrays, penguins & thousands of other animals that swim, fly and crawl at the downtown Tennessee Aquarium; go an exotic voyage into the wild at the Tennessee Aquarium’s IMAX 3D Theater; or venture near snow leopards, red pandas, jaguars and more at the Chattanooga Zoo.
3.      FESTIVALS & LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: Be entertained at numerous downtown music festivals throughout the summer including the 9-day Riverbend Festival featuring Miranda Lambert, Brian McKnight, Beach Boys, Casting Crowns & more; 5-month Nightfall Concert Series; Riverfront Nights Music Series; Southern Brewer’s Festival or year-round concerts at Rhythm & Brews.
4.      CULINARY DISCOVERIES: Whether you’re looking for upscale restaurants or trendy dives, you’ll find an array of establishments downtown that have attracted food reviewers and celebs including Rachel Ray’s $40 a Day show. For fine-dining, Wine-Spectator-Award-winning restaurants, you can’t miss Table 2 and 212 Market or the James-Beard-nominated St. John’s. If you’re looking for to-see-and-be-seen in places, check out one of the watering holes with the finest local brews at Big River Grille, Market Street Tavern, Hair of the Dog Pub, Urban Stack or The Terminal.
5.      HISTORICAL EXPLORATIONS: Visit the famous Chattanooga Choo Choo in the Southside District; the Trail of Tears passage at Ross’s Landing on the downtown riverfront; the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park, International Towing & Recovery Museum; Bessie Smith Cultural Center or the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, only 15 minutes from downtown.
6.      ARTS & CULTURAL ACTIVITIES: Take in one of the nation’s largest collections of American art at the Hunter Museum of American Art; stroll through museums & galleries in the North Shore, Bluff View Arts & the Southside Districts; create your own masterpiece at the interactive Creative Discovery Museum for children or enjoy public art along First Street, Main Street and the downtown area.
7.      SHOPPING SPREE: You’ll find an eclectic variety of boutiques, galleries, quaint shops, antiques & restaurants in the downtown North Shore and Southside Districts; and just 15 minutes from downtown visit Hamilton Place, Tennessee’s largest mall, that features over 200 shops and eateries.
8.     LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FUN: Cool down high atop Lookout Mountain, just six miles from downtown. Venture through the trails at Rock City Gardens; 260 feet below the ground at Ruby Falls; straight up & down Lookout Mountain on the world’s steepest passenger railway, the Incline Railway; and much more.
9.      THRILLING ADVENTURES: If you’re up for a thrill, try hang gliding 2,000 feet in the air along Lookout Mountain; whitewater rafting on the wild Ocoee River only 45 minutes from downtown; or plummet 14 stories to the ground 50 miles per hour on the OH-ZONE! at Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park.
10.  OUTDOOR RECREATION: Land, air and water – we’ve got it all. Try out rock climbing downtown at Coolidge Park or numerous other places, biking along the Tennessee River on the Tennessee Riverwalk, kayaking or canoeing downtown, hiking, fishing, golfing, and more. Outdoor Chattanooga is the central resource for information about outdoor recreation. They also host guided hiking, biking, and kayaking trips, classes, and demonstrations.

For more information on Chattanooga’s Summer Adventures including maps & itineraries, visit www.summer.chattanoogafun.com.

What Else is New:

Chattanooga is dedicated to continually enhancing the city, always making it a better destination. So whether you’ve been here before or it’s your first time, you’ll find some great new ways to have fun, topping off an already impressive array of things to do.
· High atop Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls opened the ZIPstream Aerial Adventure, an obstacle course built in trees with ladders, nets, bridges, tunnels and zip lines. <www.rubyfallszip.com
·         Chattanooga River Market is every Saturday from March 19-Sept. 24 on the Aquarium Plaza and includes live music from local and touring artists, produce, special events, arts & crafts vendors and more. www.chattanoogamarket.com
·         Tennessee Aquarium started a Backstage Pass program that gives you VIP access with up-close encounters only accessible by animal keepers. This month they opened an all new exhibit, “Ranger Rick’s Backyard,” that brings together kids, nature and fun in partnership with National Wildlife Federation. www.tnaqua.org
· The nationally acclaimed Civil War Trails Program has come to Chattanooga, with 13 interpretive signs and maps – making it even easier to visit the area’s historic sites. www.chattanoogafun.com/civilwar. Discover seldom-seen Civil War photographs in the exhibition, “Between the States”, at the Hunter Museum of American

DOWNTOWN DELIGHTS

There’s always something going on downtown and everything is within walking distance or accessible via the free electric shuttle. You’ll find dining, attractions, parks, festivals, live music and shopping. Park your car and visit the Tennessee Aquarium and their IMAX 3D Theater; take a lunch, dinner or sightseeing cruise aboard the Southern Belle Riverboat or Civil War or eco cruises on other boating options; stroll through the Bluff View Arts District and Hunter Museum of American Art, through the gardens at the Chattanooga Choo Choo, along the 13-mile paved Riverwalk, or over the Walnut Street Bridge; have a picnic, play in the water fountain or ride an antique carousel in Coolidge Park; take the kids to the Chattanooga Zoo and to one of the country’s top children’s museums, the Creative Discovery Museum; or check out the AT&T field for a Lookouts baseball game. You won’t want to miss the open-air Chattanooga Market each Sunday from May-Dec. where you’ll find locally grown and made goods, great food, artisans selling their works and plenty of live entertainment.

