And just like that… Chattanooga, Tennessee (with kids) is in the books!
My exploration of the Southern gems within driving distance of Atlanta landed me in Chattanooga this past weekend with kids. This time, I took the whole crew! Yep, all three kiddos, the husband and I trekked the quick two hour drive just over the Tennessee line to see what Chatt-Town had to offer. (Or as the kids are calling it nowadays: “Nooga”.) As usual, everyone on Instagram came through with the greatest recommendations on what to do and where to eat. While we weren’t able to pack it all in to a short weekend, I will list it all at the end of the post for you! After visiting Nashville, I was stoked to check out yet another Tennessee destination.
First things first, you’ll want to know where to STAY in Chattanooga with kids.
We were lucky enough to be hosted by The Chattanoogan for our stay and it was the perfect spot! The Chattanoogan is conveniently located near plenty of restaurants and activities. You can see Warehouse Row from the hotel which is a hub of shopping and great restaurants. The riverfront is just a little over a mile away, which has everything from the Aquarium, to parks, baseball games, and more. The handy (and free!) electric shuttle has stops all over and is great for getting everyone from point A to point B. 
The staff at The Chattanoogan was fantastic and we truly felt at home. From the front desk to Valet, everyone was so kind and went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable. The Valet staff always remembered us and where we said we were headed and always thought to ask us how it was when we got “home”. Personal touches like that are so lovely when staying away from home!
When we got to our room we were surprised with gift boxes for the bigger kids and snacks for everyone (cookies and milk for the kids and wine and cheese for the parents). This was a big hit, especially with Grayson who took his milk and cookies straight to the jetted tub for some relaxation. Ha! Speaking of the bathroom, it was huge and had both a standing shower, AND a large jacuzzi tub with a rain shower head. Talk about luxury…
We were in the Courtyard View King Suite, which was perfect for us. The living area sofa pulled out to a full sized bed for Grayson and Charlie, while the rest of us slept in the King Bed. Each area had a large flat screen TV. Our room came equipped with a small kitchenette (sink, microwave and fridge) and a Keurig coffee maker. There was plenty of space for the kids to run around and play and it was easy enough to push furniture out of the way to make room for them.
Our view overlooked the courtyard, but we could also clearly admire the mountains in the distance and some incredible sunsets, too.
We were treated to both breakfast (buffet with made-to-order pancakes and omelettes) and dinner (Italian Buffet) at the restaurant on site: Broad Street Grill. The food was amazing and it was so great (with three littles) not to have to leave the property for a nice meal or two. They also have a Seafood Buffet one night and an award winning Sunday Brunch. (Sad I missed those!)
On Sunday morning, I wrapped up my experience at The Chattanoogan with a facial at the spa. Located on the second floor of the hotel next to the pool, the spa is quaint and relaxing. I was greeted and taken back to the locker room to change into my robe and offered time in the steam room or sauna. I was anxious to get to my treatment, so I opted out. I had the most wonderful facial (The Chattanoogan Facial) with a hot oil scalp massage, and it was HEAVEN. (What else is better to wake up to?!) Immediately after, my therapist brought be a peach bellini and I spent a few minutes in the relaxation area enjoying my drink and easing back into reality.
On the same floor as the spa, is an indoor pool and jacuzzi! We didn’t make time to swim, but it looked like a fabulous place to spend some downtime.
Soon after the spa experience, we checked out to head home and our weekend was over just like that! The Chattanoogan made our stay in Chattanooga just perfect and we look forward to going back.
And now, the master list of recommendations! I got a lot of feedback on Instagram when I asked for ideas, too much to even do in one weekend. I wanted to list them all for you here, though- in case you visit Chattanooga!
Where to Eat:
Tony’s Pasta
*Urban Stack
Taco Mamacita
The Terminal
Public House
*Clumpie’s Ice Cream
*Milk & Honey (coffee and treats)
What to Do:
*Tennessee Aquarium/IMAX (even better than GA Aquarium in my opinion and easily done in a couple hours!)
*Coolidge Park (carousel, splash pad, TONS of wide open space to play!)
Lookout Mountain
Rock City
Ruby Falls
Lookouts Baseball Game
Museum of Creative Discovery
Shop Warehouse Row
Chattanooga Zoo
Here are more pictures from our trip! I put an asterisk next to the things we were able to check out, so if you have any more questions- don’t hesitate to get in touch!
