At the Southeast end of Tennessee, on the border with Georgia, is the charming, outdoorsy and unexpectedly hipster city of Chattanooga, TN. Before moving to Athens, GA, I had never heard of Chattanooga, but I’ve now been 4 times and it just gets better every time! A weekend getaway is the perfect amount of time to discover Chattanooga (I’ve enjoyed staying in these unique Airbnbs near by). But, no matter where you stay, you can feel the rich history and beauty of Chattanooga given the proximity to the Tennessee River, Appalachian Mountains, and Lookout Mountain. And you don’t need to break the bank! Enjoy these 27 fun, inexpensive things to do for under $20!

Map of Cheap Things to Do in Chattanooga

What to Do in Chattanooga on a Budget

1. Coolidge Park – free

Pack a picnic and make your way to Coolidge Park, a perfect spot for families, couples, and even solo! There is an interactive water fountain for kids to play in, plus it makes for a great dog-friendly activity in Chattanooga. Walk along the Walnut Street Bridge, a blue bridge perfect for photo ops. Plus, don’t miss the 100 year old carousel!

Location: 150 River St.

2. Walk the Bluff View Arts District – free

One of the best parts of Chattanooga was the perfect mesh of historical, artsy, industrial, and nature. The Bluff View Arts District sits right along the river and has delicious restaurants, coffee houses, galleries, a bakery, inn, coffee roasting company, and numerous photography spots! If you’re visiting in the morning, try Rembrandt’s Coffee House and for a full meal I highly recommend Tony’s Pasta Shop where they hand make their pastas. I had a black pepper fettucine (I’m a sucker for black pepper) with house made pesto! It was delicious!

Aside from the food and drinks, the area has beautiful sculptures, gardens, and courtyards where you can relax or snap some photos!

Location: 411 E. 2^nd St.

3. Learn Your History at The Passage – free

Okay this isn’t fun in the strictest sense of the word, but learning the history of Chattanooga is valuable and this exhibit was beautifully done. Historically, Chattanooga was first inhabited by Native Americans, primarily the Cherokees, who were forced to relocate to Oklahoma via the Trail of Tears. To learn more about this horrible and tragic event, visit The Passage, a permanent outdoor exhibit along the water, which has representations the Seven Clans of Cherokee Nation. The highlight are stairs with water pouring down them. It makes for a great spot to cool off in the summer!

Location: Adjacent to the Tennessee Aquarium near the corner of Market St and Riverfront Pkwy. *Note it does close at night, to prevent vandalism.

4. Experience History, Arts, Nightlife, and More at The Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel – free

In 1909, this train terminal station was developed in the Beaux Arts style and was converted into a hotel, gardens, shops, and more! Even if you don’t stay in the hotel, you can still stroll the Glenn Miller Gardens that sit between train tracks and play giant Jenga or checkers and admire the statues and flowers. The Choo Choo Hotel has a comedy club with tickets as low as $15 per person, and Station Street lined with bars for an epic night out (especially with the open container laws, allowing you to take your drink out of the bar with you).

Location: 1400 Market St.

5. Dance Your Way Through Town – free

If you find yourself on the other side of the Tennessee River (maybe by way of the Walnut Street Bridge), head to the North Shore Dance Paving Stones. These art installations look like gold footprints on the ground. But, they are special! If you follow the numbers, they can teach you how to dance! They have everything from the tango to the waltz.

Location: along Frazier Ave.

6. Sculpture Fields at Montague Park – free

If you’re looking for a fun, free activity outdoors, the Sculpture Fields are the perfect spot. Here, you’ll find dozens of sculptures, scattered across Montague Park. These are contemporary creations. Be sure to read the signs to learn more about each piece.

Note that the park doesn’t have much shade, so if it’s a super hot day, come prepared for the weather.

Location: 1800 Polk St.

7. Enjoy the Summer Nightfall Concert Series – free

Summers are for night concerts. I don’t make the rules, that’s just how it works! In Chattanooga, you can catch the Nightfall Concert Series for free each Friday night in the summer at Miller Plaza Pavilion. Besides the free concert, there are food trucks (we loved Johnny Poppers), artists and vendors, and the perfect picnic lawn!

Parking is tight, if not impossible, so park a couple blocks over and walk. Downtown Chattanooga is very small and walkable.

The concert series runs from Memorial Day in May to Labor Day in September, each year.

Location: 850 Market St. (Miller Plaza Pavilion)

8. Listen to more music at Riverfront Nights concert series – free

I told you summers are for night concerts! This Saturday concert series also happens each summer on the Tennessee Riverfront. Two bands perform starting at 7pm. The area has a natural amphitheater so just bring your listening ears and some snacks if you want!

Leashed pets are permitted and there is a concessions booth.

Location: Ross’s Landing near the pier

9. Shop and eat at the Chattanooga Market – free

On Sundays, catch the Chattanooga Market at First Horizon Pavilion. Here you’ll find lots of artists, food vendors, and more. You can shop for soaps, spices, freshly-baked breads, cakes in a cup, jewelry, pottery, flowers, and so much more!

