Park and play all day at the Tennessee Aquarium and Creative Discovery Museum

“Park and Play All Day” in downtown Chattanooga at two award-winning attractions: the Tennessee Aquarium and Creative Discovery Museum. Start your day on the city’s Riverfront, exploring two buildings full of mesmerizing creatures at the Aquarium. Then “sail” over to the Creative Discovery Museum where kids have epic fun piloting a miniature riverboat, exploring a dino-dig and more! Savor delicious food, enjoy scenic views, and make memories without having to move your car. Park once and make a day of it!

The Tennessee Aquarium was voted Chattanooga’s Best Local Tourist Attraction for the 19th year in a row. The new Scuttlebutt Reef gallery highlights unique reef dwellers from around the world, and guests are encouraged to find out if the rumors are true about Green Moray Eels or if sharks really can glow in the dark. Face off with Frogfish and test your strength against the powerful Peacock Mantis Shrimp.

New additions abound with the Aquarium’s first baby lemur and a growing colony at Penguins’ Rock. In the heart of River Journey, be captivated by a River Giant, touch a Lake Sturgeon, and watch River Otters splash and dash. With over 13,000 animals, each visit is a distinctive adventure, enhanced by Deeper Dives tours and giant-screen films at the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater.

Likewise, for more than 30 years, Creative Discovery Museum has been the place where Chattanooga families come to explore, innovate, create, and play. Voters have once again named CDM the Best Place to Take Kids—an honor the Museum has earned for the fourth consecutive year, and it’s easy to see why. Here, children take the lead, whether they’re digging for fossils in UnEarthed, milking a cow in Little FarmHouse, or piloting a tugboat through Tennessee RiverPlay.

New in 2026, families can fuel their play at Bean Sprouts Café. This nationally recognized café serves wholesome breakfast, lunch, and snack options for all ages, while adults can enjoy coffee and espresso drinks crafted with locally roasted beans from Frothy Monkey.

From underwater wonders to hands-on play, these award-winning attractions make downtown Chattanooga a destination families return to again and again.