By Flo Conner

Once only known as the city that spawned a famous Glen Miller tune about a train, the little city that could is now garnering national attention for its pleasant blend of tourism and hometown attractions that appeal to locals and visitors alike.

Most recently, Outside Magazine named Chattanooga one of the nation’s top 10 “dream towns,” citing the city’s transformation from a smoky foundry town into a green, vibrant mid-sized city. Nowhere is that rebirth more evident than in the city’s Frazier Avenue area, conveniently located on the downtown’s Northshore area, and just a few blocks from the city’s major tourist attractions: the Tennessee Aquarium, Creative Discovery Museum and IMAX theater.

The rebirth of the 19th-century Walnut Street Bridge into the world’s longest pedestrian bridge, and the building of the seven-acre Coolidge Park spearheaded the revitalization of the Frazier Avenue area from a seedy business district into a funky, family oriented entertainment mecca, featuring dozens of restaurants, shops and outdoor activities.

The star of Coolidge Park, named for local World War II hero Charles Coolidge, is the Chattanooga Carousel, populated by a menagerie of wildly painted wooden animals—leaping tigers, a Yankee Doodle ostrich, a well-dressed toad, a fishtailed mer-horse and, as you would expect, horses clad in everything from cavalry gear to medieval armor.

Just outside the carousel is a respite from the sometimes-fierce Southern sun: fountains shoot jets of water high into the air, showering families with welcome cool water. Large climbable animals surround the fountain area, and on cue, the elephants and tigers spray more cooling streams of water into the crowd of bathers.

Between the fountain and the river stretches an expanse of green lawn, perfect for picnicking families and impromptu games of football or soccer. Along the river lies a short stretch of the city’s popular Riverwalk. More serious walkers can traverse the Walnut Street Bridge to the more extensive Riverwalk, which covers seven miles along the city’s scenic riverfront.

For a safe thrill, consider climbing the Walnut Street Bridge. A 10-dollar bill will buy you three climbs on one of the bridge’s massive stone foundations that bisect the park. The Adventure Guild offers supervised climbs that anyone with some physical ability can do.

Mixed with the outdoor fun are the thrills of the shopping kind. The shops that crowd Frazier Avenue above the park feature an eclectic blend of old and new. Antique shops stretch along side streets, while several cooperative galleries, such as AVA and the In town Gallery, feature the work of local artisans.

Shopping and playing can create a powerful hunger, but visitors are in luck on the city’s Northshore area—more than a dozen restaurants are within walking distance for travel-weary visitors. Two of the city’s best coffee houses are located on Frazier Avenue—the Mudpie and the Stone Cup.

The River Street Deli mixes a bit of NY ‘tude with its deli sandwiches, and owner Bruce Weiss turns the deli into an elegant restaurant each Friday night to showcase ethnic cuisine, such as Country French, Moroccan or Greek. Reservations are required.

The Riverboat Barge and Grill is the city’s only restaurant permanently anchored on the banks of the Tennessee River. Serving a blend of Southern and traditional food, the restaurant is a popular place for both lunch and dinner. Perhaps Chattanooga’s most unusual eatery is the Mystic Java Cafe, a restaurant that bills itself as a multi-media experience.

Last year, the owners filmed the pilot for a proposed television series around a Chattanooga restaurant. If a network buys the show, the series will be filmed in and around the real Mystic Java Cafe.