Location: Chattanooga
Top Things to do in Chattanooga
The 10 Best Things to do in Chattanooga, Tennessee (TN)
The name "Chattanooga" comes from the Creek Indian word for "rock coming to a point." This refers to Lookout Mountain, one of the city's major attractions. Here visitors can explore extraordinary rock formations, see a roaring enclosed waterfall and travel by train to the top of the mountain for truly awesome vistas. Back down on the ground, don't miss the world's largest freshwater aquarium, the Tennessee Aquarium. History enthusiasts will love the city's museums dedicated to Civil War, Native American and 20th-century history. More than anything, Chattanooga is a scenic city, full of natural wonders waiting to be explored by foot, car, bike or train.
Restaurants in Chattanooga
1. Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 918 reviews
Opened in March of 2015, the Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery is making the first legal whiskey in Chattanooga is over 100 years. Daily tours include insight into our history, education on the production process and rounds out with a whiskey tasting! Come learn how we're building upon tradition and bringing whiskey back to the people. Our tasting room is now open Friday and Saturday evenings as a full-service whiskey lounge featuring seasonal cocktails made with Chattanooga Whiskey!
Reviewed By bostonbound-1 - Huntsville, United States
In addition to making great whiskey, Chattanooga Whiskey offers guided tours of the distillery and a whiskey tasting. Our guide was Smiley, who was friendly, courteous, and incredibly knowledgeable on the history of whiskey in Tennessee, the history of the Chattanooga Distillery, and the whiskey making process. She answered all our questions in detail, and her infectious enthusiasm made the tour all the more enjoyable. After the tour the distillery offers a whiskey tasting, which in our case featured their 91 and 111 Whiskeys, a white whiskey barely aged (one week), a coffee liquor, their new rye whiskey, a cocktail (Sazerac) made with the 91 Whiskey, and an experimental whiskey. Each offering was explained in detail by our server, Alex, who also showed both detailed knowledge and an enjoyment of his job. Knowing that I would enjoy the 91 and 111 Whiskeys, I was pleasantly surprised by the rye and the coffee liquor, while the experimental whiskey was phenomenal. Needless to say I left with a case of mixed bottles of the three offerings I cannot purchase at home. I highly recommend this tour to any whiskey lover, and for a great time ask for Smiley as your tour guide and Alex as your bartender. P.S. They were also kind enough to care for our standard poodle, Sofia, while we took the tour. I don't know how they could be more friendly.
2. Creative Discovery Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 965 reviews
Creative Discovery Museum is a hands-on children's museum in the heart of downtown Chattanooga that inspires all children to explore, innovate, create, and play. Our exhibits are designed to both entertain and educate as children discover the world around them and all it has to offer including art, music, dinosaur digging, water exploration, and science. Rated the #7 children's museum in the U.S. by Trekaroo in 2015.
Reviewed By kellypM5119NE - Munfordville, United States
We had a blast with our two year old this morning! Three levels of exhibits to learn and play through; lots of opportunities for pretend play! The highlights for us were the splash zone and the dinosaur area. The more involved you are with your kid, the more fun they’re going to have! Some exhibits geared toward older kids; I wouldn’t expect this location to appeal to a kid over 10. The 2-8 crowd though will be ecstatic ???? Covid stuff- timed entry, temp checks, masks inside pretty well-enforced. The staff are making a great effort to keep things clean in an impossible environment—It’s a hands-on museum; thousands of things for kids to touch and feel everywhere you look. So fellow parents, before you go, make sure your little understands to not touch their face, not put their hands in their mouth and to sanitize often.
3. Tennessee Aquarium
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,874 reviews
More than 9,000 animals swim, fly and crawl through this aquarium dedicated to educating visitors about freshwater ecosystems.
Reviewed By kphil27 - La Vergne, United States
My husband and I have been several times and we have a blast every time we go! I could spend all day just watching the fish swim around it's so relaxing. There is a new exhibit called "island life" which is so cool! There's more fish and turtles and lizards in this exhibit. If you go during March, April, or May be prepared to fight off armies of little dudes on their school field trips ???? Be sure to look for Oscar the sea turtle when you're in the ocean journey building! ????????
4. Lookout Mountain
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,246 reviews
Reviewed By C8004SFlt
Whether for the usual attractions or exploring this beautiful mountain, it is worth the short trip from Chattanooga. You can ride the incline to the top or drive to see the beautiful historic homes, famous Rock City with Lovers Leap, Point Park, Ruby Falls or explore nature at Lula Lake Falls or watch the Hang-gliders jump from the cliffs and soar over the valleys. Great day trip!
5. Coolidge Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 771 reviews
Named in honor of a World War II Medal of Honor recipient, this seven-acre park features a restored hand-carved carousel, pavilion and interactive play fountain.
