Cozy Weekend Getaway: Things to do in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Are you looking a cozy weekend getaway? You'll definitely want to add Chattanooga to your travel list. Keep reading for more fun and unique things to do in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

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I was invited to check out The Hotel Chalet, a boutique hotel in Chattanooga that just made renovations to their train carriage rooms. Chattanooga, TN is only about a 2 hour drive from Atlanta so I thought it would be a nice road trip and a fun weekend getaway.

Things to do in Chattanooga, TN

Travel Info

Dates: February 21-23, 2025

Drive Time: 2 hours from Atlanta

Chattanooga Hotels

I stayed at The Hotel Chalet. The Hotel Chalet is located in downtown Chattanooga and anchor to the Chattanooga Choo Choo.

I stayed in one of their newly renovated train carriages. It was gorgeous. I felt like I was really inside a train carriage. It had all the cozy vibes. The only improvement I would like to see is the lighting. I felt at times it was a little dark. You can open the shades to bring in more lighting, but be mindful that guests passing by maybe able to see into your room. There's a mini fridge in the room to keep your drinks cold and it was also filled with beverages you can purchase.

Let's talk about location. The location was perfect. There's plenty of things to do within walking distance of the hotel and things to do within a 10 minute drive of the hotel. I will say the parking lot of the hotel does get full fast, so I wouldn't drive when doing any night time activities. Noting, Lyft rides averaged about $6-$10 per ride.

There is an onsite restaurant, Elsie's Daughter. I didn't eat here, they do provide a discount for hotel guests to dine there. Other amenities include a fitness center and a pool.

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Restaurants in Chattanooga

As a foodie, you know I came to eat. Let me tell you, Chattanooga restaurants did not disappoint. I'm going to tell you about the different restaurants in Chattanooga I visited.blu

blue orleans seafood restaurant

Initially, Blue Orleans Seafood Restaurant was not on my list of places to eat in Chattanooga, but I was happy I found it. I was looking on Apple maps to see what restaurants were walking distance of the hotel that we could try and came across Blue Orleans. They are a New Orleans, creole inspired restaurant. I love cajun cuisine. I had the French Creole pasta. It is a penne pasta with shrimp, crawfish, and andouille sausage tossed in a Creole roux, spices and white cream sauce and a traditional Hurricane cocktail. The pasta was soooo good. No leftovers over here, I demolished it!

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agave & rye

Agave & Rye is a latin inspired restaurant located in downtown Chattanooga across the street from the Tennessee Aquarium. Agave & Rye offers a variety of tacos. I had queso and chips with a taco flight that included The Swipe Right, The Filthy Fajita, and The Gangster. The Filthy Fajita was my favorite. 

It was crowded when I went, so make reservations if you can.

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two ten jack chattanooga

Two Ten Jack is a Japanese-inspired neighborhood pub, or izakaya, featuring artisinal ramen, kushiyaki (skewered & grilled items), sushi selections, and other Japanese-inspired comfort food that incorporates local, Southern ingredients.

I must say, I really enjoyed my experience at Two Ten Jack. Everything I had was delicious and I ate a lot! I even tried something new and loved it. For food, I had pork gyoza, tebasaki, crispy rice + spicy tuna, gojira roll, tonkotsu ramen, and spicy crab garlic noodles. For cocktails, I had Tokyo Barbie and Princess Mononoke (I must admit, Princess Mononoke wasn't a fav).

Note, they also have a location in Nashville.

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Things to do in Chattanooga

Let's get into some fun things to do in Chattanooga. I did some adult activities and some family friendly activities.

whiskey tasting

Tennessee is known for their good taste in whiskey, so you know I have to visit a distillery while I was visiting Chattanooga. I decided to do a tour and tasting at Chattanooga Whiskey Distillery. For $20/person, I went on a 30ish minute tour and experienced 8 different whiskies. Make sure you take an Uber/Lyft here!!

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ruby falls

Ruby Falls is a fun family friendly activity to do in Chattanooga. Ruby Falls is located at Lookout Mountain. Your have the opportunity to go 286 feet underground in a cave. You'll walk about a mile round trip to see an underground waterfall and learn about the history of how the cave was founded.

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tennessee aquarium

Tennessee Aquarium is a great family friendly activity to learn about different animals and watch a movie at their IMAX theater. It's located in the heart of downtown Chattanooga. One of my favorite, but slightly scary activation was the butterfly garden. You got to walk in a garden where butterflies flew all around. One could even land on you.

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More Chattanooga Recommendations

I didn't get to do everything on my list, but I still wanted to share with you some other suggestions.

Things to do in chattanooga

• Rock City
• Walk on Walnut Street Bridge
• Lookout Mountain Incline Railway

places to eat in chattanooga

• Tasting at Gate 11 Distillery
• Unknown Caller Bar (Speakeasy)
• Six 18
• Hello Monty
• Whiskey Thief rooftop bar
• Wooden City
• Hennen's
• High Rail Rooftop Bar
• Tupelo Honey
• State of Confusion
• Milk & Honey

This blog post was all about fun things to do in Chattanooga and the best Chattanooga restaurants.