CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, USA -- Children of all ages love a ride a real carousel and Chattanooga's Coolidge park is home to a beautifully restored antique "Jenny" with many unique animals -- not just horses but pigs, ostriches, giraffes, camels, rabbits, fish and more. The park is a scenic place to spend an afternoon, have a picnic and enjoy the great outdoors. But in Chattanooga you can do more than just ride a carousel, you can actually learn to carve your own real carousel animal.

Bud Ellis runs Horsin' Around Carousel Carving School, the only school of its kind in the entire country. Ellis, whose passion for carousels started as a hobby, has himself produced over 450 intricately carved animals as well as restored the Coolidge park carousel to its former glory.

Students come from all over the world to study with the master in Chattanooga. According to student Julie Caton, pictured here with her first finished horse Kismet, Bud can teach anybody, "he just glides you through your hangups."

Full time RVer Caton came to Bud's school as a lark and then got hooked. She's been in Chattanooga almost 2 years now and continues to improve her craft. She put in over 1200 hours carving and painting Kismet but the stunning results were well worth the effort. Her latest work in progress is an intricately carved gorilla. Under Bud's tutoring, the animals have realistic looks and expressions.

A course at Bud's is surprisingly affordable. For $1250.00 (as of this writing in 2003) you complete your own small horse from start to finish, including materials. Bud is there is help every step of the way. Students can work at their own pace. Some start, have to leave, then come back at later dates to complete their animals. Sometimes entire families come and make it a group project. What a great way to spend quality time together and have a fabulous piece of art to show for your efforts.

Horsin' Around Carousel School is located at 302 Walmart Dr. in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee. For more information, call 423-332-1111. Coolidge Park is located at 150 River Street, call 423-757-2143 for more information.

For additional information about visiting Chattanooga contact the Chattanooga Area Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-322-3344 or 423-756-8687 or visit www.ChattanoogaFun.com .

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Cheri Sicard, in addition to being the editor of FabulousTravel.com and its sister site, Fabulous Foods.com is the author of The Great American Handbook: What You Can Do For Your Country Today and Every Day. To learn more about Cheri, click here. Chattanooga Top 10 See Rock City Ruby Falls Aquarium Arts District Hang Gliding Carousel Railroad Museums Weekend Market Southside Grill