Chattanooga

An outdoor city on the Tennessee River, where Lookout Mountain's Rock City, Ruby Falls and Incline Railway plus the Tennessee Aquarium make a classic combination.

Chattanooga lies in southeastern Tennessee, where the Tennessee River makes a great bend around Lookout Mountain, right on the Georgia border. Once a railroad and industrial city, it completed a waterfront revival in the 1990s and is now known for outdoor sports and mountain scenery, earning the nickname "Scenic City." The area divides into three parts. First is Lookout Mountain, where Rock City, Ruby Falls, the Incline Railway and the Civil War battlefield at Point Park make a classic day trip; combo tickets cover the three main attractions, and the mountain also has Sunset Rock and the Lula Lake Land Trust. Second is the downtown waterfront, where the Tennessee Aquarium, the Hunter Museum of American Art, the Bluff View Art District and the Walnut Street Bridge are all within walking distance, with Coolidge Park on the North Shore just across the bridge. Third are the outdoor areas nearby: Tennessee River Gorge cruises, the views from Signal Mountain, Cloudland Canyon State Park in Georgia, Chickamauga Battlefield and, about an hour's drive away, Olympic whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River. The best seasons are April–May and October–November, with Lookout Mountain's fall foliage especially fine; summer is hot and humid, good for rafting and water activities; winters are mild, and Rock City hosts a Christmas light festival. Getting there: Atlanta and Nashville are each about 2 hours' drive away, and the local airport has few routes. A free electric shuttle runs downtown, but you'll need a car for the mountain attractions. Plan on 2–3 days. Note: Chattanooga is in the Eastern Time Zone, while neighboring Middle Tennessee is on Central Time; lines at the Lookout Mountain attractions are long on weekends and holidays, so book time slots online in advance.

Top sights

• Rock City Gardens – A rock garden atop Lookout Mountain. Lovers’ Leap is said to offer views of seven states, making it one of America’s most famous roadside a…
• Ruby Falls – A cave waterfall 340 meters below the surface of Lookout Mountain, with a 44-meter drop lit in colored lights. It is one of the deepest com…
• Tennessee Aquarium – One of the world’s largest freshwater aquariums. Its River Journey and Ocean Journey buildings showcase ecosystems from mountain streams to…
• Lookout Mountain Incline Railway – A mountain incline railway that opened in 1895, with a maximum gradient of about 72%. It is said to be one of the steepest passenger cable…
• Walnut Street Bridge – A steel truss bridge completed in 1890, nearly 750 meters long. It is one of the world’s longest pedestrian bridges.
• Point Park (Lookout Mountain Battlefield) – A Civil War battlefield park at the north end of Lookout Mountain. From the cliff you can overlook the Tennessee River's Moccasin Bend and…
• Chickamauga Battlefield – The core of America's oldest and largest national military park, the site of the 1863 Battle of Chickamauga.
• Hunter Museum of American Art – An American art museum built on a riverside cliff, where a historic mansion contrasts sharply with a modern steel-and-glass wing.
• Bluff View Art District – A small art district on a riverside cliff, with a free sculpture garden, galleries, a bakery and cafés.
• Coolidge Park – A riverside lawn park on the North Shore, with a vintage carousel, splash fountains and lawns overlooking the city skyline.
• Chattanooga Choo Choo – A historic 1909 railway station made famous by the jazz standard 'Chattanooga Choo Choo'. It now houses a hotel, restaurants and music venu…
• Cloudland Canyon State Park – One of Georgia's most spectacular canyons. The rim trail and two waterfalls are popular hiking routes.
• Tennessee River Gorge – Known as the 'Grand Canyon of Tennessee', this river gorge can be seen from a sightseeing boat or from trails along its rim.
• Sunset Rock – A cliff-top viewpoint on the west side of Lookout Mountain, for watching the sunset over the Chattanooga valley. It is also a popular climb…
• Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum – A railway museum where you can ride historic steam and diesel trains. Short sightseeing trains pass through a Civil War-era tunnel.
• Ocoee River & Ocoee Whitewater Center – The whitewater course of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and the most popular rafting stretch in the American Southeast.
• Signal Point – A cliff-top viewpoint on Signal Mountain overlooking the entrance to the Tennessee River gorge. It is also the starting point of the Cumber…
• Lula Lake Land Trust – A privately owned nature preserve on Lookout Mountain, famous for Lula Falls and its lake and mountain scenery. Entry is only on open days.
• Southern Belle Riverboat – A three-deck paddlewheel riverboat on the Tennessee River, offering sightseeing, lunch and dinner cruises with views of Lookout Mountain.
• Creative Discovery Museum – A hands-on children's museum downtown, with a rooftop climbing tower, a river water-play area and science labs.
• Chattanooga Zoo – A small community zoo in the city, known for red pandas, chimpanzees and a Himalayan-themed area. Ideal for families with children.

Where to eat

• Easy Bistro Bar – Downtown bistro run for more than 20 years by chef Erik Niel. It has been a Michelin Recommended restaurant two years r…
• Main Street Meats – A Southside butcher shop and restaurant that breaks down whole animals in-house. It is Michelin Recommended, and many l…
• Little Coyote – Texas-Mexican restaurant in the St. Elmo neighborhood. It has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand two years running, and its…
• The Rosecomb – Bar and restaurant in a 1920s cottage in North Chattanooga, serving Appalachian-inspired small plates. It is Michelin R…
• Bluegrass Grill – Family-run brunch spot in Southside that has long ranked first for Chattanooga on TripAdvisor. Its whole-wheat biscuits…