by Jeanni Ritchie
Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus. And I’m fairly certain of all the places he travels, Chattanooga is one of his favorites. They certainly rolled out the welcome mat for him this Christmas. They rolled out the red carpet for all visitors to this fourth-most populous city in Tennessee this holiday season.
A Storied History
Settled in 1815 as a trading post by John Ross, Chattanooga comes from a Creek word meaning “rock rising to a point” and refers to Lookout Mountain, which begins in Chattanooga. From Rock City’s famed attraction, Seven States, you can see the seven states of Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina on the horizon.
Chattanooga’s location along the Tennessee River made it a strategic river port in the 1800’s and the riverfront today serves as the site for many tourist attractions including the Tennessee Riverwalk, Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge, and the Southern Belle Riverboat.
Chattanooga Culture
The Bluff View Art District is internationally recognized as a creative haven of restaurants, galleries, and shops that beckons visitors to spend time exploring its unique and colorful setting. From the exquisite meals at Tony’s Pasta Shop and Trattoria to the elaborately decorated Candy Cane Lane, the historic area alone is a destination.
But you will find art spread throughout the entire city. Concrete walls are merely canvases in Chattanooga, their blank slates an opportunity for artists. Culture is evident on every corner, drab is not an option for this vibrant town.
Christmas Lights
With artwork adoring museum walls and building facades year-round, the striking city becomes even more magical at Christmas time. The Chattanooga Zoo lights up with the Asian Lantern Festival winding through animal habitats. Rock City becomes a winter wonderland of twinkling lights through mazes of caves and pedestrian bridges. Ruby Falls’ 145-foot underground waterfall is illuminated at 1120 feet beneath the surface of Lookout Mountain. The Electric Power Board (EPB) presents a showcase of whimsical, animatronic holiday themed windows along Market and Broad Street. Trains departing from Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum cross into Georgia before turning around at the North Pole while Scuba Claus goes diving in the Tennessee Aquarium’s Holidays Under the Peaks display!
Residents, communities, and businesses join in the merriment with decorations on every landing. Coolidge Park hosts an annual Christkindlmarkt, a German/European holiday festival, complete with complimentary rides on the 130-year old hand carved carousel. Miller’s Park Festival of Trees is a literal walk in the park, full of donated and decorated trees for the public to enjoy at their leisure. This is a city who cherishes its visitors and residents alike.
Stay
The Hotel Chalet (formerly the Chattanooga Choo Choo): While locals aren’t a fan of the name change, there’s no denying that the multimillion dollar renovation in 2023 restored the hotel to its former glory. The upscale lodging features renovated train cars with plush surroundings, luxury bath products, and turn-down service for trundle kits. With a handwritten card welcoming me, I felt like a treasured guest. The patio area is filled with heat lamps and fire pits, strangers becoming friends in the night air. Rooms are mere steps from the historic depot which houses a comedy club, restaurants, bars, a shopping plaza, and an arcade. The open field with soccer nets and cornhole games is situated between the outdoor swimming pool and seasonal Nooga Lights, a stroll-through Christmas light display.
Chanticleer Inn: A 10-minute drive up Lookout Mountain, this bed and breakfast is technically in Georgia but is a must-stay if you are in Chattanooga. Next door to Rock City, this property combines the two with an Enchanted Cocoa Special, a box of hot chocolate treats to enjoy at their exclusive cocoa bar before enjoying free admission to Rock City’s Enchanted Gardens Tour. With a bocce ball court, seasonal pool, winding trails, fire pit in one of the many courtyards, and ice buckets pre-filled upon arrival, they leave no stone unturned in welcoming guests. Visit https://www.
Martin House: One of several B&Bs in the Bluff View Art District, the Martin House is also the temporary home of the Houston Museum of Decorative Arts while its building undergoes renovation. Imagine sleeping over such priceless Wedgewood artifacts and antique courting lamps. Other bed and breakfasts in the area include the T.C. Thompson House and the Maclellan House.
Courtyard by Marriott: Situated across the street from the Tennessee Aquarium and IMAX theater is the popular Marriott hotel. With the comforts you’ve come to expect from the chain in a centrally located downtown spot, you can spend the day touring the aquarium and nearby museums, catch a movie at the IMAX, stop in for a scoop of Ben and Jerry’s, and do some shopping without having to worry about parking! A beautifully renovated courtyard at the Courtyard is the perfect place for s’mores after a day of shopping and sightseeing. Visit https://www.marriott.com/en-
The Crash Pad: A modern hostel, this is for the budget-conscious adventurer. With private and semi-private rooms, guests have a bed, shared bathroom, and shared kitchen and living quarters. Popular among hikers, of which I wasn’t, I wanted the YA-hostel experience but wasn’t sure how I’d fare. I am far from being a young adult. I ended up wishing I’d booked more than one night! It was like summer camp for grown-ups. We played board games and sat around the fire telling stories. We cooked together, sampling international foods while pushing pins in the global map that denoted where we’d come from.
