Rock City is a famous landmark located in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, just outside Chattanooga. If you’ve driven across the south you’ve probably seen “See Rock City” pained on the side of a barn and this is the attraction they’re all pointing towards. Rock City describes itself as, “where gardens, hidden gnomes, ancient rock formations, and panoramic seven-state views unfold like a living storybook.” This is descriptive, but it doesn’t really do the place place justice. A simple review is that Rock City is a beautiful place filled with whimsy, story and fun, sort of like the most beautifully landscaped theme park you’ve been to, but without the rides.

“Where gardens, hidden gnomes, ancient rock formations, and panoramic seven-state views unfold like a living storybook…”

The heart of Rock City are the gardens and natural rock formations. There are high quality paths that take you through tight canyons, caves and past waterfalls. No overly long hikes here, these paths are dense with beauty. You’ll also find things like a suspension bridge and several lighting and music effects along with a lot of gnomes. At the farthest point you’ll find a ledge that on a clear day allows you to see seven states at once (Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Virginia)! Underneath this ledge is also a beautiful waterfall. The trails are all marked with door frames and many of the unique rock features have fun names. These include, Hall of the Mountain King, Fat Man’s Squeeze, Rainbow Hall, Balanced Rock, High Falls, Sky Bridge, Goblin’s Underpass, Needle’s Eye and Lover’s Leap.

Along all the trail areas you’ll find little pieces of whimsy and fun, but this is especially true with Fairyland Caverns and its Mother Goose Village. This trail is essentially 100% underground and has beautiful displays depicting scenes from classic fairy tales lit up in vibrant colors and detailed artistry. Mother Goose Village is part of Fairyland Caverns and is a nostalgic journey through some of the most beloved childhood stories and rhymes. This whole area feels like something out of the last century, but in a good nostalgic way. Some of the characters have a tad bit of a creepy horror movie (I’m glad I’m not in here alone vibe), but this area is 100% kid friendly.

Rock City can be a great stop if you’re driving between Atlanta and Dollywood (Pigeon Forge) up a winding moutain road. If you do plan on going, look into one of the special offers as they can save you a bunch of money and they also offer free parking. We did the 2-pack bundle for $75 which included 2 hamburger combos at Cafe 7 which offers amazing views and it was cheaper than two regular tickets. The Family 4-pack bundle is $135 and includes a whole pizza and 4 drinks and all the food we had here was great. We spent about 3 hours at Rock City, but if you want to make a complete day of the area, the 101 year-old family owned amusement park Lake Winnie is also a short distance away a. It has the ACE Landmark coaster Cannon Ball which is a great ride!

Rock City has a fascinating history having opened in 1932 during the great depression as a family business. To advertise they offered to paint barns with their name which the farmers embraced as it saved them the cost of doing it. Rock City painted over 900 barns across 19 states by 1969. Rock City is a beautiful venue that will leave you fully entertained. If this place added a few rides someday like a mountain coaster it wouldn’t be out of place at all. In some ways it reminds me of how Silver Dollar City started as a way to have something to do while waiting for the cave. You won’t get any credits at Rock City, but you will get some beautiful views and some fun memories.