Destination: Chattanooga

Located in Southeast Tennessee, this thriving metropolis is also a hub for outdoor tourism and has a great landing spot for amphibious aircraft: the Tennessee River.

Sara Withrow

Friday, September 02, 2022 at 02:41 PM ET

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The Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge connects the Northshore District to downtown Chattanooga. It is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world. [Photo: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

Chattanooga has transformed from a historic railway and steamboat hub into a vibrant outdoor tourism destination, celebrated for its redeveloped riverfront and status as an "Outdoor Capital."
The city and its scenic surroundings, including the Tennessee River Blueway, Gorge, and surrounding mountains, offer a wide array of outdoor activities like paddling, hiking, biking, climbing, fishing, and whitewater rafting.
Beyond outdoor pursuits, Chattanooga boasts a lively urban scene with diverse dining, shopping, cultural attractions like art museums and the Tennessee Aquarium, craft breweries, music, and nightlife.
Chattanooga holds significant historical importance, reflected in sites like the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel (a restored railway station) and the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, commemorating major Civil War battles.

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Chattanooga, Tennessee, has changed a lot since the song “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” recorded by the Glenn Miller Band in 1941, put it on the world map. Known then as a railway and steamboat shipping hub—its Terminal Station was the first railway station in the South—today, Chattanooga is an outdoor tourism destination and a thriving metropolis.

The city’s redeveloped riverfront and downtown beckon you to travel its scenic pathways and bridges along the Tennessee River—one reason it was named “Best Town Ever” by Outside in 2015. With six neighborhoods, visitors enjoy unique dining, shopping, and attractions, which include the Chattanooga Lookouts minor league baseball team and the Tennessee Aquarium.