Nature and history headline Spring Break in Chattanooga

CHATTANOOGA, Tn. - It just wouldn’t be spring break if Good Day Atlanta didn’t take a day trip up to Chattanooga — and this morning, we did some "attraction-hopping" to help our viewers plan an unforgettable family adventure.

We started our morning inside one of our longtime favorites — Tennessee Aquarium — which just unveiled its new Ridges to Rivers gallery earlier this month. The new gallery focuses on the incredibly diverse group of fish and reptiles found in Southern Appalachian rivers and streams, from the tiniest Rainbow Darter to the most massive of lake sturgeon. According to the aquarium’s scientists, Southern Appalachian rivers and streams are essentially an "underwater rainforest" due to the abundant biodiversity — and the goal of the new gallery is to finally expose these incredible "neighbors" that so many of us don’t even realize exist.

Then, we went across the street from the Tennessee Aquarium to the Charles H. Coolidge Medal of Honor Heritage Center, which tells the stories of those Americans who have received the highest military award for valor. In case you didn’t know, Chattanooga is known as the "birthplace" of the Medal of Honor; the very first Medal of Honor was presented on March 25, 1863 to Private Jacob Parrott, for his role in the "The Great Locomotive Chase" (which ended outside of Chattanooga).

Tennessee Aquarium is located at One Broad Street in Chattanooga, and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (and until 6 p.m. on Saturdays) — and the Charles H. Coolidge Medal of Honor Heritage Center is located at 2 West Aquarium Way, Suite 104, and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sundays.