The market starts at 10 am each Sunday.

Location: 1801 Reggie White Blvd.

10. Hike to Glen Falls – free

There are lots of trails around Chattanooga, so you really can take your pick. If you’re looking for a recommendation though, Glen Falls was lovely. There’s a wooden bridge to take you over a waterfall, plus a stone archway/cave.

It’s a 2.3-mile out and back trail, but you can shorten it to only 0.4 miles and still see some falls.

Parking is known to be a challenge as the trailhead is on the side of the main Lookout Mountain road. There is a pull off where people park and it can fit about 6 cars. I recommend getting there early around 9-10 am for the best chances at finding parking. We did this on a summer Saturday and were the first ones there.

Location: Glen Falls Trailhead, Ochs Highway

11. Try a Chattanooga MoonPie – 50¢

In 1902 the Chattanooga Bakery was founded and in 1917, after catering to local miners’ wishes for a filling, fast snack, Earl Mitchell Sr. created the first MoonPie! They became known as the working man’s lunch and the brand expanded quickly. Try a signature MoonPie at the MoonPie General Store in downtown Chattanooga to taste a bit of history!

For the ultimate experience, have a Moon Pie and RC Cola. You can also assemble your own 6-pack of Moon Pie flavors (like chocolate, vanilla, mint, pumpkin, and strawberry).

Location: 429 Broad St

12. Indulge at Clumpie’s Ice Cream Co. – $4

If you’re looking for ice cream in Chattanooga, it has to be Clumpie’s Ice Cream Co! With multiple locations throughout the city and ice cream trucks that pop up at local events, it’s hard to miss.

They have some stellar flavors like chocolate chocolate chunk, strawberry basil, and campfire (a s’mores flavor).

Location: 26 Frazier Ave. (original location)

13. Sample a local favorite at Niedlov’s Bakery – $5

There’s one spot in Chattanooga that supplies almost all the bread to the surrounding restaurants and that’s Niedlov’s Bakery. Not only do they serve breakfast, but you have to try one of their incredible pastries like a mocha cruffin and their bread. They bake different types of breads each day, so they’re most fresh on that specific day. Still, they’re available every day. I would go with their pepper cheddar sourdough!

Location: 215 E Main St.

14. Rent Bikes and Tour the City – $8 daily per person

What better way to see Chattanooga than by biking. There are numerous pathways along the river and through downtown. Bike sharing is a great, affordable thing to do in Chattanooga since it only costs $8 for a daily pass. With this pass, you get unlimited 60-minute (or less) trips for 24 hours.

15. Sample Local Brews – $10

Chattanooga, TN is no stranger to craft breweries. While I don’t love beer, my boyfriend does, so we always try to make it to local breweries. We definitely lucked out with the craft breweries in Athens, GA (where we currently live). In Chattanooga, here are a few to try….take your pick!

• Chattanooga Brewing Co. at 1804 Chestnut St
• Hutton & Smith Brewing Co. at 431 E M.L. King Blvd #120
• Oddstory Brewing Co. at 1604 Central Ave.
• Naked River Brewing (& BBQ) at 1791 Reggie White Blvd.
• Wanderlinger Brewing Co. at 1208 King St.
• Heaven & Ale Brewing Co. at 300 Cherokee Blvd. #101
• Mad Knight Brewing Co. at 4015 Tennessee Ave. (in the basement)

16. Catch a movie at Tivoli Theatre – $12 per person

The Tivoli Theatre opened in 1921 and the architecture is unmatched! The interior appears as a 1920’s movie palace with grand ceilings, chandeliers, and gold accents, dripping with elegance. There are many shows that you can see at the Trivoli Theatre, but for an inexpensive option, see a classic movie for only $12 a person. This summer they showed Back to the Future and Jurassic Park.

Location: 709 Broad St.

17. Check out historic cars at the Coker Museum – $12 per person

This unassuming museum is quite incredible with over 100 vintage cars, motorcycles, and even 3 planes! You can see an old Model T, historic tour bus, fire engine, and even racing cars.

Don’t miss the windows that look into the restoration area.

Location: 1309 Chestnut St.

18. Make Some Friends at a Cat Lounge – $15 per person

The Naughty Cat Café is a cat café/lounge where for $15 per person per hour, you can visit with cats and enjoy a beer and pastries. The admission comes with a complementary, non-alcoholic drink. Walk-ins are welcome but reservations are recommended (especially on the weekends). If I didn’t have intense allergies to cats, I would love to do this! Who needs the cat cafes in Japan? …there’s some right here!

Location: 3742 Tennessee Ave., Suite 100

19. Ride the Incline Railway – $15 per person

Also known as “America’s most amazing mile,” Incline Railway is a funicular railway that travels up Lookout Mountain at a 72.7% incline. It was developed over 125 years ago! The views from Incline Railway are beautiful! Tickets are $15 per person round trip and the railway cars are newly designed to be ADA friendly.

