What I did in Chattanooga in 3 days with a family of 5.
Chattanooga is one of our family's favorite places to go every year. There are so many scenic views, things to do and unlimited fun for the whole family. Our last trip was during Christmas season and there is just something magical about visiting Chattanooga that every time we visit during different seasons, we always find it to be enchanting. No matter what time of the year or what type of weather you get, Chattanooga is a city you must visit year round!
DAY ONE
9am -We live in Atlanta, GA and we only drive about 2.5 hours to get to Chattanooga. We left on a Friday morning around 6am and arrived at 9am. Our first stop was to eat breakfast at Mean Mug Coffeehouse. One of Chattanooga's locally owned favorites. They have comfort foods, diverse dietary options from vegan to paleo, and made-in-house baked items including cinnamon rolls, biscuits, muffins, and more. Visit their website here. Address: 114 W Main Street, Chattanooga, TN 37408
9:30am - We went to High Point Climbing & Fitness / Downtown to do indoor rock climbing. This is our second time trying indoor rock climbing with the family and I can say it was the funniest we've had ever doing this activity. We pretty much stayed in their Kid Zone or as I call it, the beginner's station. The facility includes 30,000sq ft of climbing and bouldering space indoor and outdoors (transparent climbing wall) - making it one of the nation's largest gyms. The gym is family friendly and kid's can start enjoying it from ages 3 and up. An online waiver needs to be filled out prior to arrival and reservations can be made in their website here. Address: 219 Broad St Chattanooga, TN 37402
12pm- After burning some calories at the High Point Climbing, we then headed to eat lunch at Lupi's Pizza Pies where they have a passion for pizza! The owner's source their fresh ingredients from their personal farm, Turtle Farm. There are five Chattanooga locations: Downtown, Hixson, East Brainerd, Cleveland, and Ooltewah. We went to the one in downtown at 406 A Broad Street Chattanooga, TN 37402 No reservations are needed.
1pm - My kid's have always wanted to go to the Creative Discovery Museum. Every time we have driven by it, it has always caught their attention and for the first time, we decided to take them. The Creative Discovery Museum was one of my kid's favorites activities during our visit and they would love to go back. They have several exhibits and they can all be enjoyed by the whole family. Check out their website and purchase your tickets before your trip. Address: 321 Chestnut Street Chattanooga, TN 37402
3pm - We took this time to go check in at our hotel, change, rest and refresh before continuing our day. We stayed at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Chattanooga Downtown/Cameron Harbor located on the banks of the Tennessee River. Our room had a river view, double queen and a pull out sofa. It was spacious enough for our family of 5 and very pretty. The hotel features a patio overlooking the Tennessee River, indoor pool, fitness center, and Scotties on the River (one of our favorite restaurants in Chattanooga) is located at the hotel. Hotel address: 495 Riverfront Pkwy Chattanooga, TN 37402. You can make reservations here.
4pm - We headed to the Chattanooga Choo Choo complex, located in the Southside District. It is a destination experience and a beacon of history. The complex includes the beautiful Terminal Station. We always love coming here for photo props with the trains and the known lighted Chattanooga sign. During Christmas, they had ice skating available at Ice on the Landing and their holiday winter wonderland.
6pm - We had dinner reservations at State of Confusion and this restaurant made our favorite restaurant list in Chattanooga. Their service was top notch. We were seated at one of their seasonal igloos and the ambience was unmatched. The restaurant features made-from-scratch Latin American, New Orleans, and low-country food including Peruvian ceviche, wood-fired steaks and seafood. Check out their Instagram here. Address: 301 E Main Street Chattanooga, TN 37408
8pm- After dinner we headed to the Chattanooga Zoo's inaugural Asian Lantern Festival, a spectacular celebration of art, culture and the beauty of traditional Asian lantern festivals. The festival is seasonal from Nov-January and features 38 illuminated lantern displays, interactive components, and natural elements for a captivating experience. The whole family had a blast and I definitely recommend visiting if you are in Chattanooga during the holiday season. Tickets are sold separately to the regular zoo tickets.
Address: 301 North Holtzclaw Avenue Chattanooga, TN 37404
DAY 2
8am- For our morning breakfast, we decided to eat at our hotel SpringHill Suites by Marriott Chattanooga Downtown/ Cameron Harbor. They provide free breakfast so we took this morning to take advantage of this feature. After we ate we pretty much got ready to start our second day in Chattanooga.
9am- We wanted to take some time of the day to visit the Hunter Museum of American Art, home of the largest collections of American art in the Southeast. We had access to the Hunter Mansion and they had a room for kid's activities. Once my kid's found this room, it was hard trying to get them out. Plan your visit to the museum here.
10am - Our kid's had experienced the Asian Lantern Festival at the zoo the night before and wanted to go back to the zoo to see the animals awake during day time hours so we headed to the zoo to walk it as fast as we could, see the most animals as we could in less than 2 hours. The kid's had an amazing time with so many animals they saw. The good thing with zoos is that you can take as much or as little time as your heart desires. The kid's wanted to do more activities during the day so decided to explore as much as they could, as fast as they could.
12pm - We headed straight to lunch after our walk at the zoo. Our lunch was located at the food of Lookouts Mountain in the historic St. Elmo neighborhood. We enjoyed BBQ ribs from The Purple Daisy Picnic Café. Address: 4001 St. Elmo Ave Chattanooga, TN 30749
1pm- Ride the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway is a family favorite with astonishing views from the top of Lookout Mountain and the ride in the train on the way up is always an experience to remember. The Incline Railway is known as the world's steepest passenger railway (with a 72.7% grade) and "America's Most Amazing Mile". At the top, you'll get to see spectacular panoramic views of the valley from the roof of the train. Address: 3917 St. Elmo Ave Chattanooga, TN 37409. Book your tickets here.
