If you are ever in the Chattanooga area during Christmas time, you absolutely have to go to Rock City. It’s scary and beautiful and thrilling all at the same time.
We went with Jeremy’s dad and stepmom right before Christmas and the lines were outrageously long but we made our way through. It was a survival moment. It always is with three little kids during dinner time in the cold.
I brought my camera…my big heavy chunky fourth-child camera. I thought it was a good idea because we brought two strollers. Note to everyone who plans on bringing strollers….the paths are not (repeat NOT) stroller accessible. Jeremy ran back to the car to see if I brought a wrap….nope…no sling either…so we strapped on the carrier. If I could, I would have put all the kids on a leash because there are certain areas that they could have jumped to their death. A two foot wall has nothing on Weston.
Once we got inside, we hurried our way through it and I wish that we would have brought food for the kids or ate beforehand. I hate when we do something like that….anticipate the event for days, wait in line, get inside and rush through just so that we can get out as soon as possible. Maybe that should be a goal this year….enjoy all the parts of every event.
There are tunnels, full storybook displays, bridges, cavern squeezes, and indoor attractions like the decorate cookies building, pictures with Santa and more. One regret I have is not buying the boys glow sticks. There are ones for sale out front (don’t buy those…they are like swords and really expensive)…they have cotton candy on smaller glow sticks once you get past the lookout area. Next year 🙂
Speaking of view…it’s gorgeous. Just stunning.
Over all it was really fun. We followed it up with a very nutritious dinner from Krystal’s. Please note that Krystal burgers are like other fast food burgers had little babies and they got the short end of the gene pool skimmer stick….if you know what I mean. Jeremy loves them 🙂
p.s. This week you get the big reveal for the bathroom! Can’t wait to show you!
This looks so neat! If I’m ever down that way at Christmas, I’ll definitely check it out! Also, if you don’t mind sharing, what is your favorite wrap/sling/carrier? I am new to baby wearing, but I got a Moby wrap & am thinking about maybe getting an Ergo carrier too.
Your home depot video just showed up on my facebook feed, completely separate of your posts! I was like, wait..hey..i recognize her!!! It looks beautiful!
My husband and I visited Rock City a couple of years ago during the summer. We were lucky in the fact that it had just rained and the park was almost completely empty. Looks beautiful for the holidays! Thanks for sharing!
I just have to brag that I got a sneak peek! It showed up as an ad on my Facebook page (the Home Depot video of the redo… nicely done!). I got all excited about knowing someone in the ad! Then I had the voice in my head that calms the crazy remind me that I don’t really know KNOW you… but is was still cool 🙂
Rock City looks like fun! I’ll file that one away for future reference. Thanks for the heads up about the path ways not being stroller accessible! Info like that is so helpful because I’ve totally been there with showing up somewhere and not being quite prepared for the terrain. This past fall I hiked a trail with my two boys that was marked wheelchair accessible so I thought for sure I’d be ok with the jogging stroller, and I was until we got to the stairs! I guess the trail was mislabeled. But I did get in a good workout carrying the jogging stroller up the stairs 🙂
We were there last spring with our niece and her two sons, ages 12 and 9. We loved doing this. We weren’t sure how interested the boys would be but they had a ball! They were still talking about it when they came up to see us at Christmas. Of course, we also stayed at the “Haunted Hotel” in Chattanooga so that added extra excitement for those crazy kids. It was a really fun weekend in that charming Southern city.
We went the weekend after Christmas with our three girls. They are older (10, 9 and 7) so no real worries about them jumping/climbing anywhere. It’s nice to see your pictures of the lights at night. We were there during the day and then headed to the Incline Railway. Toured Ruby Falls the next day and found a great playground up on Lookout Mountain where we had lunch both days. It was a nice weekend trip!
I have tried the Ergo but don’t like it during the warmer months because it is just so HOT. I really love my Solly Baby wrap. It’s the lightest wrap I’ve found and it is cute to boot 🙂 I also want to get a woven because I want to try back carries…but have yet to take the plunge.
xo – kb
I’m from Chattanooga! We went to Rock City Enchanted Garden this year and have some of the same photos as you guys! We don’t have kids but multiple times we wondered how parents with little ones manage those walkways. There’s like a tiny little wall and directly on the other side of it is some HUGE canyon that goes who knows where! Glad you guys made it out alive! 🙂 It really is very pretty with the lights.
We were just there 2 months ago! I used on of those road trip apps when we moved from Savannah, GA to Kansas. This was one of the places I had to visit. It was beautiful. We were also super happy that Rock City is dog friendly.
My husband is also from Chattanooga (Red Bank, if we’re being technical) and I keep complaining that he’s never taken me to Rock City. Maybe I’ll just wait until next Christmas – those photos are gorg!
I’m from “the other mountain” (Signal, that is) in Chattanooga. Now living in NC. But my husband and I got engaged at Rock City in Dec. 2007! Love that place! Can’t wait to take our daughter there when we’re back visiting our families!
Six years ago, I left Chattanooga to move back to Nashville. Each time you write about it I miss it like I moved yesterday! Thank you for reminding me how wonderful it is (and how far away, yet doable with my two kids under three).
We went to Rock City this year, first year taking the baby. I carried her in my Ergo and she slept through most of it, even though it was FUH-REEZING!