Kate from A Thought and a Half is a girl after my own heart. She loves the South and she also loves food and cooking. We both work in similar fields, too — writing! So, it was a no-brainer to have her do a guest post here and show us around Chattanooga, where she lives.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m a foodie, writer, recovering podcast host, cat mom, owner of A Thought & a Half, a Southern food & lifestyle blog, and most importantly, I’m a Southern girl through and through. By day, I’m a writer for a marketing agency, working mostly with entrepreneurs, small business owners, and nonprofits.
How long have you lived in Chattanooga, and how does it differ from where you previously lived?
I moved to Chattanooga in July of 2015 for my job. I’d visited the city a few times in my younger years, but hadn’t been in more than a decade when I accepted my job offer. I’ve been here for five years now and I’ve fallen more in love with it each year! I have a whole section of my website devoted to my city and everything that makes it great: food, things to do, travel guides, and more.
I moved around a lot growing up—North Carolina, Georgia, and Pennsylvania, all before college. Then I went to college in Virginia, grad school back in North Carolina, and then Chattanooga after I graduated. Chattanooga definitely has a slower pace of life than other places, especially metro Atlanta. Traffic is not overwhelming. And the people are SO NICE. Making friends as an adult isn’t easy, especially in a new city. But I never felt like I couldn’t meet people my age with similar interests, or discover some new interests myself!
What do you like best about living there?
I really enjoy the pace of life here. Chattanooga has just about everything a big city has (except the traffic), and it isn’t overcrowded or hard to navigate. The Greater Chattanooga area is under 1 million people, so sometimes it feels small, but not too small! We have seasons, too, and sometimes we even get a few inches of snow.
Chattanooga is a very convenient city. It’s easy to get to where you need to be. If you need a break for city or suburban life, there are gorgeous hiking trails as little as 10 minutes away. Fall is BEAUTIFUL here. Plus, we have the Tennessee River, which runs right through downtown. In fact, Chattanooga has been voted Best Town Ever twice since I’ve lived here!
What area would you recommend people stay in? Any certain hotels?
Staying in Downtown or Southside would be the most convenient to almost anything a tourist or visitor would want to do. There are several “boutique” hotels in the city, and plenty of AirBnBs. If you want a different lodging experience, check out The Crash Pad hostel on the Southside!
What are your favorite restaurants in Chattanooga?
How much time do we have? So many… my go-to restaurants are: Bleu Fox Cheese Shop, STIR, Feed Co Table & Tavern, Taqueria Jalisco, and Public House. Dub’s Place is a little off the beaten path, but they’re my favorite burgers in town.
For drinks, I love Unknown Caller. It’s a speakeasy style bar with killer cocktails. Whiskey Thief at The Edwin Hotel has an amazing upper patio that overlooks the River.
For the sweet stuff, you can’t beat Clumpies Ice Cream. Their seasonal flavors are just as amazing as their regulars. The Hot Chocolatier has lots of truffles, cakes, and other delicious treats. Cupcake Kitchen is also super fun!
Where are your favorite outdoor spots?
Again, there are so many, but these are my favorites:
North Chickamauga Blue Hole is about 25 minutes north of Downtown. It’s got some great swimming holes!
Foster Falls is a little further out in Sequatchie, but let me tell you, that waterfall is worth the trip.
Lula Lake Land Trust is a really neat place, too. There are different hiking options based on your preferences. It is a land trust, though, so you have to make a reservation before you go.
How about if the weather is bad – what indoor places do you enjoy?
Chattanooga is home to about a dozen craft breweries, so a little brewery hop is fun on rainy days (with a DD or ride sharing, of course!). The Tennessee Aquarium has been nationally ranked, so definitely add that to your list. They have penguins, otters, and lemurs! The Hunter Museum of American Art is a great option for more artsy visitors. If you’re traveling with kids, check out the Creative Discovery Museum.
If you had visitors coming to town, what’s the first place you would take them?
Probably somewhere to eat! Or if it’s soccer season, a Chattanooga Football Club match at Finley Stadium.
Any favorite shopping areas?
While Chattanooga doesn’t have a true “shopping district” like bigger cities, we do have lots of fun shops in different parts of town! Warehouse Row is a little more upscale and has some nice shops and restaurants. Frazier Avenue on the North Shore has more artsy, unique shops. If you’re into antiquing, check out The Refindery, Insyde Outsyde, or Dirty Jane’s Antiques!
Let’s say you want to get out of town for the day. Where would you go for a short drive’s day trip?
Chattanooga is only a couple hours away from several cities: Atlanta, Huntsville, Birmingham, Knoxville, and Nashville to name a few! North Georgia has some nice wineries, farms, and orchards within an hour or so. If you want to drive a little further, you can hit Asheville and the Smoky Mountains.
Chattanooga is definitely on the top of my list of places I’d like to go once we can safely travel again. I would love to check out Foster Falls and eat at some of those restaurants Kate recommended! Chattanooga truly seems like a southern city that has it all. Thanks to Kate for sharing with us! Be sure to visit her blog for even more details on things to do in Chattanooga.
