Hotel at a Glance: Chattanooga Stadium Inn

Chattanooga Stadium Inn has all the comforts of home, including a free breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, waffles, fresh fruit, and coffee. Inviting guest rooms feature pillow-top mattresses swathed in crisp white bedding, as well as amenities including microwaves, mini refrigerators, and free WiFi.

• A room with a view: Some guest rooms offer vistas of Lookout Mountain.
• Before the weather cools, go for a swim in the outdoor pool.
• Get a workout using the fitness center’s treadmill, stair climber, and stationary bikes.
• Downtown Chattanooga is just 2 miles away.

Chattanooga, Tennessee: Museums and Parks Along the Riverfront

Set along the Tennessee-Georgia border, Chattanooga became a boomtown with the arrival of a major railroad in the late 19th century. The surrounding mountains and ridges made for a scenic backdrop for train passengers coming into the city. But they also proved problematic, trapping in industrial pollutants and creating what the Environmental Protection Agency declared to be the nation’s dirtiest air in 1969. Today, the city has scrubbed away its industrial-era grime and adopted greener practices: public parks, riverfront walkways, and a downtown electric shuttle, to name a few. Waterfront Coolidge Park is a popular downtown hangout where kids can hop on a century-old carousel and enjoy acres of open green space.

Another point of interest is Chattanooga’s Walnut Street Bridge, one of the world’s longest pedestrian bridges. Its wrought-iron trusses stretch across the Tennessee River, which bisects the city’s downtown. From here, you can take a scenic stroll toward other downtown attractions, such as the Tennessee Aquarium and the Hunter Museum of American Art.

Picked by the New York Times as 1 of 45 Places to Go in 2012, Chattanooga has seen a resurgence of arts and culture in recent years. It now hosts a number of annual art and music festivals and features several up-and-coming art districts filled with independent boutiques and galleries. Head to the Bluff View Art District for some spectacular views—the historic neighborhood is set high atop stone cliffs overlooking the Tennessee River. In addition to galleries filled with works by nationally recognized artists, the district recognizes the culinary arts, with several restaurants and the city’s oldest artisan bakery.

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