Where Thrilling Adventures Await You...
When ChattaBOOga transforms itself from Chattanooga in October, it’s not the typical haunted venue. There’s a haunted cavern deep inside the heart of Lookout Mountain; a killer critter craze where some of nature’s most feared and notorious creatures are explored in detail; an amazing corn maze – friendly by day, but a heart-stopping labyrinth by night; hair-raising, spooky storytelling experiences and maybe even spirits lingering and strange encounters of the third kind throughout the mansion grounds.
October in Chattanooga offers thrilling, chilling adventure and family fun you can’t experience anywhere else.
SURVIVE THE RUBY FALLS HAUNTED CAVERN
A visionary, Dr. Kilgore built Wyrmwood Asylum on the side of Lookout Mountain above the caves and tunnels which the patients named ‘The Vault’ and anyone that went to the ‘Vault’ never returned. With only one entrance to the original ‘Vault’; escape from Wyrmwood Asylum was virtually impossible. Dr. Kilgore claimed to have developed an aggressive program to tame the criminally insane and even reprogram the most psychotic of all criminals. He began transferring the worst criminals across the country to his new facility, Wyrmwood Asylum in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
In 1975, Ruby Falls hired Cowin Engineering Company of Birmingham to blast an alternate exit into the Ruby Falls Tourist Attraction. This exit also unsealed the Wyrmwood Asylum ‘Vault’. The disturbed restless souls of patients and doctors have continued to return every 10 years growing stronger. In 2009, the images of the Asylum rooms, tortured patients, and vile experiments rise out of the darkness of the ‘Vault.’ The lost souls have brought the ghostly images of the upper asylum back to life as it rises from the depths of a dark sinister history glooming atop Lookout Mountain. www.hauntedcavern.com or call 423/821-2544
“THRILLS, GILLS & CHILLS” AT THE TENNESSEE AQUARIUM
Your pulse heightens and your heart pounds as a large, toothy sand-tiger shark eases past your cheek, an alligator stares you blankly in the eyes as if you are soon to be lunch for rattlesnakes, anacondas and a boa constrictor slither right by you. Just relax and embrace the creepy critter jitters. That’s what the Tennessee Aquarium’s month-long celebration, “Thrills, Gills and Chills,” is all about!
You’ll learn about the chilling aspects of the predator/prey relationships in the natural world by uncovering the real facts about moray eels, scorpions, alligators, sharks, poisonous frogs and even penguins evading their fearsome predators. Special daily dives, feedings and gallery programs will also focus on the myths and mysteries of some of the most notorious and misunderstood animals on earth. www.tnaqua.org or 800/262-0695
GET LOST IN ROCK CITY’S ENCHANTED MAZE OR FOREST OF FEAR
First you think trivia questions and a corn maze, can’t be too hard, right? Getting the questions right is the key in getting out of the challenging, 10-acre labyrinth of trails, answering them wrong will only take you deeper into the maze. As darkness surrounds the field, the maze turns a little spooky when 10-foot stalks are outlined in the moonlight to create a hair-raising challenge of twists, turns and rustling stalks. You can also enjoy a historic birdhouse barn, hayrides, bonfire, ghost stories, live music and a kiddie hay maze.
And if you dare, venture into the “Forest of Fear at Voodoo Bayou” for a haunting, 3D experience. Something horrifying was born in these woods long ago, now the Voodoo witches, malicious creatures and zombies have awakened. This is the ultimate haunt experience! www.enchantedmaze.com, www.thevoodoobayou.com or 800/854-0675
SPOOKY DAYS AT THE CREATIVE DISCOVERY MUSEUM
Venture to the Back Alley Theater where the story-teller slithers through the crowd, his voice hushes as he begins to describe what will happen next... Suddenly, the hair on the back of your neck raises straight up causing you to blurt out a shrill scream. Aaaagggghhhh! Spooky Days are just around the corner at the Creative Discovery Museum.
But don’t worry parents and kids, it’s really a not-so-spooky story and it’s all family-friendly fun. While you’re there, sip on hot cider, make yummy s’mores, watch a pumpkin carving demonstration and even learn to create your own spine-tingling story so you can entertain friends and family. www.cdmfun.org or 423/756-2738
HISTORIC (AND HAUNTED?) HUNTER MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
Even before the HunterMuseum’s original mansion was built in 1905, the museum’s cliff-top site was used as a battery for both Union and Confederate troops during the Civil War. Prior to that, the ground was considered a holy place by the Cherokee.
Given the area’s history, it is no wonder that some Chattanooga residents and visitors wonder if spirits might still linger in the mansion and its grounds. A ghost hunter did visit the museum in the 1990s and some Chattanooga residents have stories of strange happenings in the mansion portion of the museum. Who knows, you may even have an experience of the “third kind” while visiting the museum! www.huntermuseum.org or 423/267-0968