Things to Do in Soddy-Daisy

Big Frog Expeditions charts a course for exploration with safe and exciting white-water excursions down the flowing water tresses of the vibrant Ocoee River. Customers can choose to travel the Upper Ocoee River or the Middle Ocoee River on one of the available rafting dates, spending one-and-a-half of their three to four hours tackling the rapids with Big Frog. The Middle Ocoee contains 26 adventure-packed rapids over a five-mile stretch of dam-controlled river. The Upper Ocoee section began displaying its thoroughbred prowess while hosting the 1996 Olympic white-water competition, splashing the world's best athletes with splashes of raw adrenaline.

In the late 1970s, a group of forward thinkers hatched an ambitious plan to bring Chattanooga citizens closer to nature. With the help of the Junior League of Chattanooga, the group raised more than $500,000, and in September 1979, The Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center was born. Since then, the center has invited more than half a million visitors to explore its 317 acres of forests, fields, and streams as well as raising consciousness with educational programs targeted at schoolchildren, summer campers, and scouts. Their efforts have helped to conserve the approximately 50 native animal species inhabiting the park, including bald eagles and endangered red wolves.

State-of-the-art when it was built, the environmentally engineered main building has remained largely unchanged over the past 33 years. Features such as solar-heating systems, southern-facing windows, and 99% natural R-38 insulation continue to model sustainable-building practices to park visitors and squirrels looking to passively heat their nests.

At Benton Sporting Clays, marksmen take aim at airborne clay pigeons from 14 fully automated shooting stations and a tournament-grade clays tower. A fully covered five-stand shooting station protects shooters from wind, rain, and real pigeons avenging their clay cousins. Between sessions, shooters traverse the expansive grounds to try different stations in one of the facility's comfortable carts. Members enjoy benefits such as year-round shooting, waived cart-rental fees, and discounted clay pigeons at the range’s fully stocked pro shop.

As calendars flip from February to March, Chattanooga Ducks' fleet of amphibious transports growls to life in preparation for a new season of tours by land and water. Originally designed in 1942, the DUKW military vehicles ushered soldiers through hostile battlefields and harsh weather conditions during WWII operations. Some cruisers, now referred to as Ducks, have since retired to more calm careers as tourist transports. Recalling their training as ducklings in overflowing bathtubs, the Ducks prowl both rocky terrain and aquatic areas to provide passengers with scenic tours. Duckfuls of passengers trek to points around Maclellan Island and awe-inducing spots throughout the Chattanooga riverfront during narrated tours that edify both minds and eyes.