Shwanda Mason: Chattanooga is just beautiful. When I first moved to Chattanooga, I didn’t understand what people meant by the “Scenic City. ” And then I moved here and I’m like, “oh, now, now I get it!
” So, one of my favorite things to do to relax is simply just to go on a walk. The Riverwalk is one of the most beautiful and scenic places in Chattanooga. From Veterans Bridge to the walking bridge to the mountains, it’s picturesque – it really looks like a postcard.
Eat, drink, frolic – that’s exactly what I like to do here in Chattanooga. I love when new restaurants open; I love finding new cocktail bars to go to. Main Street Meats is one of my favorite bars.
It’s also a restaurant. Stir has a really good cocktail list as well and it’s one of my favorites. You can get really fancy ice at Stir, which is something I’d never heard of but I’m into it.
One of my favorite attractions at the aquarium, it’s the butterflies, which I know sounds really unique for an aquarium. But you can walk through this amazing butterfly exhibit and some of them, they get on your finger and try to make friends with you. I think if you’re going to go to the aquarium, you start in the butterfly exhibit and work your way through.
Chattanooga has a really growing art scene. The Hunter Museum has become one of my favorite places to go. Ruby Falls is one of the biggest tourist attractions here.
The Incline at Lookout Mountain is so much fun, it’s a must-do. If I have out-of-town guests, I’m definitely taking them. I love Chattanooga because it’s such a beautiful community and the people of the city also share the same love for the city.
Robert Tino: The Great Smoky Mountains is one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. You get to see a great deal of wildlife. Every time you go out to Cades Cove, you’re sure to see dear and more than likely you get to see the – kind of the mascot of the Great Smoky Mountains – the black bear.
That’s always a treat to get to see bears. And of course, the history too. You get to see cabins, old farmsteads that were around, you know, in the 1800s, and just kind of see the way life was way back when.
What I love about Sevierville’s great outdoors is you have tons of hiking trails, rivers to fish, to swim. It’s just a place that, if you love the outdoors, it’s easy to get to. It’s a friendly-type place just to go explore.
Probably my favorite thing to do is get an inner tube on a hot summer day and go up to Greenbrier, float down the river. It’s a great way to interact with nature. The water’s cold and it’s just a lot of fun.
If you get a chance, stop by downtown Sevierville. You can see the iconic Dolly statue. A really great tribute to Sevierville’s first lady, Dolly Parton.
’Course, everybody knows Dollywood, which is a fabulous park and it keeps true to its mountain heritage. It’s great roller coasters, food and fabulous shows. Another really neat attraction to go see is the Titanic Museum.
You get to be an actual character who was actually on the ship. And so, it’s very historical. It’s really interesting.
Sevierville’s near and dear to my heart, and I’ve seen a great deal of change and a great deal of growth. But you know the one thing about Sevierville, it’s always maintained its small-town atmosphere, its small-town appeal. And, you know, that says a lot about a place.
