36 Hours in Chattanooga

We're sorry that you missed us during your one night here, maybe you can catch one of our award-winning tours next go round! -Amy, Chattanooga Ghost Tours, Inc

Nice article about one of my favorite places to visit. Sorry to see there was nothing about the Creative Discovery Museum in the article about Chattanooga. I'd especially encourage families with, or without, children to go visit during their annual Honey Harvest where beekeepers from across the state come to explain the ins and outs of keeping bees and harvesting honey. They even have a honey tasting exhibit with honey from around the world. A definite must if you go the last weekend in July.

Do not forget Cloudy Canyon nearby. That is a real breath of fresh air outside Chattanooga.

The city is economically segregated like any other city. In Chattanooga's case that happens to fall along racial lines in some cases. A successful person can live anywhere they want as long as they are friendly and approachable. People in this part of the country seek out value for their money so while Ivy League schools might be an obvious choice for people in other parts of the country, in-state schools work just fine for the rest of us. Plus if a person aspires to stay close to their family and live within a reasonable radius of the people they grew up with for easy visits then an in-state education is an affordable way to build their resume for potential regional employers. I grew up there and still visit often. We're still living in TN and love it here. If people seem standoffish DSwanson it might be because people network through church, their employers, through long standing family connections, school connections, etc. When I moved towns to take a job and raise our family with my wife, we also had a slow process of networking. People's lives are sometimes full because they grew up there and know all the people they have time for. They may know hundreds of people from church too. I recommend social groups - church, sporting clubs (hiking, biking, etc), hobby groups (quilting, cooking, etc), or service clubs (HH, library events, mentoring programs, etc). You can fill up all the spare time you have to give the world and you'll build friendships.

Oh - and lastly - people network through their kids. Once we had kids people opened up to us. I feel like sometimes people here must dance around hoping not to step on other people's politics or religion. Some folks want to avoid offending each other. Trying to be nice. Of course you'll also meet the type who are rough around the edges and don't worry about who they might offend but fortunately they are few - and they can be found anywhere.

Great southern city for the outdoor enthusiast. Biking, rafting and hiking is second to none. The article hits many high points.

Stay away. I am an East Tennessee native. My roots here go back before the Revolutionary War. I live here and I hate this place. It's a pretentious tourist trap and not much else. Fifty years behind the times and - somehow - still touchy about it. Look at the mountains, river, etc. as you drive through on the interstate and remember to never spend a dollar here unless you absolutely have to.

Don’t be deceived, E TN can be a hostile place. I should know, I moved there ... and moved away. In two years ... in a new neighborhood ... no one invited me into their home. I issued many low key invitations that went ignored. With the rise of Trump, I felt a threat of violence. The last time I felt that was in Washington DC in the 60’s when racial tension could end in riots. E TN people have deep roots. They lived back in the hollers without electricity until 80 years ago. Their deep roots come with narrow horizons. Their mindset is WAY behind. Some restaurants still allow smoking ... inside. Many businesses aren’t licensed, as people don’t trust “revenuers.” The best and brightest go to no-name colleges, when my peers in a smaller town, went Ivy. Use anything more than a two-syllable word and people will tell you to, “Get off your high horse.” If I felt that as a white granny, it’s bad. Stay away

I have visited Chattanooga many times. First, I think it important to note that it is an extremely segregated city, and I would worry about adverse experiences if I brought African-American friends there. Second, you missed a couple of highlights: the International Towing and Recovery Museum, which is as fascinating for the fellow visitors as for the collection. Second, the terrific hiking that can accompany a visit to the vista point at Signal Mountain. A final suggestion: the proximity of Nashville yields a very high quality to the symphony and local choruses and choirs, including those in churches. Try to catch an event or service to enjoy the musicianship! Oh, and the double AA Lookouts have a great stadium right downtown: a very fun experience!

I live a two-hour drive from Chattanooga, and I used to be a much more regular visitor to the area. I've watched this city change, and it has done so in many positive directions. Some new businesses always open between my visits, so it is wonderful to return and find something else to enjoy. There are so many more businesses and attractions you could have mentioned... but, you only had 36 hours for this trip. You can always go back. I plan to. Thanks for this piece. I shared it with all my kith and kin in the Chatt. area, and it was well-received this morning.