Woo, woo, Chattanooga there you are!
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Making (frozen) lemonade out of lemons
This post is in honor of Stephen Barbee, my mother-in-law’s best friend & significant other. I hate that we waited so long to explore Chattanooga, but it’s as wonderful as the stories you’d tell us.
We made lemonade out of lemons in Chattanooga, attending a beautiful celebration of life with a side of exploration.
A front porch with a view + great playlist!
If you’ve got 12 (or more) hours in Chattanooga, here’s what I recommend:
Aretha Frankensteins: This hidden gem can’t be missed. I’m going to be honest, at first I was like they just have good SEO since they are listed on every blog, but no! It’s the cutest little spot nestled in a neighborhood just a little bit outside of downtown. We hit the timing just right, and walked right in to the last two seats of the seven-seat bar. The restaurant is in a historic house and has just four tables inside, plus those seven bar seats. Now, you need to come with patience, even the menu says it’s not fast food, and waiting 30 minutes or more is common. The staff were so fantastic and we’ll definitely be back!
Touch tank time then off to wash my hands. twice.
Tennessee Aquarium: Now, don’t laugh. Aquariums aren’t just for little kids! Just a note - if they are still doing timed entry, you either need to purchase your ticket online in advance or GO INTO THE TICKETING OFFICE. Don’t trust the QR code on the parking signs. The website said they were sold out until after 4:00 p.m. but we were able to get in just half an hour after arriving.
There are two buildings, River and Ocean. They recommend you start in the River building, with the Ocean building second. It’s definitely worth a visit, but it doesn’t quite compete with the Georgia Aquarium, so if you’re coming from Atlanta, you could skip it. The timed entry worked great. We never felt crowded and it took us about two hours total. There was a touch tank for the rays, and a butterfly exhibit that was too cool.
deck the train terminal!
Had to try the Joose Caboose by WanderLinger Brewing Co when sitting in a train car!
Chattanooga Choo-Choo: Do you know the famous song? I didn’t either but this historic spot is so much more than a piece of history! It was the train station back in the day and was set to be demolished before a local group saved it, reopening in 1973. There’s now a hotel onsite and you can stay in the train cars or standard hotel rooms. The station was beautifully decorated, with a seasonal ice skating rink and Santa’s workshop! It’s a mixed-use development with residences, a hotel (where you can stay in a train car!), restaurants and shops. We were so enamoured with American Draft, a train car bar! (Note: our visit differed from the pictures on the website and it was not self-pour, but that might be pandemic related.) Several of the spaces, including the comedy bar, weren’t open when we were there mid-day. It’s definitely on our list for our next trip for a return visit and I’d love to see what it’s like in the summer or early fall.
Cheers to a delicious visit!
Chattanooga Brewing Co.: We popped into the Chattanooga Brewing Company for a cold one & bar snacks. It’s a beautiful taproom and their story is amazing. They were around pre-Prohibition and were forced to shut down. Well, they’re back! Plus, they have brunch, so that’s definitely on our list for our next visit.
The last stop was the best stop! We were looking for somewhere to eat and luck of the Google search sent us to Alleia, a fantastic Italian spot. They’ve got a really cool vibe and were able to get us seated much earlier than our last-minute reservation. We sat directly in front of their open kitchen, and it was such fun watching the culinary team work. I had a delicious funky Pinor Noir and ordered the gnocchi with blue crab and shiitake mushrooms and I’ve been dreaming about it since. Alleia - care to share the recipe for that sauce?