Eat
Nic & Norman’s: Home of gourmet burgers on a bun embossed with the restaurant logo! 1386 Market St.
Elsie’s Daughter: The Hotel Chalet’s onsite restaurant serves five-star dishes such as Honey Nut Raviolo and Peruvian-infused half-chicken with aioli sauce. Eat outside in the heated patio courtyard. 92 Choo Choo Ave.
Hot Chocolatier: With so many types of hot chocolate you’ll go multiple times to try them all. Make sure to try their homemade marshmallows as well! They also have plate lunches and chocolates for purchase on site and shipping available. Visit https://
Community Pie: Best homemade pizza in Chatt Town! Try the Demarco and see how Brooklyn mozzarella differs from the regular mozzarella. 850 Market St.
Maple Street Biscuit Company: A destination diner so be prepared to wait in line. It’s worth it! Check out the from-scratch biscuits featured on Food Network. 407 Broad St.
Clumpies: Mix homemade cookies with on-site pasteurized milk and cream for the best scoop of ice cream you’ve ever had! 3917 St. Elmo Ave.
The Cupcake Kitchen: The neon lights beckon for the late night middle-aged crowd. Truffles, cupcakes, brownies, and more line clear cases tempting you with an array of flavors and aromas. You won’t leave empty-handed. 500 Broad St.
Wally’s Diner: Be transported back in time to fun food and a community atmosphere. Pancakes as big as UFOS line your plate while sticky syrup runs over the sides. You almost expect Alice, Flo, or Vera to come refill your coffee cup. 1600 McCallie Ave.
City Café Diner: With a menu containing a little bit of everything, even the largest families will find something for everyone. Best of all are the cases filled with multilayered cakes and pies. Try the Seven Deadly Sins chocolate cake. 511 Broad St.
Tony’s Pasta Shop and Trattoria: Named Best Italian Restaurant in Chattanooga for the last four years, it is a mandatory culinary stop. Their homemade bread was heavenly. Enjoy your meal in the outdoor dining area overlooking the Bluff View Art District. 212 High St.
Play
Rock City: A popular attraction year-round, it becomes an enchanted garden during the holidays with special night hours and illuminated caves and pathways. Stop in to visit Santa and decorate gingerbread men. Visit seerockcity.com for year-round events. 1400 Patten Rd. Lookout Mountain, GA
Ruby Falls: Take the elevator down 1120 feet beneath the surface of Lookout Mountain to see this 145-foot underground waterfall. In addition to Christmas at Ruby Falls, there’s a romance package in February, Lantern Tour and Ghost Walk in the fall, and ziplining year-round. Visit rubyfalls.com for a full schedule. 1720 Scenic Hwy.
Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum: Board one of the many trains heading for the North Pole during the holiday season. Look out the picturesque windows to see Santa’s workshop and join in impromptu caroling aboard the Express Train before Santa makes his appearance in your train car. Optional dinner cruises as well, along with historical train rides throughout the year. Make sure to leave time to explore the train museum onsite as well. Visit tvrail.com. 4119 Cromwell Rd.
Chattanooga Zoo: My favorite animal- giraffes- are the first enclosure you come to at the Chattanooga Zoo and they were certainly active, sparring with their necks like true siblings! I visited twice during my trip, once during the day to see all of the animals as I never visit a new city without checking out its zoo, and again the next evening for the Asian Lantern Festival. Bedecked in giant lighted designs, the zoo became a winter wonderland at night complete with a carousel and the most intriguing round plastic playground swing I’ve ever been on. Check out chattzoo.org. 301 N. Holtzdaw Ave.
Tennessee Aquarium and IMAX: The TN Aquarium has three main buildings- the River Exhibit, the Ocean Exhibit, and the IMAX. You take an elevator to the top of the water exhibits and wind your way down through hundreds of glass displays of river otters, electric eels, and stingrays. There are several photo ops to appear “in the water” with various marine life and an IMAX with documentaries as well as selected box office premieres one of the largest screens in the country. 1 Broad St.
