Check out Chattanooga’s Natural Wonders
Chattanooga is a beautiful city that sits along the Tennessee River at the bottom of the mountains. It’s the second fastest growing city in Tennessee with a population of about 173,778.
I was about 1 when we moved here, and there is always something to do. Growing up, traffic was never really an issue, but nowadays, depending on which direction you are coming from, you could be sitting in traffic from five minutes to an hour. This is an example of how much Chattanooga has grown over the last year and how many people love to visit this awesome city.
Chattanooga is known for its many excursions and attractions, including the mountains. The views are breathtaking. There are many spots you can drive to and see the beautiful city lights at night. You can hike to the edge of the mountains and see the city during the day, and even sit and watch the sunrise or sunset.
One of my all-time favorite spots is Sunset Rock on Lookout Mountain. It is so cool to sit there and watch as the sun sets over the city. Raccoon Mountain, also atop Lookout Mountain, offers many different hiking trails and pretty views. Signal Mountain has a great hiking spot and view area at Rainbow lake.
Don’t forget Rock City and Ruby Falls. Most people hear of Chattanooga and instantly think about Rock City. It is one of Chattanooga’s best attractions known for its rock trails featuring gardens with hundreds of pretty plants and flowers. The trail leads you through crazy rock formations, including Fat Man’s Squeeze. When you follow the trail and get to this part, you have to walk sideways to get through the big rock wall. Side note: If you are claustrophobic, this trail is not for you.
You can also see seven states atop Rock City. Ruby Fall is also another attraction – an underground, 145-foot-high waterfall inside a cave. It is cool to walk inside the cave and see the waterfall and all the details inside the cavern. My favorite thing is the zipline because you get amazing views of the Tennessee Valley.
Every summer in June, Chattanooga hosts a music festival called Riverbend offering world class entertainment. Keith Urban, Macklemore, Lionel Richie, and Weezer recently performed on the stage by the waterfront.
Another live event called Nightfall begins May 3 and ends Aug. 30 every Friday night at Miller Park. People bring their lawn chairs and sit to enjoy a night of live music, food, beer and good company.
Chattanooga has a 10-mile Riverwalk along the Tennessee River in Downtown Chattanooga. Visitors can rent bikes to ride along it, and there are spots for boats. You can also rent boats to take out on the Tennessee River.
The Tennessee Aquarium is next to the river. They have a penguin exhibit, which is my favorite, and a butterfly exhibit with many other animals and creatures.
The Hunter Museum of American Art offers many art and sculptures. One of my favorite downtown areas is walking across the pedestrian Walnut Street Bridge. It is so pretty to watch the sunset.
On one side of the bridge, you have the aquarium, the Hunter Museum, and the Ice Cream Show (best ice-cream ever), and on the other side, the Northshore of Chattanooga, there are many cute boutiques, restaurants, and houses.
The Boathouse Rotisserie & Raw Bar is a good place to eat that offers a pretty view of the river and many traditional dishes. check out Taco Mamacita, Tony’s Pasta Shop and Champys.
For a night out, visit HiFi Clyde’s, State of Confusion, London Calling, Big Chill and Grill, Sing It or Wing It, and many more.
These are just a few things Chattanooga offers. I love everything about the city, and I am amazed by how much it has grown.