Reviewed By Loren256 - Russellville, United States
Coolidge Park is a must for us every time we visit Chattanooga. Our 3 small dogs pout if they don't have a walk here. Despite a sign at the entrance (which we didn't notice at first), it is actually dog-friendly. We have often seen other people with their dogs. It's a beautiful park, has restrooms, splash pad (during hot weather), plenty of doggy-bags for cleaning up, and the park is immaculate. We always meet such nice people when we visit. And the view of the river is awesome. If you have children, they have an enclosed carousel, which is vintage and beautiful. Highly recommend it!
6. Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,307 reviews
Take a trip back in time, to a slower-paced era when railroad travel was a way of life. Relive the romance of the rails when vintage trains provided an escape from the everyday routine. The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum provides an interactive, historical experience that will add an extra dimension to your visit to Chattanooga’s popular attractions. Here you will find the only regularly scheduled, full-sized train ride in Tennessee. The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is so much more than entertainment… it is your chance to experience the sights and sounds of yesteryear!
Reviewed By lilbunnygirl - Panama City Beach, United States
We were visiting from Florida and took the 1 hour missionary ridge trip just to have the experience of riding on an old fashioned train fir our teen son who has always loved them. It was a fun little trip, the conductor did a great job of explaining the history as well as making good jokes. Watching the turntable turn the engine was really cool. My son is very interested is someday coming back for the teen camp. They were also very diligent about social distancing, enforcing mask wearing, and keeping the train clean. I highly recommend this company!
7. Walnut Street Bridge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,895 reviews
One of the finest examples of the Phoenix wrought-iron truss bridges that were build between 1884 and 1923.
Reviewed By lisareneoakley - McDonald, United States
Walking across the Walnut Street Bridge is a must-do if you’re in Chattanooga! (Or bike ride across). The scenery is beautiful day or night. Plenty of room to bring kids, dogs, strollers, your own chair/there are benches to sit already. Great place for photos. Great place to watch the various activities of Chattanooga such as fireworks, arrival of Santa the day after Thanksgiving, pops in the park music. We always feel safe. And no matter which side you start from, you are rewarded with something exciting on the other side! ...downtown Chattanooga, the Riverwalk, the Hunter museum and Art Distric or the North Shore with Coolidge Park, the various quirky shops and restaurants. I love that bridge and you will too...many fun memories to be made there!
8. Raccoon Mountain Caverns
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,779 reviews
Raccoon Mountain Caverns is located just 1.3 miles off of I-24 at the Lookout Valley exit (#174), and is less than ten minutes from downtown Chattanooga. Visitors are presented with a cave in its natural state and our 45-minute (+/-) Crystal Palace Walking Tour allows them to view thousands of diverse formations - stalagtites, stalagmites, delicate soda straws, flowstone, rimstone pools, draperies, columns, natural bridges, and a rare shield formation. We also offer a variety of wild cave "spelunking" expeditions for those who want to view beyond the lighted pathways and explore deeper into the mountain. Our Waterfall Dome expedition permits visitors to view the areas tallest underground, natural (unassisted) flowing waterfall.
Reviewed By P8878RImarkl
So glad we added the Crystal Palace tour to our weekend trip!! Our guide, Landon, did an awesome job explaining the history and science of the caverns!!!
9. Ruby Falls
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 6,866 reviews
ADVENTURE AWAITS! Ruby Falls is the tallest and deepest underground waterfall open to the public in the United States. Take a guided Classic Waterfall Tour, Lantern Tour or Extended Cavern Experience Tour along the scenic cavern trail to the breathtaking waterfall. See ancient geological formations, millions of years in the making, and learn about the cave's storied history. Enjoy extensive views of the Tennessee Valley, Cumberland Plateau and the Tennessee River from scenic overlooks and Lookout Mountain Tower. There is always something new to discover at this national treasure! Tours fill quickly, purchase tickets in advance online for best availability.
Reviewed By chubbard1245 - Bartow, United States
We had a great time at Ruby Falls, with all the great View of the 7 states, flowers, drawbridge, birds, waterfalls, river rock decorations on walkways and paths, platforms for great pictures and the light show with the waterfall, well worth the trip from central Florida.
10. Chattanooga Zoo
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 867 reviews
Imagine a zoo that's specially designed to bring the animals up close to you. Imagine a zoo where you have time to notice the subtleties of animal behavior, instead of being pushed along by an impatient crowd. Imagine an exciting and diverse zoo that's still easy to navigate with strollers...or little legs. That's the new Chattanooga Zoo!
Reviewed By natyrive - Pereira, Colombia
If you like visiting zoos and have a memory bank of the animals you get to see in your life this is a great place. The Chattanooga Zoo has the right size and offers a great variety of animals to see (Some of them very rare). They also have special events during different seasons.