MUSIC AND FESTIVALS

Chattanooga’s vibrant downtown music scene is mixed with an energetic crowd of locals and visitors. This year’s 9-day Riverbend Festival artists include Sheryl Crow, Alison Krauss, Darius Rucker, George Clinton and P-Funk, Billy Currington, Drivin' n Cryin', Third Day and many more. Nightfall weekly Friday night music series in Miller Plaza runs through Sept. Riverfront Nights music series runs from July-Sept. on the Riverfront and August brings the Southern Brewer’s Festival. You can also enjoy live music at Rhythm & Brews, Chattanooga Billiards Club and The Station House. For a full list of events festivals and live music, visit www.chattanoogafun.com/events.

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN AND AROUND TOWN FUN

Only a few miles from downtown, explore scenic Lookout Mountain where you’ll see seven states at Rock City Gardens; plunge deep underground to the majestic Ruby Falls; ride up and down the mountain on the nation’s steepest passenger railway, the Incline Railway or check out the nation’s largest and oldest military park, Chattanooga-Chickamauga National Military Park. Within 15 minutes from downtown, you can be riding aboard the Tennessee Valley Railroad or dropping 14 stories on the OH-Zone! freefall ride at Lake Winnepesaukah amusement park.

EXTREME ADVENTURES

Teens and anyone young at heart will find that Chattanooga’s wild rivers and ample natural resources make us a top destination for extreme adventures. Whitewater raft or kayak the Ocoee River; boulder or rock climb on the mountainous terrain; dodge paint during an intense game of paint ball or test your limits on a tandem hang gliding flight over 2,000 feet in the air off of Lookout Mountain. For adventures a little less extreme, enjoy a walk or bike ride on the downtown Riverwalk, a game of golf or rock climbing at one of our indoor facilities or Walnut Wall in Coolidge Park. No matter your passion, you’ll want to get out and play.

DELICIOUS DINING

You can’t come to Chattanooga without visiting some of the local hot spots – where the food is the attraction. Savor the local flavor in restaurants downtown that use seasonal fresh produce, breads, pastries and more produced in the Chattanooga area. There are numerous fine-dining restaurants that offer the Farm to Table practices including Table 2, Alleia, Public House. But don’t forget the tried-and-true favorites like Tennessee’s first Green-Certified restaurant, 212 Market; Blue Plate; Back Inn Café; St. John’s where Nathan Lindley has been nominated for a James Beard Award; and Hennen’s to name a few. Don’t miss out on some locally brewed beer made at Big River Grille and Brewing Works or the Terminal Brewhouse.

PLANNING YOUR VISIT

Planning your vacation to Chattanooga has never been easier. With over 10,000 hotel rooms, it’s easy to find a room at your favorite hotel brand, at a bed & breakfast, or even on a boat or in a traincar. Book a hotel room or flight through the Travelocity engine, explore maps, browse itineraries and find money-saving coupons from attractions, restaurants and more online. Many of the accommodations also provide packages that include tickets to attractions and events. www.chattanoogafun.com/plan-your-visit/

Tennessee Aquarium

The Tennessee Aquarium inspires wonder and appreciation for the natural world. Admission is $24.95 per adult and $14.95 per child, ages 3-12. Each ticket purchased helps support Aquarium conservation programs. The IMAX® 3D Theater is next door to the Aquarium. Ticket prices are $8.50 per adult and $6.00 per child. Aquarium/IMAX combo tickets are $29.95 for adults and $19.95 for children. Excursions aboard the new River Gorge Explorer depart daily into “Tennessee’s Grand Canyon.” Cruise tickets are $29.00 per adult and $21.50 per child (3-12). Advance tickets may be purchased online at www.tnaqua.org or by phone at 1-800-262-0695. The Aquarium, located on the banks of the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, is a non-profit organization. Open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Aquarium and IMAX are accessible to people with disabilities.

Cherokee History Is New Focus in Southeast Tennessee

Local tourism professionals are working alongside scholars, citizens and history buffs in a movement that is uncovering new stories and raising awareness of Southeast Tennessee’s extremely significant Cherokee history, a part of America’s most important Native American past.

