ChattanoogaTennessee

Paddleboarding competition on the Tennessee River during the RiverRocks Adventure Sports Games

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Year-round rides aboard vintage Tennessee Valley Railroad trains

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Whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River

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Browsing the wares at Chattanooga Market

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High Falls flowing under Lover's Leap at Rock City on Lookout Mountain

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Major Airports:
Chattanooga (CHA)
States:
Tennessee

Fun for families, awesome for adventurers

Chattanooga is the starting point to Tennessee, nestled along the banks of the Tennessee River in a valley surrounded by breathtaking scenic beauty. An easy two-hour drive from Atlanta International Airport – or just 20 minutes via a quick connecting flight to Chattanooga – this friendly Southern city is clean, affordable and walkable with plenty of unique things to do.

For over 20 years, Chattanooga has been a leader in the green eco movement with a free electric shuttle, free electric car charging stations and preferred parking for low emission cars. You can enjoy the revitalized riverfront district; walk along the 20.8-kilometer paved RiverWalk scattered with city parks and restaurants, or navigate on a bicycle using the Bike Share System that is available for less than $10 U.S. for 24 hours.

The centerpiece of downtown is the world’s largest freshwater aquarium, the Tennessee Aquarium. Because of the river, water sports and attractions are just a few steps away. You can take a dinner cruise aboard the Southern Belle Riverboat, experience a ride on a World War II-era Chattanooga Duck or see the river up close from a stand-up paddleboard or kayak.

Chattanooga’s history dates to the Native American removal in the 1830s and railroad and train history of the 1850s. The river and trains were important factors during the 1860s American Civil War. The 1909 Chattanooga Choo Choo Terminal Station is a hotel complex that became famous with the 1940s song "Chattanooga Choo Choo," selling more than 1 million copies and becoming the first Gold Record in the world. You can still ride a real steam train on the Tennessee Valley Railroad with options for one- or three-hour trips.

Only 9.8 kilometers from the river, you’ll find historic Lookout Mountain and the natural attractions of Rock City Gardens with its view of seven states and Ruby Falls with its underground waterfall. Ride up the side of Lookout Mountain on the Incline Railway, the steepest incline in the world. At the top, visit the National Park Services' visitor’s center, Civil War museum and a unit of the largest and oldest military park in America, the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, and enjoy a marvelous view.

Chattanooga is blessed with many outdoor adventures. Go rock climbing indoors or out at the High Point Climbing Center or check out the mountainous terrain on foot or by bike. Try a more extreme sport like hang-gliding off of Lookout Mountain or spend half a day whitewater rafting on the 1996 Olympic river, the Ocoee, which is just 45 minutes away.

In the evenings, a variety of restaurants and entertainment venues providing live music include Songbirds North and South stages, as well as the free NightFall Concert Series on Friday nights from May to September. If you love an outdoor music festival, don’t miss the four-night Riverbend Music Festival each June.

Chattanooga’s public art decorates the streets, sidewalks and RiverWalk. Enjoy all the art outdoors or venture inside to see the South’s largest collection of American art at the Hunter Museum of American Art near downtown.

There is always something fun happening in Chattanooga. Experience for yourself why Chattanooga is called the "Scenic Center of the South."