This past weekend, Ella & I set out on a road trip adventure with a few of our favorite friends. She was dancing in her first competition of the year and we were thrilled to find it was in Chattanooga because we had such a great time dancing there last year! We were lucky she was out of school on Friday, so we planned to leave bright and early and enjoy a little non-whole30 breakfast on the way. I need you to know that those Chick-fil-A Chicken Minis did NOT disappoint. These three girls were so excited to see each other and to be on the road. They were nervous about dancing the next day, but were super excited to spend the day sightseeing together.
After I realized we would have a few extra days in Chattanooga, I reached out to a few highly-recommended children’s attractions and we were gifted tickets in exchange for a mention on the blog and social media. This is not a sponsored post, but we were so thrilled to visit Chattanooga’s Creative Discovery Museum and share our experience with you!
The girls were so excited to stretch their legs once we arrived and the adults were super thrilled to get away from the non-stop singing and dancing we had recently endured (I’m only half kidding… maybe). After checking into our hotel and grabbing a quick bite to eat, we walked across the street to the CDM and let the kids run wild. There were tons of activities for them and a super comfy bench where we could enjoy some adult conversation between questions and performances!
I’ll admit that my first impression was that the museum was a little young for them. At nine and ten, I was worried they would be a little bored and that my great idea would fizzle quick. Near the entrance of the museum is a climbing structure with dress ups and water features and it was full of toddlers. Whomp whomp. Much to my surprise, these kids jumped in with both feet and it didn’t take long at all for the giggles to filter down.
After an hour or so of play, another friend from dance made it into town and met us at the museum. We started over from the beginning so that she didn’t miss anything and our girls didn’t seem the least bit disappointed to enjoy the exhibits all over again.
I think their favorite part of the entire museum was the performance area. There was a recording studio, instrument room and a stage with working lights and backdrops. The girls put a quick play together, complete with a director, props and a complex story line and then rounded up an audience to watch. It was hilarious and they were very proud of themselves.
Outside of the museum was this machine where you could pull a giant bubble up over your body if you were careful. It was a little windy on Friday, so it took some practice, but we managed to get several photos and videos of each girl. It was much more difficult to get them all in a single bubble, but that didn’t keep them from trying!
Where to stay: This is the second year in a row we’ve stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites downtown on Broad Street. The hotel is very nice and I honestly sleep like a dream on those fluffy down beds! They provide a continental breakfast every morning (just say yes to the belgian waffle machine) and have a BEAUTIFUL pool and fire pit area where we spent both evenings until they closed. There was an endless supply of coffee and hot chocolate in the lobby and it is within walking distance to everything we needed.
Where to play: Chattanooga’s Creative Discovery Museum. For those of you local to Birmingham, the CDM is very similar to the McWane Science Center, although a little smaller. I would definitely say it’s geared more towards the preschool set, but our girls had a blast and the tickets are inexpensive enough that you won’t feel bad spending even a few hours there to pass the time. The staff was super helpful and friendly and it’s right in the middle of a great neighborhood full of shops and restaurants.
Where to eat: For dinner on Friday night, we reserved a party room for forty-five and had the most delicious dinner at Big River Grille. It might be a chain restaurant, but the service was excellent and the food was great! After overdoing it on breakfast and lunch, I got grilled chicken topped with bruschetta and an entire stalk of grilled broccoli.
I’ll be sharing a few more of our favorites from our trip to Chattanooga, as well as a recap of our dance competition, next week!
