This fall we had the opportunity to visit Chattanooga, Tennessee in celebration of a good friends wedding. We were blown away at how much the city of Chattanooga had to offer and how much we were able to do in just a mere 72 hours. Located just around 2 hours from Atlanta, it is the perfect quick weekend getaway full of great restaurants, history and hikes for all you outdoor lovers!
Check out some of our favorite spots below for your future weekend getaway!
Where to Stay:
- AirBnB: (my usual choice of accommodation these days) I am a huge AirBnB fan both for the local experience, host tips and suggestions, and the cheaper cost. We chose this accommodation for the price (~$60/night), great reviews, and fact that it was dog-friendly. Our hostess was wonderful making us feel right at home even with our 70 pound pup along. She provided us with a full 4-page list of local restaurants, bars, hikes and activities to checkout. The location was a quick drive from all of our destinations! If you’ve never stayed in an AirBnB, use this link to get $40 towards your next trip (and vice-versa!) .
Where to Eat / Drink:
- Dwell Hotel: This insta-worthy hotel came across my radar thanks to ATL Girl Gang’s recent stay. Although we didn’t get to actually stay in the unique and colorful rooms, we did fully enjoy the eclectic cocktail bars on-site. They say it’s where ‘Luxury meets Retro’ and I would have to agree. Between the vintage Solarium day-time bar and the Matilda Midnight starry bar, the drink options and photo-ops are endless.
- Feed Co. Table & Tavern: Dog-friendly patio and great spot to spend your fall Saturday watching college football. Reasonably priced food and good service.
- The Daily Ration: DELICIOUS breakfast spot and the perfect outdoor patio space that is also dog-friendly and welcoming to families with little kiddos. The vegetable hash, and oat milk latte were all winners.
- Cashew: Looking for a yummy, healthy, and vegan-friendly spot in town? Look no further than Cashew!
- Southern Squeeze: Clean-eating lovers, you won’t regret coming here! The breakfast choices range from home-brewed Kombucha, acai-bowl blends, grain bowls, wellness lattes and more.
- Flying Squirrel: Up-scale brewery food with a great indoor and outdoor atmosphere. Just like pretty much every place we visited in Chattanooga, the patio is dog-friendly and the service was on-point. I loved the seasonal lavender gin cocktail and Mike loved the huge list of local beer options. The menu is perfect for those who enjoy sharing a bunch of tapas and the apps exceeded our expectations. (Specific favorites were the fried chicken bao buns, brussels sprouts cheese dip, and the Tony’s Lechon.
- Play Wash Pint: If you live in Atlanta and have a dog then you’ve likely heard of or visited Fetch Park. We were pleasantly surprised to find a similar experience at Play Wash Pint located right next to Flying Squirrel (for just $10/day pass). Just like Fetch Park ATL, you will need proof of your dogs vaccines to enter the outdoor free-run space. Once you’re in, it’s like a playground for both humans and their fur pups. Tasty beers on tap and a convenient location to wear your dog out before the evenings festivities.
- Mean Mug Coffee House: Officially one of my favorite coffee shops in this town, the breakfast food was right up there with the coffee itself. Mean Mug is a chain around Chattanooga so you have a few location options. The Golden Latte was delicious along with their gluten-free quiche of the day (crust made with Spaghetti Squash). You also cannot go wrong with the Egg + Avocado Toast or the Smoked Salmon Bagel (Mike’s favorite!).
What to Do:
- Hike to Lookout Mountain: This destination is super convenient if you are looking for some outdoors activities during your weekend stay. Located a quick 10-15 minute drive from downtown. Ruby Falls, Rock City and the Incline Railway are all accessible from here.
- Hike Cloudland Canyon: Located approximately an hour or so from the city on Lookout Mountain, this day-trip is well worth it. Clouldland Canyon has multiple trails for all different levels and (as you can see from the photos), the pup enjoyed it quite a bit. It is a 2-miles (600 stairs down) to Cherokee Falls or Hemlock Falls; both perfect spots to stop and take in the views, have a picnic or take a dip if it’s hot enough out.
- Stop by the Chattanooga Market: Before you hit the road, check out the Chattanooga market full of everything from food to local artisan goods. Open from 11AM-4PM on Sundays. This is a great spot to stretch your legs and treat yourself to some local goodies before heading home!
