The Top 40 Things You Must Do In Chattanooga, TN
Included on many “Best Mid-Size City in America” lists in recent years, Chattanooga is a vibrant and lively city with a wide range of exciting activities.
Made famous by a Glenn Miller Orchestra train song, known for attractions from the Tennessee Aquarium to Ruby Falls, and home to the world’s fastest internet, Chattanooga is one of the south’s most storied cities.
And rightly so. Chattanooga has a lot to offer—whether you’re outdoorsy, a foodie, a techy, a music fan, sports nut or just love exploring a great city. There’s so much to do in fact, that we have narrowed down the Top 40 Things You Must Do when visiting Chattanooga, Tennessee.
And Here’s The Countdown:
40. Rent a kayak or paddleboard and drift down the Tennessee River from the banks of the North Shore, under the four bridges of Downtown Chattanooga, and around McClellan Island to Ross’s Landing.
39. Enjoy an insanely great breakfast featuring a short stack of pancakes made famous by Rachael Ray at local-favorite Aretha Frankenstein’s.
38. Grab a cardboard box, take the kids and slide down the infamous “cardboard hill” at Renaissance Park on the North Shore
37. Ride the Merry Go Round of majestic, hand-carved carousel horses at Coolidge Park on Frazier Avenue.
36. Stroll across the Tennessee River on one of the world’s longest pedestrian bridges, the historic Walnut Street Bridge.
35. Do a little shopping at a plethora of local shops on Frazier Avenue, and browse some of your favorite name brands at Hamilton Place Mall and Downtown’s Warehouse Row.
34. Meander through the fruit and vegetable stands of area farmers, sample the artisan delicacies of local food vendors, and shop handmade arts and crafts at the Chattanooga Market on Sunday afternoons.
33. Take a break from the heat and enjoy a scoop of tasty local handcrafted flavors of Clumpie’s Ice Cream on the North Shore and Southside.
32. Live out your rock n’ roll fantasies among an impressive collection of rare and vintage guitars at Songbirds Guitar Museum.
31. Boogie to live music on summer Friday nights in Miller Plaza at the free Nightfall Concert Series, and Saturday nights at Riverfront Nights on Ross’s Landing.
30. See some of today’s top music stars at the Riverbend Festival in June and the Moon River Festival in the fall.
29. Support fine arts and crafts by makers from across the country at the annual, juried 4 Bridges Arts Festival in April at First Horizon Pavilion on the Southside.
28. Try out your mountain climbing skills—indoors and out—on the dizzying heights of the carefully-appointed climbing walls of High Point Climbing & Fitness.
27. Go on safari and study the giraffes, snow leopards, chimpanzees, cotton-top tamarins, jaguars, meerkats—and all their friends—at the Chattanooga Zoo.
26. Sample delicious, locally-sourced, chef-prepared steaks and seafood at Main Street Meats on the Southside—and visit the meat counter to take some home.
25. See Seven States, gaze off Lover’s Leap, and shimmy through Fat Man’s Squeeze at Rock City Gardens on Lookout Mountain.
24. Visit the menacing sharks, beautiful birds, waddling penguins and playful otters at the Tennessee Aquarium.
23. Get your kicks with the Chattahooligans at “Fort Finley” (Stadium) on the Southside with our very own professional soccer team, Chattanooga Football Club.
22. Perk up your morning with a scrumptious, house-made cinnamon roll and a cup of locally-roasted Joe at Mean Mug Coffeehouse.
21. Be a kid again with your kids with some inspiring exploration and learning exhibits at the Children’s Discovery Museum.
20. Ride up historic Lookout Mountain on the steepest passenger railway in the world, the Incline Railway.
19. Take in breathtaking views as you zipline through the treetops of Lookout Mountain at Ruby Falls.
18. Step back in time at a beacon of history and the subject of the world’s most popular train song at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo.
17. Immerse yourself in fine art by Lichtenstein, Warhol, Rauschenberg and more at the Hunter Museum of American Art.
16. Play ball with our beloved home team, Cincinnati Reds Double-A-Affiliate Chattanooga Lookouts.
15. Satisfy your sweet tooth with fresh house-made pastries, candies, chocolates and more at Chattanooga’s local Hot Chocolatier.
14. Create your very own signature slice from over 40 available toppings at the local dining institution with a passion for pizza, Lupi’s Pizza.
13. Venture by bike or foot down the southern banks of the Tennessee River along the 16-mile Chattanooga Riverwalk, and stop by points of interest along the way.
12. Learn about local African American history featuring Chattanooga native and “Empress of the Blues” Bessie Smith at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center.
11. See a live concert by some of today’s most popular touring artists, take in classic movie, or experience a Broadway play at the “Jewel of the South,” the historic Tivoli Theater.
10. Have a tasty brunch and for dessert, choose from more than a dozen flavors of locally-made gelato at Milk & Honey.
9. Travel to new places and dive into new worlds with an epic movie experience at the IMAX Theater.
8. Explore nearly 50 works of outdoor Public Art on display in parks, neighborhoods, and on sidewalks throughout Downtown Chattanooga
7. Embark on a Tennessee River Sunset Cruise on the Southern Belle Riverboat, and float down the river listening to live music (while enjoying a free, Chattanooga-made Moon Pie).
6. Whitewater raft down the same, world-famous Class III-IV rapids of the 1996 Olympic Course on the Ocoee River.
5. Have one of Chattanooga’s juiciest, tastiest burgers with a side of truffle fries and your favorite libation at St. John’s Meeting Place.
4. Watch the hang gliders take off directly from a 1,340-foot Lookout Mountain launch, or let your spirits soar on a breathtaking tandem flight.
3. Mountain bike the 27 miles of hair-raising rocks and roots on the intermediate and advanced trails of Racoon Mountain.
2. Explore the great outdoors on more than 300 acres of public park, nature center, wild lands, nursery and learning grounds at Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center.
1. And finally, Chattanooga’s known around the world as “Gig City,” so you should experience the world’s fastest convention center, with super-fast, free Wi-Fi powered by EPB.
And the list goes on and on!
Come on down to Chattanooga, Tennessee and explore the city's attractions, outdoor adventures, cultural experiences and culinary delights. Gig City’s vibrant and diverse offerings make Chattanooga a captivating destination for the entire family.
And, if you decide to live in Chattanooga, you can experience the World’s Fastest Internet over the nation’s first community-wide, 25-Gig network, powered by EPB Fiber Optics every single day! EPB offers area homes and businesses the only available 100% fiber optic network with the World’s Fastest Internet featuring symmetrical speeds from 300 Mbps up to 25 Gigs.
So take on our list above, and enjoy everything Chattanooga has to offer!
