I received complimentary tickets to visit Ruby Falls. All opinions are my own.
I love waterfalls. There’s nothing quite like seeing and hearing water cascade down from above. Since I’m from Florida, I don’t see too many of them.
Caves are pretty cool as well. I have not been inside very many caves in my lifetime, and my kids have only learned what stalagmites and stalactites are by reading about them in their school books.
So when our latest family road trip took us through Chattanooga, Tennessee, we knew we had to take a trip to Ruby Falls, a cave tour that leads to a spectacular underground waterfall.
Ruby Falls is the largest commercial underground waterfall in the world. It’s story and the experience of seeing it are quite the memory for any family. Our kids enjoyed it, and so did we. If you’re going to be in or near Chattanooga, it is worth the trip to experience Ruby Falls.
In 1928, Leo Lambert and a team of excavators found a breathtaking waterfall located over 1,120 feet below the surface of Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, TN. Lambert named the falls after his wife, Ruby, and opened the area as a public attraction in 1930. Today, Ruby Falls welcomes thousands of visitors each year. Come tour the falls for yourself and see why it has been one of the best Chattanooga attractions for over 85 years.
Since we were going to travel later that day, we got there early and got in line, which gave us plenty of time to beat the crowd and still have time to play at the playground outside. I think being early also helped us get in a smaller tour group, which we liked.
After boarding the elevator and going 1120 feet down into the rock, the tour begins. It takes about an hour and is a fairly long walk. I think they mentioned that it was over a mile, but our 10, 6, and 4 year old did just fine with it. Just be sure you go to the bathroom before, since there’s no place to go in the cave. After the tour, our kids were still full of energy as we walked through the gift shop at the end. (They love to shop like their mommy).
Our guide was entertaining and gave us all the details about the cave and the waterfall inside. His name was Andy. We promised him we would tell everyone to ask for him. He was a great guide, so tell him we sent you.
When the tour is finished, you can climb up to the lookout deck and get a great view of the city. The kids can also mine minerals for an extra charge. There is also a zip line for the older ones (for a fee), or the kids can play on the playground while mom and dad snack on something from the snack shop.
Ruby Falls was an attraction that our family loved, and we will probably go back again someday. It’s nice to see something that want fabricated by man but is an incredibly beautiful natural wonder.
Here are some pictures from our trip – they are nothing compared to the real thing! You must take a trip and experience this magnificent natural attraction!
