Chattanooga, Tennessee Travel Guide // 48 Hours in the Scenic City
Chattanooga, Tennessee has been popping up on “hottest small city” lists for the past couple of years (perhaps most notably in Conde Nast’s “Where to Travel Next :: 2021” list) and I can see why. Tennessee’s fourth largest city sits just above the Georgia border and catches the edge of the Smokey Mountains, making it an outdoorsy traveler’s dream. The city is surrounded by mountains and also claims a section of the Tennessee River, which separates the city into two areas and really adds to the “scenic” part of the scenic city.
George and I have heard friends rave about their time in Chattanooga, so we decided to finally make a trip!
A few fun facts about Chattanooga …
Chattanooga was a critical location during the Civil War, as much of the nation’s railways ran through the city.
The city was first made famous by Glenn Miller’s song, “Chattanooga Choo Choo”. This song was #1 on the charts in December of 1941.
Chattanooga is home to one of the worlds steepest passenger railway lines (72.7% grade incline!) and one of the world’s longest pedestrian bridges (The Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge is 2,376 feet in length).
The Scenic City is very active. There are plenty of hikes, biking trails, hang gliding spots and rock climbing opportunities surrounding the city. In fact, there is more rock within a 25 mile radius than Boulder, Colorado.
Chattanooga, tennessee Travel Guide
Note: Every kind of traveler could find a weekend’s-worth of activities to do in Chattanooga. Want to get outside? Perfect. Admire art? Done. Brewery hop? Plenty of options. Eat your way through the city? So much good food. My suggestions are compiled after asking Chatt locals, friends who frequent the Scenic City and hours of research. I hope you find something you love!!
where to stay in chattanooga
The Dwell Hotel. George and I decided to rest our heads at the historic Dwell Hotel in Downtown Chattanooga and really enjoyed our stay. I love staying at historical properties with unique designs, and this 16-room hotel checked all of the boxes. In fact, The Dwell a member of the Design Hotels Collection, which are boutique luxury hotels located all over the world. There are less than 10 members in the US! Decorated in mid-century modern style with a touch of Hollywood Glam, the design thoughtfully brings together the historical elements of the building (original floors and brick) for the modern traveler. In fact, The Dwell used to be part of a stone fort during the Civil War. The property was later purchased, commissioned and designed to be a hotel which opened in 1909. Fast-forward nearly a century, and you’ll step into a reimagined and redesigned hotel with lots of quirky and beautiful charm.
We stayed in the Dandelion Suite, which came with a fireplace and private balcony. The room was spacious and beautiful. George and I were both impressed with their locally roasted coffee from Velo Coffee Roasters. The hotel is located in downtown, so many eateries and activities were a short walk away. This convenience factor allowed us to walk off many of our meals and see more of the city.
what to do in chattanooga
Hike! There are plenty of options around the area to get lost in nature.
Sunset Rock at Lookout Mountain - Stellar views of the Scenic City up here! You can follow google maps to the top of the mountain, which will take you through a residential area and past signs for Ruby Falls. The parking lot up here can fit ~8ish cars, so you’ll have to cross your fingers to find a spot. We lucked out and made the .2 mile walk down to the lookout spot. Be sure to mind your step as there are no railings.
Warehouse Row - Warehouse Row was right behind our hotel, so we were happy to pop in and do a little bit of shopping! They have stores like Madewell, Anthropologie, Onward Reserve and J Crew.
Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge
Hunter Museum - The largest American art collection in the country!
The Aquarium - One of the more impressive aquariums on the east coast. The building itself is a work of art. We didn’t get here but have heard great things!
Bluff Point + Ruby Falls
Rock City - Rumor has it … you can see 7 states from here (Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama)!
Clumpies - A local ice-cream spot in Chattanooga. I feel like you just have to stop in for a scoop!
Flying Squirrel (top left), Neidlove’s (top right), Main Street Meats (bottom left), Clumpies (bottom right)
where to eat and drink in chattanooga
BREWS//COCKTAILS
Stir (top left), Rosecomb (top right), Stir (bottom left), Cherry Street Brewing (bottom right).
The Rosecomb Bar - FAVE COCKTAIL SPOT ALERT! Dark and cozy vibes in an old renovated house with fireplaces, antique furniture and a beautiful patio area. The cocktails are inventive (don’t be afraid to ask about ingredients!) and worth ordering two rounds. You can also grab dinner here - be sure to make a reservation.
Places I had on my list but we didn’t get to visit … (keeping for another visit!)