National Medal of Honor Heritage Center: Housed next to the Tennessee Aquarium, the museum showcases stories and interactive exhibits related to the recipients of the National Medal of Honor. 2 West Aquarium Way, Suite 104
Choo Choo Depot: Originally known as Terminal Station, the last train departed in 1970 before the depot underwent two multimillion dollar renovations in 1974 and 1989, remaining open to the public. It currently houses multiple award-winning restaurants, bars, shops, an escape room, arcade, The Comedy Catch nightclub, a trolley tour launch spot, and – at Christmastime – Santa Claus himself and his velvet sleigh. 1400 Market St.
Chattanooga Trolley Tour: Multiple tours are available, both seasonal and year-round, including the Legends and Shadows and Holiday Lights Trolley Tour with attraction stops. I highly recommend the no-stop one-hour Flash Tour at the beginning of your trip to discover places you may need to add to your itinerary. 1400 Market St.
Bluff View Art District Walking Tour: Spend an afternoon on your self-guided walking tour through this historic district. There’s plenty to see on the hilly terrain from the Bocce Court Terrace to the River Gallery Sculpture Garden. Stop in at Tony’s Pasta Shop for a meal or the Pastry Kitchen for a snack. Smell the freshly baked bread as you pass under the BV Bakery windows on your way to Renaissance Commons. 411 E. 2nd St.
Moon Pie General Store: Chattanooga is the birthplace of the Moon Pie and you will find every flavor imaginable at the Moon Pie General Store. Sample mini pies, buy cases of original moon pies, or purchase moon pie merchandise like t-shirts and bumper stickers. 429 Broad St.
Incline Railway: One mile straight up—and back down—Lookout Mountain is the cable car tourist attraction that was once the mode of transportation for workers. These 125-year old counter-balanced glass enclosed trains on a narrated ride are a must-do Chattanooga adventure for the whole family. (Shortly after my visit a wildfire spread to the railway tracks. As of press time, it is temporarily closed. Call 423-821-4224 for updates.) 3917 St. Elmo’s Ave.
Rocket Fizz Candy Store: For those with a sweet tooth, Rocket Fizz has contemporary candy as well as the candy from your childhood. One wall is lined with taffy in all different flavors. Fill a bag to the brim and wash it down with a specialty glass-bottled soda! 411 Broad St.
Naughty Cat Cafe: The sign on the door proclaims NOT A STRIP CLUB and one can’t help but wonder if that’s a little tongue in cheek humor or a necessary disclaimer. Nonetheless, with over 30 adoptable cats to pet, play with, or climb over you as you sip a complimentary beverage, snack on human food, or shop for feline merchandise, it is a true experience and real-life replica of the short-lived Mayim Bialik series Call Me Kat.
Creative Discovery Museum: This children’s museum is two stories of interactive displays in STEM play, musical creation, artistic design, and more. An outdoor area has a play structure that dangles three stories above the pavement below. I watched in awe as fearless kids climbed the tower while I inched closer to safety. The sky’s the limit with your imagination at CDM. Plan to spend at least three hours here. 321 Chestnut St.
Coker Museum: You don’t have to be a car connoisseur to appreciate the antiques at this museum. From cars to motorcycles to bikes to airplanes, if it needed fixing, Mr. Coker was the mechanic for the job. He became so well-known for his tinkering as well as his collection that he opened a museum. The 13,000 ft space is even available to rent for your special event. Friendly guides and interesting automobiles make this a must-see museum in Chattanooga. 1309 Chestnut St.
Ice on the Landing: Winter ice skating comes to the First Horizon Pavilion in the Chattanooga Market. 1826 Reggie White Blvd.
Hunter Museum of American Art: The museum’s collections include works representing the Hudson River School, 19th century genre painting, American Impressionism, the Ashcan School, early modernism, regionalism, and post-World War II and contemporary art. An upcoming visiting exhibition, Walk This Way, features footwear from the Stuart Weitzman collection who has designed shoes for Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, the Fanning sisters, Jennifer Lopez, Kate Middleton, and more. Experience the permanent collection online any time by visiting https://www.
AT&T Field: Visit the downtown site of Chattanooga’s minor league baseball team, the Chattanooga Lookouts, while you’re in town. Email tickets@lookouts.com for game-day info. 201 Power Alley
Little Debbie Park: Chattanooga is the birthplace of the Little Debbie snack cake and just a short drive away is the Little Debbie Park. With snack cake structures and wide expanses of park land, your little ones can expend energy while you relax on a nearby bench. 4698 Swinyar Dr. Collegedale, TN.
Jeanni Ritchie is a freelance journalist from Central Louisiana. See her traveltoks from Chattanooga at https://www.tiktok.com/@
