Chattanooga family getaway

Known as the Scenic city due to its close proximity to mountains, rivers and lush landscape, Chattanooga has so many outdoor and indoor activities that a long weekend won’t be enough. That said, I wasn’t going to lose out on the opportunity to explore this smaller Tennessee city when a long weekend opened up for me. It’s an 8 hour drive so we got into town pretty late on a Thursday night and found parking at the Courtyard by Marriott, our home for the weekend. Located just a block from the Aquarium and easy walking distance to everything. We barely needed our vehicle for most of our time here. It was really convenient to be able to walk to our breakfast reservation at Puckett’s.

Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant serves upgraded down home style southern breakfast (along with other meals) just down the street from our room. If you come in time for breakfast you can also snag a paid parking space in a premium location if you are staying out of town. Parking goes quickly during popular times.

My fondness for hash is well documented so it was a no brainer when the smoked brisket hash was offered. My sweet tooth was satisfied with the cinnamon apple pancakes.

Downtown Chattanooga has so many statues one could spend the day feeling like they are wandering an outdoor museum.

But we were off to adventure after breakfast and drove up the mountain to “See Rock City” if you’ve driven anywhere in the south you’re likely to have seen these advertisements on roofs, barns and billboards. They are everywhere! I had always avoided this touristy area thinking it just couldn’t live up to the hype. I’m glad to say I was wrong. Located on Lookout Mountain, you could go solely for the views.

Let’s start with Lovers Leap which features a 140 foot waterfall. You have ample opportunity to squeeze through and around rock outcropping, take some Instagram drool worthy photo ops and even see Seven states from the top.

And bridges? Yes, there are twin bridges spanning a canyon directly across from each other. One is a swinging style, one is better id you enjoy your feet planted on solid ground. Both are wonderful is you want a picture on a bridge as long as you have a willing photographer. There’s a 1000 ton rock where you can pretend to be the worlds stronger man -or woman and “hold” it above your head.

Not everything here is on the surface though. There’s a rainbow tunnel where light streams through colored glass casting a beautiful arc of vibrant light on the rock wall.

And if you’re willing to head underground there’s a Fairyland caverns where all of the fairytales of our youth come to life in all of their glow in the dark glory. Even if this doesn’t interest you, it’s a great respite from the heat of the day.

If you’re hungry there’s a great little cafe located at the top. If not, be sure get head next door to Ruby Falls and explore a 145 foot indoor waterfall and the cave tour. An hiker accidentally discovered the cave in 1928 and opened this attraction a year later; naming it for his wife. It’s always a beautiful 60 degrees when you’re underground.

The cave tour is a wonder in itself and in the heat of summer an excellent family activity. You’re led through various formations and the history of the cave is explained by wonderful tour guides. If this was the entirety of your ticket it would still be a worthwhile visit, but the end of the tour includes a view of Ruby Falls.

As you work your way back out of the cave you can visit the gift shop for those coveted take home souvenirs and then proceed up to the rooftop. They offer a zipline for a fee or a simple and free rooftop area that’s perfect for taking in a view of Chattanooga with a shimmering river flowing through it.

All that walking around sure works up an appetite and we had already freed the car from its garage parking spot so we chose a restaurant across the river from our hotel. Food works is in a renovated urban warehouse style building. They have a nice outdoor patio, bar seating and comfortable tables. I ordered a mimosa and the shrimp n’ grits which with a twist that the grits are a giant fried grit cake.

Arrive a few minutes early and as you step out of the parking lot you’ll have time to photograph some of the most vibrant blooming hydrangeas you’ll ever see standing out against a worn brick wall.

Renaissance park is directly across the street from the restaurant and there are paths that lead to the river on the other side allowing you to stroll through lush trees and over bridges catching sight of various birds along the way.

Summer in the south tends to be pretty warm and quite humid so having the option to take a siesta midday is always welcome. After a brief nap it was golden hour and a perfect time to hike up to the pedestrian bridge for photos and watch the sun sink beyond the horizon.

But not before taking a bite of our cupcakes from The Cupcake Kitchen. The key lime pie was delightful. Sweet but not overpowering with a light crumb.

Sunday morning I was awake and ready to do a sunrise run. On foot is one of my favorite ways to explore new places and it’s so tranquil while the world sleeps. I was treated to a gorgeous sunrise over the pedestrian bridge, a chance to dance the two step on the north side of town (there are golden feet teaching various dances imbedded in the sidewalks), and an opportunity to explore the statues outside of the art museum.

Upon waking my husband, we, again crossed the river for breakfast in search of a particular pancake house, unfortunately due to Covid it was closed. While driving around for the next option, we found a perfectly manicured outdoor dining experience with a lovely brunch menu. The Daily Ration exceeded our expectations! I opted for an avocado toast that could make the most stoic person cry and my husband went with the chicken and grits breakfast. Always a good choice are homemade biscuits and the Daily Ration’s biscuits coupled with blackberry jam were delightful accompaniment.

We did have a little time left before our aquarium reservation so we found the umbrella alley I’d had my eyes on for a quick photo op.

Then we drove back to the Tennessee Aquarium located in the heart of Chattanooga. This glass beauty has two separate buildings. One housing river dwellers, the other salt water life. We spent a solid 2 hours exploring both buildings and didn’t barely touched the fun stuff outside. They have a splash pad in front as well as a large bridge and behind the building sits a waterfall staircase begging for someone to play. The dragonfly statues behind the building cast beautiful shadows onto the sidewalk.

The view from our hotel at the Marriott Courtyard

At lunch we walked just up the hill to the overlook and found the local Bluff View Bakery where we ordered grilled cheese sandwiches, a chocolate profiterole and a slice of coconut cake. We dined al fresco under a cupola of greenery.