New Border State Attractions
Chattanooga, Tennessee
A new and expanded otter exhibit opened in early May at the Tennessee Aquarium, (800) 262-0695, www.TNAqua.org, bringing visitors “face to furry face” with the feisty critters cavorting about a multitiered landscape featuring shoreline, pools, and waterfalls.
Video fun scoop
Why do families love The Chattanoogan hotel and Chattanooga? Watch the video and find out.
Cincinnati, Ohio
Once America’s third largest beer-producing city, Cincinnati is reclaiming those glory days by placing new breweries in former pre-Prohibition Cincinnati brewery buildings. Currently there are at least nine breweries in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area—not counting the brewpubs—including these two new microbreweries: Rhinegeist, (513) 381-1367, www.Rhinegeist.com, whose name means “Ghost of the Rhine” and refers to its mission to bring Over-the-Rhine’s historic brewery district back to life; and, at Party Source in Newport, Ei8ht Ball Brewing, (859) 291-0036, www.Ei8htBallBrewing.com, with a 15-barrel brew house and Grab ‘n Go Growler Program.
Indianapolis, Indiana
The International Orangutan Center opened Memorial Day Weekend at the Indianapolis Zoo, (317) 630-2001, www.IndianapolisZoo.com, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Visitors can step inside the Center and play interactive games with eight orangutans, take a skyline ride up to 50 feet in the air and just below the orangutans’ tower in the re-created Hutan Trail, and witness the 150-foot Beacon of Hope lit nightly as an orangutan flips the switch to transform the Indy skyline. Go online early to pick your price, pick your plan, save money, and maybe avoid a crowd and a long wait.
Mug N Bun diner drive-in; Plump’s Last Shot, owned by Bobby Plump, the real-life hero who inspired ESPN’s #1 movie, Hoosiers; the Slippery Noodle Inn, former brothel, former stop on the Underground Railroad, former hangout of bad boy John Dillinger—what a pedigree!…they’re just a few of the legendary eateries in Indianapolis.
St. Louis, Missouri
Learn how to fly. Literally. The Circus Harmony Flying Trapeze Center, (314) 436-7676, www.CircusDay.org, opened April 19 at St. Louis’ Union Station. It is operated by the professional aerialists from Circus Harmony, the circus school at City Museum—the 600,000-square-foot romper room with children’s playground, funhouse, and revolving four-story Ferris wheel on the rooftop.
Read the Kentucky Living June 2014 feature that goes along with this Web exclusive, 4 States/4 Weekends.
