Off-the-Beaten-Path in Chattanooga, TN

The Chattanooga Choo Choo: The old song about this sight is what made the city famous. The historic train station lives on in a new iteration. It now houses coffee shops, bars, restaurants, event venues and a charming hotel. Whether you just want to explore the historic depot, grab a coffee or a drink or treat yourself to a nice dinner, the Choo Choo is a must-see in Chattanooga!

The Chattanooga Market: Every Sunday from April to December, the city hosts a huge market. Mainly focused on arts and crafts, the market vendors are all small businesses! It's the perfect place to feel like a local, shop local and find a souvenir. There's also lots of food vendors and live music!

Chattanooga Whiskey Distillery Tour: Learn about how this distillery changed prohibition-era laws around distilling in Chattanooga and end with a tasting! This distillery tour is a must for any whiskey or bourbon aficionado visiting the city.

The Hunter Museum of Art: An iconic Chattanooga activity. The small art museum has a really nice art collection and is housed in a historic building on a gorgeous bluff overlooking the river. Locals and tourists alike love visiting The Hunter!

Lookout Mountain: Just a short, scenic drive up the mountain from downtown, you'll find a quiet community atop the mountain. With a few choice shops and restaurants, plus a park that clings to the edge of the mountain and offers views of downtown, Lookout Mountain is the perfect place to spend an afternoon.

Sculpture Fields: A free activity that also provides a lovely walk. Sculpture Fields is a public park and sculpture garden located in a less-busy part of downtown. This is the perfect after-lunch activity to escape the crowds and stretch your legs in artistic surroundings.

Shopping: Chattanooga has an impressive number of local shops for a city of its size. Whether you’re looking for a kitchen store, antiques, bookshop, vintage clothing or a boutique gift shop, Chattanooga has it. Finding a unique gift at a little shop is the best way to bring souvenirs back home. Some of my favorite shops include Sower, a charming curated home goods store — Book & Cover, an old house turned bookstore — The Refindery, a quirky antique shop and Bleu Fox, a tiny cheese shop. If your interests lie in other directions, I encourage you to do a little research. Chances are Chattanooga has a little locally owned shop that sells a thoughtful selection of items in your field of interest.

The Tennessee Aquarium: One of the world’s largest freshwater aquariums is located right in downtown Chattanooga. If you’re feeling up for a bigger activity, the Tennessee Aquarium is well worth a visit!

The Walnut Street Bridge: This iconic pedestrian-only bridge spanning the Tennessee River is not to be missed on a Chattanooga visit. It’s a historic bridge high above the river that is now a pedestrian-only walkway providing passage from one side of downtown to the other. Sometimes the city even hosts events on the bridge!

Niedlov’s Cafe & Bakery: A naturally leavened, family-owned bakery which is the perfect place to start the day. Niedlov's is the kind of place that always has a line out the door, the kind of place that when you step inside and smell fresh-baked bread, you know you’ve made the right choice. Using only natural leavening and quality ingredients, they craft rustic sourdough loaves, scones packed full of flavorful ingredients and comforting breakfast dishes. Whether you’re looking for bread or pastries or egg dishes, I cannot recommend Niedlov’s as your go-to Chattanooga breakfast stop enough. Plus, the decor inside is rustic and cute, and the patio is a cozy garden oasis in the middle of Main Street.

Velo Coffee Roasters: The best coffee shop in town. Velo roasts beautiful single-origin coffees in their roasting facility at the back of the cafe, always turning out interesting coffees from farmers all over the world. Grab a drink off their seasonal menu: Velo always has creative drink combinations like their mouthwatering Rosemary Lime Espresso Tonic. Make sure you order your drink to stay — it might come in a glass shaped like a fish or a chilled beer stein. Pull up a seat in their brand new cafe space, sip your coffee and plan your day ahead. I always love a coffee break on a trip, and this quietly excellent coffee roaster never fails to provide an ideal coffee break.

Main Street Meats: My perfect Chattanooga lunch stop is a farm-to-table local butcher shop that also houses one of the best restaurants in town. Part neighborhood butcher shop, part bar and part farm-to-table restaurant, Main Street Meets is a favorite for locals right in the heart of downtown. I must recommend the Local Burger and the Reuben… and the potato salad… and the tallow french fries. Honestly, you should go with someone so you can share one of everything. You’ll have to drag yourself out of the restaurant in a full-on food coma, but everything at Main Street Meats is delicious.

Bless Yer Heart: Everybody loves a good dive bar, and this one is exactly that. With its quirky decor, retro feel and tropical drinks, Bless Yer Heart is the perfect place to take a cool break and still feel like you’re in the heart of the city — because you are. Whether you’re looking for a tropical cocktail, a cheap beer or just an ice-cold Topo Chico, Bless Yer Heart has it. And you’ll get to enjoy it in a cool (both temperature and vibe) atmosphere. They often host food trucks and events, so check out their Instagram before you go if you want to know what’s happening that day.

Elsie’s Daughter: A fantastic restaurant located in the Chattanooga Choo Choo. Tucked in the back corner of the historic building, Elsies Daughter is a tiny, cozy restaurant with a charming patio. The whole space is decorated with antiques and old art. Dimly lit and unassuming, it feels like you’re in the dining car of a train back in the day. The patio transports you to Europe. Elsie’s Daughter offers a small, seasonally-changing menu of flavorful dishes. Fresh oysters with a jalapeño ginger mignonette, their innovative collard green salad, crushed potatoes with house-made green goddess dressing… I could go on and on about how good the food here is. Elsie’s Daughter is another great place to go with someone and share several dishes. Their wine list is excellent, too! You’ll find some solid natural wines on the list.

Attack of the Tatsu: A trendy Ramen restaurant in the heart of downtown that feels like a speakeasy. Amazing ramen, good drinks, delicious katsu and sharable appetizers? What could be better? Good design in a trendy space with a hidden back dining room, that's what. This trendy new restaurant lives up to the hype!

The Rosecomb: Located off the beaten path but still quite close to downtown, The Rosecomb is the perfect escape for drinks or dinner. A renovated historic bungalow with an absolutely gorgeous garden houses this spot, offering the perfect surroundings to their innovated drink menu and delicious seasonal menu. Check out their Instagram for daily specials or events!

50/50: Located next door to Elsie’s Daughter in the Choo Choo, 50/50 is a new wine and martini bar with an extensive wine list. This space also honors the historic building with giant chandeliers original to the building, cozy couches, a retro bar area and lots of comfy seating. 50/50 is not pretentious in the least — their staff is knowledgeable and approachable. You’ll find the perfect glass of wine to end your evening with, along with outstanding hospitality and a relaxing atmosphere. Whether you’re traveling solo and want to reflect on the day or traveling with others and want to indulge in a long conversation, this is the perfect place to do so in Chattanooga.