2pm- At the bottom of the Incline Railway, where the station is located, you will find Clumpies Ice Cream Co. We stopped here and took a small break to have some ice cream with the family. Clumpies is one of Chattanooga's favorite. Each micro batch of ice cream is hand crafted with only the finest ingredients at ten gallons or less at a time. The result is a rich, creamy, and delicious ice cream crafted with care. Address: 3917 St. Elmo Ave Chattanooga, TN 37409.
3pm- Time to head up the mountain and explore Rock City, known for its unique geological and botanical wonders. The Enchanted Trail features massive rock formations, and our most of all favorite view, a 140-foot waterfall that cascades down Lookout Mountain, a panoramic view of seven states and a Swing-A-Long Bridge that spans nearly 200 feet. If you have to choose just one activity to do in Chattanooga, this will be it. Do not miss visiting Rock City on your next visit to Chattanooga. We basically finished the afternoon and evening here. During the holiday season they have the Enchanted Lights which we enjoyed at night. A separate ticket must be purchased for the Enchanted Lights at Rock City. After Rock City we headed back to the hotel to freshen up , change and then it was time for dinner.
7:30pm- After our visit to Rock City, we changed at the hotel and headed downstairs to the restaurant Scottie's on the River. Scottie's on the River offers riverfront upscale dining with a casual atmosphere. The local favorite specializes in the freshest seafood, dry aged steaks, and delicious cocktails alongside some of the most beautiful view in town. We ordered steak and lobster and then enjoyed some time outside in the patio with a fire pit and view of the river. A great way to end a long day.
DAY 3
9am - We enjoyed breakfast at Milk & Honey on the Northshore. Their breakfast was bomb! They offer pure gelato, craft coffee, and fresh fruit popsicles are made from scratch by hand daily. They also offer homemade pastries, omelets, breakfast bowls, fresh squeezed juices and more. Please have breakfast here at least ONCE during your visit to Chattanooga. You won't regret it. Visit their Instagram here.
Address: 135 North Market Street Chattanooga, TN 7405
10am - One activity my family ALWAYS do when visiting Chattanooga is to ride bikes across the scenic Walnut Street Bridge. The breathtaking views of the Tennessee River and the lush mountains that surround the city makes the bike ride so much more relaxing. My kid's can't ever go without taking a bike ride here. Rain or shine. This time around, instead of bringing our bikes, we rented the bikes from Bike Chattanooga, Chattanooga's bike share system that offers quick, fun travel around the city with 400 bikes and 42 stations around town.
12pm - One of Chattanooga's activities to do on a rainy day with the family is the Chattanooga's Classic Arcade Pinball Museum, an interactive museum dedicated to the nostalgia, history, science and fun behind the fascinating game of pinball. Visitors of the museum have the opportunity to play and/or view their 50+ exhibits. Including many of the Classica Arcade games from the 80's and 90's. The whole family had so much fun playing with the arcade games and pinballs. Address: 409 Broad Street Chattanooga, TN 37402
2pm- We had lunch at a Cuban restaurant but we definitely recommend having lunch at Tony's Pasta Shop in the Bluff View Art District. We've eaten at this restaurant before and I wanted to include it here in my list of recommendations. They are located in the carriage house of a Victorian mansion. Tony's features classic Italian cuisine in a casual atmosphere. The restaurant has gorgeous views of the Walnut Street Bridge, Tennessee River, Maclellan Island, the surrounding mountains and Coolidge Park. Address: 212 High Street Chattanooga, TN 37403
If you're interested in visiting the Cuban restaurant we went to, the restaurant is Embargo 62 and their food was delicious! Address is 301 Cherokee Blvd Chattanooga, TN 37405
3:30pm - We visited the Tennessee Aquarium, located on the banks of the Tennessee River. They have two separate buildings -River Journey and Ocean Journey. The River Journey features freshwater animals including river otters, trout, alligators, giant catfish, turtles and more. The Ocean Journey features saltwater habitats with penguins, touchable stingrays, butterflies, a spectacular coral reef with big sharks, turtles, stingrays, walk-through butterfly garden and so much more! The Tennessee Aquarium is one of my kid's favorite aquariums of all time. You must visit at least once in your life. This was my kid's second time visiting and they enjoyed every second like it was the first. Address: 1 Broad Street Chattanooga, TN 37402
We had a one-hour carriage ride reservation downtown with Chattanooga Carriage Company but unfortunately, due to inclement weather they closed that day and we were not able to ride on the carriage ride this day. We have ridden the carriage ride in Chattanooga before and we definitely recommend you doin this adventure with the family. The company offers horse-drawn carriage rides for all occasions. On the ride, drivers can provide you with historical facts & wonderful stories of the city, or have a quiet romantic ride with that special someone. You can find the horses and carriages parked outside in front of the Tennessee Aquarium.
6pm- After another long day, we then went to enjoy dinner at The FEED Co. Table & Tavern located in Chattanooga's thriving Southside. Their food was delicious! They provide an artful combination of tavern and family dining with a stunning destination, and a seasonal menu of inventive farm-fresh cuisine cooked simply and deliciously by executive chef, Charlie Loomis. Address: 201 West Main Street Chattanooga, TN 37408
Right after dinner we headed back home and arrived around 10pm. I hope you enjoyed our 3 day itinerary in Chattanooga and hope you can enjoy all of these activities as much as we did. Find more things to do in Chattanooga here.
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