Less than 5 hours away from Memphis, Tennessee is a hidden gem…Chattanooga! Okay, maybe it’s not so hidden, but I can tell you it is SO much cooler and there is SO much more to do there than I ever thought! We kicked off the end of the school year and the beginning of summer by escaping to Chattanooga for a long weekend. It was the perfect trip. I loved hour outdoors and family friendly it was, and the kids loved how short of a drive it was too!
Creative Discovery Museum – There is so much to do here both indoors and out! There are swings, tunnels to climb up and more outdoors. Indoors there is water, more slides, race cars, and so much learning and exploring! This place is huge, and it can easily entertain and educate your kids all day long. Definitely highly recommend for children of all ages!
Tennesse Aquarium – This is the world’s largest freshwater aquarium, and it’s right here in Tennessee! It is 4 levels tall, and we saw sharks, jellyfish, turtles, alligators and more. The kids got to pet stingrays and eels and touch butterflies. This place was hands down the coolest aquarium I have ever seen. There was so much to do and see here, and we easily could have spent an entire day walking through the 2 building.
The Passage – After you leave the aquarium, make sure to pack the kids’ swimsuits and go by the Passage water feature and let them swim and splash around in the water. This is free and SO much fun! It was actually my kids’ favorite thing we did all weekend!
Tennessee Valley Railroad – This was such a cool experience! This was our first time taking a train ride with the kids, and it definitely won’t be our last! Grayson is obsessed with trains, but all the kids loved it. We road the Missionary Ridge Local on a 65 minute train ride that departs from Grand Junction Depot. You ride through the pre–Civil War Missionary Ridge Tunnel, and it includes a turntable demo, restoration shop tour and some history along the way. This was the perfect train ride for young kids who will only sit still for so long. There is food, drinks and snacks at the depot and also halfway through the ride.
Rock City – This was my first time seeing Rock City as an adult, and it was even better than I imagined. We winded through trails, between slot rocks and tunnels and beside waterfalls. We walked across the swinging bridge, the stone bridge and then viewed 7 states at one time from Lookout Mountain. All of the trails were great for people of all ages. They were fun for adults and kids, and they definitely were safe for little kids too. They have a restaurant at Lookout Mountain. I highly recommend!
Frothy Monkey – Our favorite coffee shop and breakfast spot in town. As a bonus, behind the restaurant outside is an astroturf area where the kids can run around and play. There is even a train outside they can see too.
Big Bad Breakfast – One of our favorite breakfast spots! I got an omelette with veggies and goat cheese in it, and it was incredible! The best omelet I’ve ever had. There is nothing fancy jere. Just good breakfast good, good prices and good service. We loved it! We have eaten at several of their locations.
State of Confusion – We ate dinner here one night on the patio and loved it! The food was great, and it was super family friendly. We got steak skewers, and they were so good! Grayson got a burger off the kids’ menu. The kids played shuffleboard and connect 4 outdoors. Such a great spot!
Stir – We ate dinner here on another night, and it was SO good! I got salmon, Leighton got steak, and Grayson got chicken. They have a kids’ menu too. All the food was so good, and they have a patio. It’s next door to Frothy Monkey, so you can go outside out back and run around and play on the turf to run some energy out too.
Clumpies Ice Cream Co. – Yum, we ate here one night after dinner, and all of us loved our ice cream! They also had dairy free and gluten free options. The ice cream was so yummy, and they had spots to sit indoors. It was also just walking distance across the street from Stir.
Kinley Chattanooga – Located in the Southside, this hotel is in such a great location. It’s walking distance from so many great restaurants and shops. It’s actually right next door to the ice cream shop too!
Have you been to Chattanooga before? What are your favorite things to do in Chattanooga? Find more things to do in Chattanooga here.
