Tours in McMinnville

A U.S. Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association–rated master pilot, Matt Taber has been soaring through the skies since 1978, during which time he's managed to design several of his own gliders. He's also devised and constructed other contraptions, such as glider-towing equipment and lightweight tow planes—both of which his company, Lookout Mountain Flight Park, uses to teach new recruits how to surf the skies. Matt leads a team of USHPA-certified pilots and instructors that coaches students of all levels in basics and advanced maneuvers through on-the-ground training and hands-on tandem flights, during which plots safely guide their charges over the scenic mountains and blurry bushes of Lookout Valley at altitudes of up to 4,000 feet. Conducted on a 55-acre private training facility, lessons can include the overnight use of amenities such as a pool, volleyball court, bathhouse, and cabins.

After spying his first electronic bike while teaching in China, owner Garnet Caldwell vowed to bring the unique and potentially revolutionary vehicles to his hometown. He told the Times Free Press, "These bikes are for people who just want to get out and ride," explaining that they can go about 20 miles before needing to be charged and, like a championship racewalker, can reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour.

The bikes, available at the shop for rental or sale, come in all sizes and run off a battery that is recharged via a traditional wall outlet. Chattanooga Electric Bikes caries models from Ezip, Izip, Liberty, and Pedego, as well as conversion kits to help traditional two-wheelers to make the jump to electric. Certified technicians ensure bikes are held to the highest safety standards and don't become sentient, and they can service any brand of electric bicycle.

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.

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.

As the aerial concierge behind Fly This, Erik Graper accompanies patrons through the air aboard his powered hang-gliding trike. Erik boasts pilot certifications from the FAA and USHPA, as well as a 10-year flying career that includes more than 10,000 flights without an accident or taking a wrong turn into an interdimensional wormhole. He introduces novices to the sport during discovery flights that soar to as high as 2,000 feet and coaches more seasoned pilots through advanced training and instructional flights. Each excursion takes off from Nickajack Lake and circles the airspace high above it, affording passengers rare views of the Tennessee River Gorge.