What to know about Chattanooga's Lookout Valley community

Drive Time: From the Tennessee Aquarium to the entrance to the Black Creek Club neighborhood at 4700 Cummings Cove Drive: 8.1 miles or 15-20 minutes, depending on traffic.

Locator maps: Lookout Valley is bordered on the east by Lookout Mountain and the Tennessee River, on the west by Raccoon Mountain, and on the south by the Georgia line.

Curb appeal: The median home price in Lookout Valley is $316,000, which has gone up more than 26% in the past year, according to data from Redfin. The high-end Black Creek Club golf course and housing development is a major residential anchor in Lookout Valley, but the area is also home to a wide variety of eclectic neighborhoods at an array of price points.

Breakfast: Cracker Barrel on Birmingham Highway. Downhome chain restaurant serving American comfort food, with an on-site general store.

Lunch: Hillbilly Willy's on Browns Ferry Road. No-frills stop serving hearty portions of smoked ribs and pork, along with giant stuffed potatoes.

Dinner: Fireside Grill on Cummings Highway. Easygoing bar and grill featuring casual American sandwiches and entrees, plus live music nights.

In the News:

George Farr, a decorated Vietnam veteran, calls the Black Creek golf community home.

Happy Place: The outdoor jewel of Lookout Valley is Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center at 400 Garden Road. Set on 300 breathtaking acres at the foot of Lookout Mountain, Reflection Riding is part public park, part nature center, part wildlands, and all outdoor adventure. Online at reflectionriding.org.

Livability score sheet:

Walkability: There are neighborhoods within Lookout Valley where walking is a pleasant experience, and the hiking trails up and around Lookout Mountain are top-notch, but the area is also home to major thoroughfares including Interstate 24 and Wauhatchie Pike. If you need to get to the store, you're probably going to have to get in the car.

Health care assets: There are a few urgent care and small medical practices in the Lookout Valley area, but a major medical event will require a trip to town. Erlanger hospital is just over 9 miles away.

Claim to fame: Lookout Valley is nestled at the foot of Lookout Mountain, and offers all the scenic and recreational opportunities of a more remote community within a short drive of the heart of downtown Chattanooga and major travel arteries.

Parks and Rec: The Lookout Valley Recreation Association offers soccer, baseball and softball, and has its headquarters at the fields at 370 Warren Place. Online at lookoutvalleyrecreationassociation.com.

Schools:

- Lookout Valley Elementary

- Lookout Valley Middle/High School

- The Wauhatchie School, an outdoor learning experience on the campus of Reflection Riding at 400 Garden Road.

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