Where to stay in Chattanooga
Chattanooga Choo Choo
1400 Market Street, TN 37402
Perhaps Chattanooga’s most offbeat hotel, Chattanooga Choo Choo is a railway station turned vacation complex, featuring two full-service restaurants, two music venues and a comedy club.
The Beaux Arts-style building welcomed its first trains in 1909. Check in to a historic train car for the ultimate locomotive experience.
Chattanooga Marriott Downtown
2 Carter Plaza, TN 37402
This Downtown hotel is close to the city’s major attractions and is kitted out with plush provisions. All rooms come with down comforters, cable television, coffee-making facilities and work desks. There’s also an indoor pool, fitness center and generous event space.
The Edwin Hotel, Autograph Collection
102 Walnut Street, TN, 37403
The Edwin Hotel’s rooftop pool offers blissful respite in summer, while the artful decor and boutique touches make for pleasurable stays all year round.
Rooms are cool and elegant, presented with items such as turntables and contemporary paintings. The on-site Whitebird restaurant serves Appalachian cuisine with a modern twist.
Best restaurants in Chattanooga
Aretha Frankensteins
518 Tremont Street, TN 37405
A favorite with Chattanooga locals, the humorously named Aretha Frankensteins specializes in breakfasts, including breakfast burritos, jalapeno scrambled eggs, fresh spinach omelets and indulgent pancake stacks. Fallen in love with the food? You can buy the pancake and waffle mixes to carry out.
St John’s Restaurant
1278 Market Street, TN 37402
American fare meets fine dining at St John’s, an eatery set in a flatiron building, a few blocks from the University of Tennessee Chattanooga.
Executive Chef Patrick Sawyer works to perfect dishes such as Hudson Valley foie mousse, escargot and Hawaiian mero sea bass.
Boathouse Rotisserie & Raw Bar
1459 Riverside Drive, TN, 37406
This is a great place to dine for majestic river views and, for seafood lovers, it’s paradise.
Indulge in a pile of garlic-steamed clams from the raw bar, try a catfish sandwich or enjoy locally-raised trout almondine – a house specialty.
But it’s not just fish on the menu. You can also treat yourself to barbecue-flavored chicken dishes and Havana smoked pork sandwiches.
What to do in Chattanooga
Ruby Falls
TN, 37409
Lookout Mountain is known as a Civil War battle site and for its magnificent vistas. It also hosts hidden charms, including a 145ft underground waterfall.
Head to Ruby Falls to see neon-lit cascades set deep within the mountain’s caves. The lantern tour takes you past stalactites and stalagmites towards the unforgettable waterfall.
Creative Discovery Museum
321 Chestnut Street, TN, 37402
Chattanooga has its fair share of art galleries, but the Creative Discovery Museum has adapted its exhibits for younger visitors.
There’s a focus on art, science and music, so it’s a great place for family days out in Chattanooga. Be sure to leave time to visit the RiverPlay zone.
Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center
400 Garden Road, TN, 37419
See Chattanooga’s natural beauty from a new perspective at Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center.
Set on the edge of Point Park (close to the start of Kiddle Trailhead) this is a great place to learn about native plants and wildlife before a hike.