When it comes to exploring a new place, I love just wandering around. It’s something that seems natural to do wherever I travel, and it’s something I’ve always taken for granted with two fully functional legs. Meeting up with my friend Cory Lee reminded me that this simple habit isn’t so simple for everyone. Cory was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (type 2) at a young age and writes about his experiences with wheelchair travel on Curb Free with Cory Lee. One of the reasons he calls Chattanooga home is its dedication to accessibility. While introducing me to the city, he showed me how far ahead this city is as we made our way along the Tennessee RiverWalk and over to neighborhoods like the Bluff View Art District and North Shore.

Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center has to be one of the prettiest ways to get outside and enjoy Chattanooga’s natural surroundings. This 317-acre arboretum has over 15 miles of trails and is home to numerous plants, flora, and animals. Sure, you can plan a day to stroll one of the many trails, but an even more adventurous way to get around is in a SwinCar! These entirely electric cars are extremely responsive and will take you through the arboretum in style – minus any noxious fumes or endangerment to the surrounding nature. During my visit, I met with Haley Hamblen to learn other ways Reflection protects the forest’s health and their dedication to conservation.

Situated on the Tennessee River, the Tennessee Aquarium sits on the site where the city was founded in 1816. Today it’s Chattanooga’s most popular attraction and one of the world’s largest freshwater aquariums. What makes this place truly unique is that it doesn’t focus on the more exotic types of sea creatures that look like something out of a fantasy movie, but rather they focus on the kind of fish that swim in the rivers near us. I joined Natalie Rodgers, Director of Learning & Evaluation, to learn more about what makes this place so special before we visited with Bill Hughes, a Senior Herpetologist, to see what a turtle nursery looks like.

Siri, play “Chattanooga Choo Choo” by Glen Miller. Back in the day, this Beaux Arts building was a bustling train station that saw 50 passenger trains a day at its peak. Today it’s been transformed into a locomotive-inspired hotel with several boutiques and restaurants for visitors to enjoy. I paid a visit to Stir, which is known for its artisanal ice made in-house. Bartender Cole Hixon whipped me up one of their signature cocktails while explaining why ice is so important to their drinks.

Larry Torrence’s cooking career started like many beloved cooks – in the kitchen with his mother as a kid. He specifically started frying fish when he was just 12 years old. Fast forward a few decades and many salivating family fish fries later, he opened up Uncle Larry’s Restaurant in 2013 after much encouragement. While the restaurant has a variety of offerings, it’s Larry’s fried fish that’s the main star, and the secret is in the cornmeal mixture. For over a decade, people worldwide have come to try his fish, and it consistently tops the best Chattanooga restaurant lists.

Want the best view of downtown Chattanooga? Well, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that I know exactly where to go. The bad news (or maybe still good news depending on who you are!) is that you’re going to have to do a little climbing to get there. I’ve always wanted to try bouldering, and Chattanooga is a rock climbing mecca, so I decided to visit High Point Climbing and Fitness. With over 25,000 square feet of climbing space, they have everything from a kid zone to 40 ft walls. The real challenge (and where you’ll get the best views) is their 60-ft-high outdoor climbing wall.

Here’s a fun fact I bet you didn’t know – the tow truck was invented right in Chattanooga in 1916 by Ernest Holmes! Back then, he built what was known as the first twin-boom wrecker to use in his own garage. Over a century later, tow trucks have played a crucial role all over the world, and driving one is considered one of the most dangerous jobs out there. The International Towing & Recovery Museum was started around 20 years ago to recognize the importance of towing and the industry’s long history. Through the years, they’ve been able to collect a ton of memorabilia and artifacts, including the first truck ever made to one that was left on the beaches of Normandy during WWII.

For a bit of whimsy in your trip, be sure to stop by Rock City. Located at the top of Lookout Mountain and only a few miles from downtown Chattanooga, it’s hard to describe what exactly Rock City is as it somehow manages to be a place that can merge history, nature, and nostalgia. It all started back in the 1930s when they began one of the most ingenious marketing campaigns to date. If you’ve got a parent or grandparent who would’ve been alive, ask them if they ever saw a painted barn with “See Rock City” on it. Apparently, the owners hired a sign painter to travel the country, offering to paint barns for free if he could write those three simple words. As you might guess, it was a pretty big success, and tourists began to come and see what exactly this Rock City was all about.