Location:         3917 St. Elmo Ave (bottom)

827 East Brow Rd (top)

20. Go Chasing Waterfalls at Lula Lake Land Trust – $15 per car

The main reason we even went to Chattanooga was because we had exclusive tickets for the Lula Lake Land Trust located only 20 minutes away at Lookout Mountain. This is a privately owned area has miles of hiking trails, two waterfalls, a lookout, and an emerald pool. You absolutely need to get tickets in advance online. They are $15 per car and can only be reserved for the first and last weekend of each month. They do sell out quickly and do not permit walk-ups.

But, if you can get tickets, the area is pristine. The views are incredible and the falls are huge! We packed a lunch in my favorite camera backpack and ate at the falls. Most of the trails are easy to moderate, but there is one trail that is strenuous and requires some pioneer spirit. There is one part where you even have to repel down (or climb up) a steep incline with a rope that’s tied to a tree!

You can spend the whole day here, and with the admission price covering everyone in your car, it’s hard to beat!

Don’t forget your water bottle, sunscreen, and insect repellent (or my favorite citronella soaked bracelets…I didn’t get a single bug bite with only one of these on my ankle).

Location: 5000 Lula Lake Rd., Lookout Mountain, GA

Also nearby is a family-friendly outdoorsy spot, Rock City, where you can see a man-made waterfall and walk to a viewpoint where you can see 7 states! Admission is around $26 though.

21. Unleash Your Wild Side at the Chattanooga Zoo – $15 per person (or $13 online)

With 7 different exhibits for various ecosystems, you’re sure to have a great day spotting your favorite animals! The Chattanooga Zoo has giraffes, African birds, chimpanzees, jaguars, spider monkeys, komodo dragons, meerkats, bobcats, alpaca, snow leopard and more!

Save some money by purchasing your tickets online ahead of time.

Location: 301 North Holtzclaw Ave.

22. Learn about the paranormal at Chattanooga Ghost Tours – $19.50 per person

Did you know Chattanooga has an intense history of flooding? So much so that the current city was essentially built on top of the old city. And you know what that means…ghosts!

With Chattanooga Ghost Tours, you’ll visit some of the most haunted places around Downtown Chattanooga including The Read House, where a woman was murdered in room 311 and now haunts it, ruins of Chattanooga’s underground city, and the old Coca Cola bottling plant.

Note this tour does have a lot of walking, so wear comfortable shoes and I don’t recommend doing it after a long travel day.

Location: 57 E 5th St.

23. Go on a Moonlight Cruise – $19.95 per person

Flying just under our price cap, this Moonlight Cruise is the perfect romantic date night idea for anyone 21+ years old. The cruise lasts for an hour and a half and on it, you’ll see the sights of the Tennessee River while listening to live music on the third deck of the river cruiser.

Cruises depart from 151 Riverfront Parkway.

24. Pinball Museum – $20 per person

As someone who gets nostalgic for times I didn’t live through (*cough cough…the 70’s and 80’s), spending all day playing arcade games sounds like a dream! The Pinball Museum is a curated collection of playable pinball games from the 1920’s to today! Each machine has informational cards so you can learn about the machines as you play. Admission is $20 per person and comes with unlimited (and come-and-go) play.

Location: 409 Broad St

25. Hunter Museum – $20 for adults (with many discounts)

While the higher admission price might deter you, don’t dismiss it just yet. There are many discounted tickets for the Hunter Museum including educator, student, military, EBT cardholders, and even free tickets (if booked online) for children and teens 17 years old and younger.

So what is the Hunter Museum? It’s a collection of American art from the 1700’s to today. They have some incredible exhibits including some on denim, effects of wartime trauma, female artists, and more! The architecture of the museum is an art piece in and of itself as well. It’s worth a visit.

Location: 10 Bluff View

26. Hit the outdoors at Outdoor Chattanooga – $10+ for adults

Chattanooga is an outdoor-lovers paradise with so many incredible activities. Aside from biking (number 14 on this list), Outdoor Chattanooga facilitates outdoor exploration and activities like kayaking, canoeing, cave tours, skateboarding, and even naturalist field trips.

Prices vary by activity, but many are free! Biking is typically $10 for the rental equipment and kayaking is around $35. They do offer assistance programs, so definitely don’t count them out if you want to participate, but cannot afford the cost.

Location: 200 River St.

27. Shop for local goods from Locals Only — $ varies by item

On Frazier Ave. in Chattanooga’s Northshore, you’ll find a shop called Locals Only, which sells goods from local artists. As you wander the store, you’ll see little signs sharing info on each artisan. It’s a fantastic shop to buy a meaningful souvenir and support the local community while you’re at it!

Location: 10 Frazier Ave.

Touring the Southern U.S.? Check out these posts:

Weekend in Memphis itinerary

100 Epic Things to Do in Georgia

First-timer’s Guide to New Orleans, Louisiana

Ultimate Guide to Jekyll Island

Weekend Getaway Guide to Helen, Georgia

How to Plan a Family Trip to Walt Disney World

Places to visit this summer in the US

Things to do in Clarksville TN

What to do in Knoxville, TN
How to spend a weekend in Johnson City, TN

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