Things to Do in East Ridge

Chattanooga resident Rufus Marye’s enthusiasm for his city is palpable. Fueled by a desire to transmit his immense love for the history and natural beauty of his hometown to others, he came up with the idea for a double-decker tour. Even as he was deployed to Iraq, he continued to forge his plan to create a fun and historically accurate tour. He began implementing his dream when he returned in 2010, eventually finding the vintage double-decker bus he dubbed “Eleanor,” a 1960s British vehicle whose horn honks with a Cockney accent. Determined to show tour-goers as much of the southern burg as possible, Marye mapped out a route that would whisk them over all three of the city’s bridges, through famous sites such as The Chattanooga Choo Choo and Underground Chattanooga, and along the south and north banks of the Tennessee River.

While plump hens scratch the dirt for morning worms on Hidden Hills Farm & Saddle Club's 500 acres of woodlands and dewy pastures, a team of experienced trainers saddles up and prepares for trail rides and horseback lessons. Guided rides include evening saunters through the woods, and lessons teach beginners the basics of both English and Western riding styles, focusing on leadership-based interaction and addressing oft-overlooked skills such as polite horse handling and how to neigh in seven languages. Nestled in the shadows of Grindstone Mountain, the facility does its best to blend in with the natural wilderness that surrounds it; when it isn't hosting daily visitors, the staff tends to its land with sensible, sustainable farming techniques.

Native-born Chattanoogans Carlton Thomas and Ginnie Harris infuse their walking tours with insights into their city’s cultural and architectural history. The pair's tours hone in on downtown and riverfront locales that have made their impressions on the city throughout its history. As small groups gather, Carlton and Ginnie may take them strolling past the world’s first Coca-Cola bottling plant and the Carnegie library, or they may engage in long-distance staring contests with tugboat captains while crossing one of the world’s longest bridges on foot. Tours depart through the evening hours, giving groups the chance to snag photos of the sun as it sinks beneath Lookout Mountain.

The NRA-certified range masters at The Shooter's Depot direct their watchful gaze over the shop's climate-controlled shooting range spanning nine lanes, each outfitted with motorized tracking systems and pelletized rubber backstops capable of absorbing both pistol and rifle fire. The team of instructors, which includes law-enforcement personnel in its ranks, sharpens students' aim in shooting classes that range from Beginner's Handguns 101 to the Defensive Divas women's self-defense course. The in-house dealership's weapons experts advise visitors on how to catch bullets in their teeth and unveil a collection of firearms and ammo from manufacturers such as Smith & Wesson and Beretta. For those especially passionate about responsible home and self defense, memberships grant privileges such as extended range hours and ammo discounts.