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Chattanooga

Chattanooga has charisma to spare. With world-class rock climbing, hiking, cycling and water-sports opportunities, it's one of the South's best cities for outdoorsy types. It's gorgeous, too: just check out those views from the Bluff View Art District! It's also remarkably eco-forward, with free electric buses, miles of well-used waterfront trails, and pedestrian bridges crossing the Tennessee River. All this makes it hard to credit its reputation in the 1960s as America's dirtiest city.

The city was a major railway hub throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, hence the 'Chattanooga Choo-Choo,' which was originally a reference to the Cincinnati Southern Railroad's passenger service from Cincinnati to Chattanooga, and later the title of a 1941 Glen Miller tune. The eminently walkable downtown is a maze of historic stone and brick buildings featuring tasty gourmet kitchens, craft breweries and distilleries. Burgeoning neighborhoods keep the vibe compelling. It's easy to love the 'Noog!

Explore Chattanooga

  • Songbirds

    Myriad songbirds of the avian variety call Tennessee home, but Chattanooga's newly revamped Songbirds – an innovative interactive learning space devoted…

  • Lookout Mountain

    Just ten minutes from downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee, rising along the upper rim of the city, Lookout Mountain is rich in both Civil War history and…

  • Tennessee Aquarium

    Situated on the Tennessee River in downtown Chattanooga, TN, the Tennessee Aquarium is home to 10,000 animals. The aquarium, Chattanooga’s most visited…

  • Hunter Museum of American Art

    Set high on the river bluffs, this striking edifice of melted steel and glass – fronted by an early-20th-century mansion – is easily the most singular…

  • W

    Walnut Street Bridge

    Finished in 1891, this half-mile span carried vehicles from downtown to the North Shore until 1978, when it was closed for safety reasons. In 1993 it was…

  • Ross's Landing & the Passage

    Tucked between the Tennessee Aquarium and the Tennessee River, the patch of greenery known as Ross's Landing marks the starting point of the Trail of…

  • Tennessee Riverwalk

    A 13-mile, multiuse paved greenway on the south side of the Tennessee River, the Riverwalk runs from downtown through Amnicola Marsh and along South…

  • C

    Coolidge Park

    A good place to start a riverfront stroll, Coolidge Park has a play fountain, a carousel ($1 per ride), well-used playing fields, and a 50ft climbing wall…

Planning Toolkit

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Chattanooga.

  • See

    Songbirds

    Myriad songbirds of the avian variety call Tennessee home, but Chattanooga's newly revamped Songbirds – an innovative interactive learning space devoted…

  • See

    Lookout Mountain

    Just ten minutes from downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee, rising along the upper rim of the city, Lookout Mountain is rich in both Civil War history and…

  • See

    Tennessee Aquarium

    Situated on the Tennessee River in downtown Chattanooga, TN, the Tennessee Aquarium is home to 10,000 animals. The aquarium, Chattanooga’s most visited…

  • See

    Hunter Museum of American Art

    Set high on the river bluffs, this striking edifice of melted steel and glass – fronted by an early-20th-century mansion – is easily the most singular…

  • See

    Walnut Street Bridge

    Finished in 1891, this half-mile span carried vehicles from downtown to the North Shore until 1978, when it was closed for safety reasons. In 1993 it was…

  • See

    Ross's Landing & the Passage

    Tucked between the Tennessee Aquarium and the Tennessee River, the patch of greenery known as Ross's Landing marks the starting point of the Trail of…

  • See

    Tennessee Riverwalk

    A 13-mile, multiuse paved greenway on the south side of the Tennessee River, the Riverwalk runs from downtown through Amnicola Marsh and along South…

  • See

    Coolidge Park

    A good place to start a riverfront stroll, Coolidge Park has a play fountain, a carousel ($1 per ride), well-used playing fields, and a 50ft climbing wall…

Guidebooks

Learn more about Chattanooga

Uncover the heart of travel and be inspired to see new sights with one of Lonely Planet’s in-depth, award-winning guidebooks.