Here is a list of really cool places within an hour or so drive time from the ranch:
Tigers for Tomorrow, http://tigersfortomorrow.org/, (256) 524-4150
This place is a MUST visit if at all possible. It is not a zoo; but it beats the heck out of any zoo experience I EVER had. You can get up close and personal (safely, of course) to some of the most beautiful and healthy exotic species you could ever imagine. The great thing is they are ALL rescues. Please support this preserve if at all possible. They are great people with a true heart for animal rescue. Please tell Sue and Wilbur we sent you.
Tigers for Tomorrow at Untamed Mountain is an exotic animal park and rescue Preserve, home to over 70 large predators, including tigers, leopards, cougars, wolves, bears and more. An animal contact barnyard full of farm animals and small exotic mammals is also featured.
Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, www.jacksoncountychamber.com, 407 East Willow Street, Scottsboro, AL 35768-1903, (256) 259-5500
We are very proud of our Chamber of Commerce. It is in a beautiful, historic home in downtown Scottsboro. The folks there will treat you right. We are a huge fan of Margaret. She is always such a blessing to us.
Crow Mountain Orchard, (256) 437-9254, www.crowmtn.com, 6236 County Rd 39, Fackler, AL
These fine folks are our neighbors – Bob and Carol Deutscher. They have been in business since 1974 and offer some of the finest fruit I have ever tasted. The apple cider is to die for. It is definitely worth the drive over the mountain to see this beautiful orchard.
Corn Bread Festival, www.nationalcornbread.com, Email: awatson@lodgemfg.com, South Pittsburg, TN
A short drive from the ranch will put you in the middle of a cultural event worth experiencing. It is held once annually for an entire weekend of fun. There is a cornbread cookoff, entertainment, food, street dance, carnival, arts and crafts.
Depot Days, Stevenson, AL, http://stevensondepotdays.com
About six miles from the ranch, this is the local festival held annually in Stevenson. There is a laundry list of events which are accented by good food and live entertainment.
Ruby Falls, (423) 821-2544, info1@rubyfalls.com, www.rubyfalls.com
Rock City, (800) 854-0675, www.seerockcity.com
Chattanooga Market, www.chattanoogamarket.com, 1826 Carter Street, Chattanooga, TN 37408
(423) 648-2496, Sundays, 11am to 4pm, First Tennessee Pavilion
This is an all organic market that offers beautiful produce, cheeses, salsas, handmade jewelry and art of all mediums, plants, great food and music among other things.
Civil War Reenactment, www.siegeatbridgeport.com, Email: dghmdh1@bellsouth.net, (256) 437-8873.
This is a mere 20 miles or so from the ranch. It makes the claim to be the “best reenactment in the state”. From what we have heard, it very well may be! It is located on an original Civil War site off of Hwy 72 on County Rd 255. It will be held the 4th weekend in March.
Chattanooga Nature Center, (423) 821-1160, www.chattanooganaturecenter.org, Email: dmorgan@chattanature.org.
The Chattanooga Nature Center has a broad display of 30 native species including endangered and threatened species. CNC is one of 41 facilities in the world to house one of North America’s most endangered animals, the Red Wolf.
Tennessee Aquarium, http://www.tnaqua.org/Home.aspx, Email: webmaster@tnaqua.org, (800) 262-0695, One Broad Street, Chattanooga, TN
The Tennessee Aquarium is the highest rated aquarium in the USA! Enjoy a remarkable journey with 10,000 animals. See new IMAX 3D movies in a six-story theater. Ride the River Gorge Explorer, one of the best river boat cruises and tours in the world.
Raccoon Mountain Caverns, http://www.raccoonmountain.com, raccoon1@raccoonmountain.com, (423) 821-9403
This “vast cave system is nationally recognized and is known for its incredible array of diverse, 100% natural cave formations”. It is quoted as being ”one of the most beautiful caves that you will ever see and is rated as one of the top ten caves in this country”.
Chattanooga North Shore, www.northshorechattanooga.com
Cool and ecclectic shopping can be found here (coffee shop, book store, upscale home and apparel boutiques, hippy shops, ice cream shop, organic grocery store, and much more). Great restaurants abound in this hip area on the north shore of the Tennessee River. The tapas restaurant is one of our favorite getaways.
Walls of Jericho, (800) 252-7275, http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/tennessee/preserves/art11863.html
Cathedral Caverns State Park, www.alapark.com/cathedralcaverns, 637 Cave Road, Woodville, AL 35776-8700, (256) 728-4101
Inside the cavern, you will find Big Rock Canyon, Mystery River and some of the most beautiful formations Mother Nature has ever created. Among them, you will see Stalagmite Mountain, The Frozen Waterfall and Goliath, a huge stalagmite column that reaches the ceiling of the cave some 45 feet above!
Collinsville Trade Day, www.collinsvilletradeday.com, Saturdays, 4:30 am – Until ?, Email: danny@collinsvilletradeday.com
Vendors galore selling just about anything you can imagine and then some. This is a very large flea market and can be quite entertaining.
Alabama Fan Club, www.thealabamaband.com, 101 Glenn Boulevard Southwest, Fort Payne, AL 35967-4963
(256) 845-1646
For you country music fans, the good ole boys of Alabama are from Ft. Payne, AL – about 45 minutes from the ranch. Their fan club with gift shop should be of interest to Alabama fans.
North Alabama Birding Trail, http://www.northalabamabirdingtrail.com/sites_along_the_trail/index.aspx?siteid=54
Russell Caves, (256) 495-2672, http://www.nps.gov/ruca/index.htm,
Sequoyah Caverns, (256) 635-0024, www.sequoyahcaverns.com, Email: roy@sequoyahcaverns.com
Mentone, www.town-of-mentone-alabama.com, www.mentonealabama.org
A cute little historic mountain town about 1 hour from the ranch which boasts of having the oldest hotel in Alabama which is now a B&B serving a fantastic lunch – fancy, Southern style. There are several cute shops providing access to the works of local artists.
US Space and Rocket Center, www.spacecamp.com, One Tranquility Base, Huntsville, AL 35805
(800) 637-7223
The Incline Railway, Telephone 423-821-4224, St. Elmo Station: 3917 St. Elmo Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37409; Lookout Mountain Station , 827 East Brow Road, Lookout Mountain, TN 37350, http://www.ridetheincline.com/
Chattanooga’s Bluff View Art District, www.bluffviewartdistrict.com, 411 East 2nd Street, Chattanooga, TN 37403, (423) 265-5033
Riverfront Nights – Free Music Series – Chattanooga, TN, http://www.riverfrontnights.com/
Chattanooga Choo Choo, http://www.choochoo.com/, Train car accomodations, restaurants, shops, gardens, trolley and much more…
Trail of Tears Motorcycle Ride, http://www.al-tn-trailoftears.net/, A well known motorcycle ride commemorating the Cherokee Indian removal from our area. Starts very near us in Bridgeport, Alabama.
Scottsboro Trade Day, http://www.scottsboro.com/, Scottsboro offers Trade Day, a 125-year-old tradition. Open on the first Monday of each month – and the preceding weekend – Trade Day draws hundreds of shoppers to the downtown Scottsboro Square and is considered one of the top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society.
South Pittsburg Antiques, www.southpittsburgantiques.com, 224 South Cedar Avenue, South Pittsburg, TN 37380, (423) 837-5439. A great antique store with a variety of upscale antiques from around the world. There are also several other antique stores in the historic South Pittsburg downtown, a mexican restaurant and an Italian restaurant – all within walking distance.