Greater Chattanooga Area Vacation Rentals

Chattanooga’s flagship creative hub, the Hunter Museum of American Art, wows guests with its bluff-side locale jutting out 80 feet over the river, but inside dazzles as brightly with painting, sculpture, photography and more chronicling creativity from the Colonial era to today. Fans of all things under the sea (and river) flock to the
Tennessee Aquarium. Choose your own water adventure with the distinct River Journey and Ocean Journey and discover the life teeming in both ecosystems. Fun fact: the River Journey is the world’s largest freshwater aquarium, so add some bragging rights after your visit and don’t miss the sea turtles and penguins, too. Cap off your Chattanooga museum tour with the Creative Discovery Museum. This kid favorite is hands-on and kids (and big kids) can learn by doing. Make sure to explore Tennessee RiverPlay where operating locks and dams feel like the real thing and hit the STEM Zone and Inventors’ Workshop where kids can explore robotics and engineering.

Pick your shopping poison: sprawling malls, small boutiques with bespoke finds, or markets brimming with artisanal goods. Better yet, fill your bags with finds from all of these stops when you hunt for finds in and around Chattanooga. The Gunbarrel Road area is a shopping hub with one of the state’s largest shopping areas. Find upscale goods along Warehouse Row and refresh your closet and home with distinctive wares. For a quirkier and more downtown vibe, the North Shore Merchants Collective represents the city’s best with bookstores, galleries, and boutiques that ensure your scores stand out.

Pardon me boys, but yes, that is the Chattanooga Choo Choo. Made famous by the 1940s ditty, this historic train station and entertainment venue is a Beaux-Arts beauty with neck-craning 82-foot ceilings. Saved from demolition, this landmark now blends history, the lure of a bygone era, and entertainment and eating venues that feel decidedly modern. Keep on track with a stop at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. Not a typical museum experience, this bills itself as a “moving historical experience” and once you ride through 19th-century tunnels and bridges, you’ll swear that you stepped back in time. The best part? You can choose your train adventure with trips ranging from an hour to more than nine for the ultimate railway experience.
Cap off the Chattanooga train tour with a ride up the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway but be warned: this funicular boasts one of the steepest grades for a passenger railway in the world.

Do good things come in threes? In Chattanooga they do, with three stalwart eateries making any visitor’s must-list. Upscale American fare awaits your taste buds at St. John’s. Maybe the next night you travel to Italy with dinner at Alleia. Night three means elegant French fare at Easy Bistro and Bar. Of course Southern cuisine, casual fare, and quick bites dot the city’s map. Make sure to save room for dessert. Chattanooga’s the birthplace of the Moon PIe and the Moon Pie General Store dishes out varieties to tame any sweet tooth.

Learn why Chattanooga earned the nickname The Scenic City when you stroll its outdoor sites. First up, the Walnut Street Bridge where strolls take explorers from the Tennessee River to the city’s North Shore. Just across the Georgia state line (and only six miles from Chattanooga), spy seven states when you climb Lookout Mountain and reach the
Rock City Gardens. More than 4,100 feet of walking trails traverse rock formations and feature colorful stops like Fat Man’s Squeeze and Lover’s Leap. Come back down to Earth and spend an afternoon waterside in Coolidge Park. Connecting the Tennessee Riverwalk with the best of the city’s shopping and dining, choosing between nature and retail therapy isn’t a concern. Make sure to leave time to ride the park’s 100-year old carousel and adventures can’t miss the 50-foot climbing wall.

Snuggle into a booth or dazzle on the dance floor. Chattanooga’s nightlife caters to every night owl’s whim. The Southside is a must for the city’s hottest bars and if you find yourself on Station Street with a drink in hand, you’re in luck since this stretch is pedestrian only and lets revelers stroll with drinks in hand. Keep it upscale when you sip cocktails at one of Downtown and City Center’s wineries and cocktail lounges, but make time to stop into the old-school bars that also make this a late-night destination. Craft brew imbibers, head to North Shore for some of the hottest breweries and pubs.

The Chattanooga Zoo isn’t just a zoo–this wildlife haven allows guests to get up close to many of the animals who call this home. Travel “around the world” at exhibits like the Himalayan Passage, Deserts and Forests of the World, and Corcovado Jungle. You can even pet Insta-favorite Highland cows or climb high to feed giraffes. With more than 500 species calling the zoo home, this is any wildlife aficionado’s paradise.

Keep it on the streets or go underground. Chattanooga tours will have you tasting your way through the city, exploring on foot, and even have you going subterranean. Check Raccoon Mountain Caverns’ 5.5 miles of preserved passageways that keep the natural feel of this underground wonder. Hit the water on the Southern Belle Riverboat and spy Lookout Mountain while enjoying apps and drinks. Take in local history with the Chattanooga Trolley Tour or eat your way through the city with food tours catering to different tastes. If you dare, step into Chattanooga’s paranormal side with ghost tours highlighting the area’s spookiest side.