Matilda Midnight - Moody retro-chic bar in The Dwell Hotel.
The Bitter Alibi - I really wanted to grab a drink here! It’s just around the corner from The Dwell and would have been a great nightcap spot, but we were exhausted after our long days. They are open from brunch until midnight.
Hutton & Smith Brewing - We tried a brew of theirs when eating at Tremont Tavern and thought it was good! We would try to get there if we had more time.
Proof Incubator - A culinary experimental space. Sounded like a cool concept if you’re feeling adventurous!
No Hard Feelings - A “friendly neighborhood bar” that stays open until 2am.
BREAKFAST//BRUNCH
Neidlov’s Cafe - TOP FAVE MEAL ALERT!! If George and I lived in Chattanooga, we’d try to eat here every morning. This bakery supplies a lot of local eateries around town and EVERYTHING is incredible. I ordered their avocado toast and cruffin (croissoint + muffin combo stuffed with a peanut butter custard) and George devoured their bagel sandwich. Its worth waiting in line for (but try to beat the crowds by arriving early).
Bluegrass Grill - A local staple with diner-style eats. Ghirardelli Chocolate French Toast was the special of the day when we visited. YUM.
Places I had on my list but we didn’t get to visit … (keeping for another visit!)
Mean Mug Coffee (and lunch!)
Aretha Frankenstein’s (looks like a unique spot!)
LUNCHY SPOTS
Main Street Meats - FAVORITE LUNCH SPOT ALERT! You can hit MSM for lunch or dinner. We sat out on their patio in the sunshine, drank one of their cocktails on tap and ordered their “meat of the day” and a couple of sandwiches (bread sourced from Neidlove’s!). Great service and great food.
Cherry Street Brewing Company - FAVORITE SNACK ALERT! We ran from The Dwell to Cherry Street and rewarded ourselves with a couple of beers and their “Southern Loaded Pub Dippers” were INSANE (pimento cheese, bacon bits, jalepenos and ranch. If we hadn’t stuffed ourselves silly at breakfast, we would have eaten a full lunch. The menu looks great and they have some awesome beers.
Places I had on my list but we didn’t get to visit … (keeping for another visit!)
DINNER
Flying Squirrel - Order the Japanese savory pancake (okonomiyaki) and elote. You won’t regret it! We were lucky enough to get a seat in the upper mezzanine level next to the railing, so we could look down over the restaurant. It’s a beautiful spot.
Stir - We popped into Stir for post-dinner cocktails and would highly recommend! It looks like a lovely dinner spot, as well.
Tremont Tavern - The fastest beer to table service in America. An award given by George and Hope. A fun casual sports bar with tons of beers on tap and many Chatt accolades (best sports bar, best place to grab a cold beer, best burger). The burger was indeed, awesome. The tavern motto? “Eat and drink like a regular”. LOVE IT.
Places I had on my list but we didn’t get to visit … (keeping for another visit!)
Whitebird - Upscale southern cuisine in the posh Edwin Hotel (20 steps from the Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge). If we had one more night, I would have tried to book us dinner here.
Boathouse - This spot was recommended to us by multiple friends. It sits right on the river and has an extensive seafood menu.
Check out my video diaries below!
SUGGESTED ITINERARY
DAY ONE
Arrive ~12pm
Lunch // Main Street Meats
Midday // Pop over to Chattanooga Choo Choo. Drive downtown and walk the Walnut Pedestrian Bridge. Grab an ice-cream at Clumpies and walk back over to visit the Hunter Museum ($20 per adult).
Later Afternoon // Check into The Dwell Hotel
Cocktail Hour // The Rosecomb Bar
Dinner // Tremont Tavern
Nightcap // The Bitter Alibi
DAY TWO
Breakfast // Bluegrass Grill OR The Daily Ration
Morning // Hike Lookout Mountain to Sunset Rock. Either drive to the top of the mountain for the .2 mile hike OR hike from Craven’s House to Sunset Rock.
Lunch // Taco Mamacita or Cherry Street Brewery (you could also grab a post-lunch brewskie at Cherry, too)
3pmish // Shop Warehouse Row
Cocktail Hour // Stir
Dinner // Flying Squirrel
DAY THREE
Breakfast @ Neidlov’s Cafe
Checkout of The Dwell
Phew! There is PLENTY to do in Chattanooga. As a quick note - I found this 3-Day Itinerary and thought it was super helpful (it was written for the fall season!). You could easily take a few weekend trips here and still have items left on your list to do/eat/see. Happy travels!
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