Representatives from Southeast Tennessee Tourism Association and the Convention & Visitors Bureau of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce are unveiling new driving trail brochures highlighting the rich Cherokee history and encouraging visitation to the area. The Bradley County brochure is titled “Your Passport to Explore Cherokee Heritage.” The SETTA brochure is “Southeast Tennessee Cherokee Native American Guide.”

A remarkable convergence of events prompted this focused attention and cooperative effort, including the opening of the Cherokee Removal Memorial Park; this year’s 30th anniversary of Red Clay State Park; the 25th anniversary of the Joint Council Reunion with the lighting of the eternal flame, and the PBS series “We Shall Remain,” which focused one entire episode on the Trail of Tears and the Cherokee experience in and around Southeast Tennessee. Portions of the film were shot at Red Clay, the last eastern capital of the Cherokee Nation.

Tourism Director Cindy Milligan is working alongside Melissa Woody at the Cleveland CVB and Dr. Carroll Van West, the director of the Center for Historic Preservation, to ensure that this history is properly interpreted and given its rightful place in Southeast Tennessee’s history and the history of the Cherokee people. “Many of these sites are being interpreted for the first time,” stated Melissa Woody, vice president for Convention & Visitors Bureau at the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce. “Just standing in these places where our native people lived and worked, and then faced their most difficult life experience, is truly moving. These sites are sacred.”

The brochures offer more than a crash course of Cherokee history. One guide takes visitors from early Cherokee years to in-depth removal routes of some 15,000 Cherokees. The other outlines the precise location of the Cherokee Agency where passports were required to enter into Cherokee territory. This same area later became the largest emigrating depot with federal troops holding Cherokee and other tribes for departure on the Trail of Tears. Some of the highlights include Ross’s Landing in downtown Chattanooga, The Brainerd Mission Cemetery, The James Brown Cherokee Plantation, and Red Clay State Park, the last capital of the Cherokee Nation in the east. The Red Clay Council Grounds also became the center of the Cherokee Nation’s diplomatic efforts to avoid removal

SETTA created their driving trail brochure with the help of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, Dr. Duane King, research specialist and noted scholar of the American Indian, and a committee of regional representatives. According to Woody, the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU is currently conducting a heritage plan for Bradley County especially focused on Charleston. Under the direction of Dr. West, the team will present the plan in August. West has said that Bradley County is an understudied area and this study should help organize sites and stories. The CVB and Charleston-Calhoun-Hiwassee Historical Society will use that plan to gain support for future project development and interpretation.

Woody recalls that many of the residents were reluctant to pass down such a tragic story through the generations. The recent national efforts to tell the Cherokee story have helped residents realize this is an important story to tell, especially during this national movement toward awareness of Native American history and culture.

Both guides are currently available at area Welcome Centers throughout Tennessee in addition to various tourism sites, museums, history centers and chamber offices. Brochures may also be found by visiting www.southeasttennessee.com; www/docs/26/native-american-trail or www.visitclevelandtn.com/downloads/passport.

Mysterious Creatures & Breathtaking Art Coming to Chattanooga
Tennessee Aquarium and Hunter Museum Present Jellies: Living Art

Newest Hotels

Food & Fun

What to See & Do

Historic RCA Studio B

In the heart of Music Row, Historic RCA Studio B has been at the center of Nashville’s music scene since 1957. Built and leased to RCA Victor in 1957, Studio B stayed in active use until 1977.  More than 35,000 songs were recorded, of which over 1,000 became Top Ten hits. In its heyday, Studio B saw the creation of numerous chartbusters, such as Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” Elvis Presley’s “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” and Charley Pride’s “Kiss an Angel Good Morning.”

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

began operating Studio B in 1977 and in 1996 restoredthe primary studio area to its original look.  Beginning in the fall of 2003, facilitated by the philanthropy of the Mike Curb Family Foundation, Belmont University students began using Studio B as a workshop for completing recording projects, a partnership that also supports the Museum’s educational programs.  Educational tours and recording opportunities, staffed by both organizations, are offered through the Museum to arts organizations, students, educational institutions and visitors.

Where to Stay

Loews Vanderbilt Hotel

Nestled in the heart of Nashville’s trendy West End corridor, the 340-room Loews Vanderbilt Hotel is within walking distance of Vanderbilt University, one mile from Music Row and a short 15-minute drive from Nashville International Airport (BNA). The hotel offers the ultimate Music City experience, complete with southern hospitality, indulgent comforts and on-cue services. The property is one of only 73 hotels nationwide to achieve the AAA Four-Diamond designation for 25 consecutive years.

From its lobby jukebox stocked with tunes of VIP guests to its impressive collection of autographed records and musical memorabilia, Loews Vanderbilt Hotel is a “home away from home” that reflects Nashville’s heritage and local music culture. Live music nightly and wake up calls recorded by Nashville entertainers Vince Gill, Amy Grant and Brenda Lee give guests a glimpse of the authentic sights and sounds that make Music City famous.