Spring Break Safari adventures
› Backyard Scientist at the Tennessee Aquarium› Cave Explorer at Ruby Falls› Conductor at Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum› Musician at Songbirds Guitar Museum› Shutterbug Adventurer at Bluff View Art District› Rock Climber at High Point Climbing & Fitness› RockQuest Adventurer at Rock City Gardens› Sword Fighter at Rock City Gardens› Time Traveler aboard Southern Belle› World Traveler at Creative Discovery Museum› Zookeeper at Chattanooga Zoo
Backyard Scientists on Spring Break Safari adventures at the Tennessee Aquarium will learn about wildlife they might see in their backyard.Spring break lasts only a week for most students, but area tourist attractions are celebrating for a whole month.
Eleven stops are on the route for this year's Chattanooga's Spring Break Safari, giving kids the chance to find adventure wherever they may roam - from downtown to Lookout Mountain to the Tennessee River Gorge.
Five of the experiences are new, as are the scavenger hunts that have kids answering questions around town.
Such as: "We hang in the window making quite the display; / though the sun shines right through us, we color each ray. / Fine crafted by hand, by breath and by heat, / now these pieces of art look out on the street.
The answer can be found somewhere within the Bluff View Art District.
Adventures are scheduled through April 8. New this year are Musician, to learn guitar skills; Shutterbug Adventurer, to develop photography skills; World Traveler, a chance to explore 50-plus countries; Backyard Scientist, to meet native and exotic species; and Time Traveler, while cruising down the Tennessee River.
Returning favorites are Sword Fighter, on a quest to see the queen; Zookeeper, to encounter some of nature's wildest creatures; RockQuest Adventurer, in search of geological wonders; Conductor, aboard a rumbling locomotive; Cave Explorer, venturing deep into a cave; and Rock Climber, scaling walls and boulders.
The Musician experience will introduce kids to the world-class Songbirds Guitar Museum. After a short tour, they'll grab a guitar to learn a few basic skills and see what's it like to be in a band when they join musicians onstage.
Time Travelers aboard the Southern Belle will take a lunch cruise through the Tennessee River Gorge to see historical sites along and tour the Pilot House.The Backyard Scientist experience exposes children to creatures they can find within the Tennessee Valley. They'll learn about the agile aerobatics of American kestrels, the nocturnal adventures of opossums and the spring migrations of spotted salamanders, according to Tennessee Aquarium officials.
"So many times, people think about nature as being the mountains or the beach or a state park when, really, there is a huge variety of wildlife and plants and amazing ecosystems right in your backyard," says Director of Science Education Dr. Brooke Gorman. "I think providing opportunities to get up close to native animals really gives people a deeper appreciation of what's around them and helps them to connect with nature in a way they might not have expected to."
The Scavenger Hunts have new questions about the city to answer in 2018. Families may complete each Scavenger Hunt at their own pace. There are hunts inside and outside of each attraction as well as four downtown districts. If you get stuck, you can ask someone at the attraction or check out the answers at the end of the guide. Kids receive prizes when they show images of the found items to employees at the attractions.
Free Spring Break Safari Guides may be downloaded online at www.chattanoogafun.com/spring or picked up at any of the participating Spring Break Safari attractions or the Chattanooga Visitors Center, 215 Broad St.