We embarked on a mini family road trip through Tennessee on our way to the Georgia Aquarium. We saw several waterfalls during the trip, including a few by accident. Our final destination was the Georgia Aquarium, which came highly recommended. Here’s a look at the stops we made along the way.
Burgess Falls State Park
Burgess Falls State Park is a lovely park that is essentially a couple of hiking trails and a great playground. We chose to do the main hike down to Burgess Falls. You’ll enjoy a moderate hike where you encounter multiple waterfalls, we did not know there would be more than one, so that was a lovely surprise. This out-and-back trail is great for families and furry friends. If my two year old can do this hike, so can you. The history surrounding these falls can be read about along the panels near the very nice playground and restroom area right beside the parking lot.
Chestnut Oaks Farm Store and Kitchen
A short jaunt down the road from Burgess Falls State Park is Chestnut Oaks Farm Store and Kitchen, the cutest little restaurant/country store. With a barn style feel they serve some amazing food that we absolutely devoured after our hike. They also have locally sourced goods for sell. Best of all, they have ice cream for a cool treat on those hot summer days. They have indoor and outdoor seating so your four legged friends can join you at a picnic table. They have several food options that are very family friendly.
Fall Creek Falls State Park
One of the most beautiful state parks I have visited happened to be on this trip, and that is Fall Creek Falls State Park. I could have spent an entire week here and never run out of things to do. They have a nice lodge with lake views, a pool, and a restaurant. Complimentary breakfast is served for lodge guests. They also have a game room and firepits outside for a cozy feel on chilly nights. There are plenty of hiking trails to keep you busy, and waterfalls galore. There’s a nature center where you can learn more about the area. There are several great picnic spots, a snack bar, playgrounds, and paddleboats and kayaks for rent to go out on the lake. There is a paved walking trail along the shoreline of the lake that makes for a peaceful morning. I would add this stop to any family road trip and highly recommend!
Scottie’s on the River
We had a great meal at Scottie’s on the River. What drew me to choose this place was that we could watch boats passing by as we ate. Anyone with young children will know that distractions are key at restaurants (waiting can be hard). My trout was delicious and it was only ten minutes from the zoo.
Chattanooga Zoo
We like to break up our family road trips with fun little stops to stretch our legs. Chattanooga Zoo made for a perfect little pit stop. This is a small zoo but they have several animals that we enjoyed seeing. The chimpanzees were a lot of fun and of course we had to pet the goats. You can also feed giraffes, ride a small train, and a merry go round. We spent a little over an hour here just enjoying the animals
Atlanta Breakfast Club
Right across the street from the Georgia Aquarium is the Atlanta Breakfast Club. A family owned and operated business that is a staple in the area. These family homestyle recipes are stirring up good vibes to start your day. Be sure to get a cinnamon roll and try a biscuit to get the full experience.
Georgia Aquarium
You won’t want to skip this attraction. Georgia Aquarium is all it’s hyped up to be and more. We enjoyed seeing things like microbiomes, giant manta rays, a whale shark, and petting stingrays. But the most impressive part of our visit was the dolphin show. I have never seen anything like these highly trained creatures and their connections with their caretakers. Once you arrive at the aquarium seek out one of the many helpful staff members to be sure you reserve a seat (it’s included with your admission) for an incredible show. If you want to get wet sit in the middle section where it is labeled “splash zone.”
There’s also a cute sea lion performance that was worth the time to learn more about them. I do not recommend going when schools are on break though, the crowds can be a bit overwhelming. They have food options at the aquarium including adult drinks but, Pro Tip: I would get my hand stamped to leave for meals and come back later. There are tons of excellent restaurants within walking distance. The aquarium is open from 8am to 8pm so you can come and go throughout the day. The aquarium has partnered with several hotels nearby so look into getting a package deal. I planned an entire family road trip around coming here and it was worth it.
Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria
A short walk down the street from the aquarium is Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria. This was a great quick lunch that helped up get reset for the rest of our day at the aquarium. The service was tremendous and the pizza was top notch.
Dos Bocas
We ended our day with Dos Bocas a Tex-Mex/Cajun restaurant near the Georgia Aquarium. We liked that there was plenty of variety and we could get completely different flavor profiles to split. It also gave our little adventurer a chance to have a few options to choose from since he normally splits with us. They have an upstairs seating area with great views of the park across the street.
Atlanta Botanical Garden
The Atlanta Botanical Garden is a lovely place for plant enthusiasts. I enjoyed the orchid building, said to be the first of its kind. With many varieties of orchids all growing in one place, it was magical. My son loved the playground and would have enjoyed the splash pad had I come prepared for it. If you have little ones that love the water as much as ours does, bring them something they can get wet in.
Tennessee Aquarium
Yes, another aquarium. The Tennessee Aquarium was another fantastic stop! I especially loved the overall design – it made you feel like you were in the environment where you would find those animals. They had large viewing windows, and my favorite part was the layout. You start at the top and wind your way down ramps making a loop on each floor. It kept traffic flow moving and there were no pile ups of people waiting to see one fish. My favorite animal at this aquarium was the green sea turtle but hearing the electric pulses of an eel was also pretty neat. They also have their animals divided into two separate buildings; one for ocean animals and one for fresh water. If you don’t want to go to Atlanta then this is definitely where I would go instead.
End of the Road
What a great family road trip! We had a blast and my little adventurer is already asking to go do more exploring. This road trip had the perfect blend of nature and animal activities that kept us busy but at a leisurely pace. Overall it took about four days so it made for a good long weekend of family fun. If your little adventurer struggles on road trips check out How to Keep Kids Entertained in the Car. Our Ohio Road Trip was a little longer than this one but still lots of great stops. Be sure to subscribe to get the inside scoop on our adventures.
