Chattanooga TN

[AJS211]

Hello everyone,

I have never been to this area and wondering if anyone is familiar and if anyone has campground suggestions. Is there a lot to do in the area.? Thank you for any input.

[jaycocamprs]

dedmiston wrote:
and none of the locals want you to know about it.

I've never been there and have no frame of reference, but I loved this man's description of it.

At least for me I just don't care. I've lived here for 50 years and been to most of the tourist stuff once or twice. But it's not like the beach or Disney that you just want to go back to real soon, so most of the locals don't go very often, or ever.
Traffic sucks as has been mentioned. And when schools out it's worse, Monday, Thursday, and especially Friday worse still. And it's not going to get better for some time. Can you get off the interstate and be in a bad area? Yes, but Chattanooga isn't alone in that.
Come on down, see some fish and ride a train. Hike to a water fall or float down a river. Eat something different(that chain stuff is the same @#$% you get at home).

Dave in TN wrote:
I'd also recommend the Holiday Trav-L park. If you want some Italian food, check out Provino's near the interchange of 24 and 75.

Just go to Portofinos at Mack Smith & Ringgold Road. Just as good, and no waiting.

[Retired_JSO]

Cloudland canyon state park on the south end of Lookout Mountain GA. Drive the ridge road to Rock City and Ruby Falls and don’t miss the best Aquarium east of the Mississippi. Puts Atlanta Aquarium to shame. Lots of Civil War History close by too.

[wxtoad]

My recommendation is Chester Frost County Park, about 15 miles northeast of Chattanooga.

[jbc28]

AJS211 wrote:
Hello everyone,

I have never been to this area and wondering if anyone is familiar and if anyone has campground suggestions. Is there a lot to do in the area.? Thank you for any input.

We love Chattanooga. It is a frequent day trip for us. The aquarium is very nice. Lots of good restaurants and bars downtown. We like Urban Stack for a good burger then walk across the street to Clumpies for ice cream, keep walking on down the sidewalk and you can do some whisky tasting.

A ranger led tour of the battlefield is a must do IMO, the inclined railway, Rock City are nice too. Not too far from Chattanooga is the Ocoee River/Olympic Whitewater Center and some great whitewater rafting, hiking, and mtnbiking.

[Dave_in_TN]

CFerguson wrote:


Just stay off the interstates at afternoon rush hour. Not as bad/long as say LA or Houston, but its pretty intense in places. !

I have often told people that I'd rather drive through Atlanta than Chattanooga. Yes, Atlanta has a ton of traffic and gets clogged up, but I-24 through Chatt can be a white knuckle experience. The road wasn't designed for the traffic it now gets and hasn't been expanded in key areas. Between being wedged between the river and the mountain, then winding up Missionary Ridge to join 75... it's just not fun.

Besides that, I love the city. Definitely see the aquarium. I'd also recommend the Holiday Trav-L park. If you want some Italian food, check out Provino's near the interchange of 24 and 75.

[wiskeyVI]

Traveling through the area, I've stayed at the Camping World park.
There is an aquarium in Chattanooga that is OUTSTANDING.

[CFerguson]

dedmiston wrote:
I was listening to a podcast on my drive home yesterday and the person being interviewed was a security expert born in Tijuana. He was talking about his travels through the US giving presentations on security and cartels and he mentioned his visit to Chattanooga. He couldn't have been more in love with the place. He called it "Wakanda for white people". Just like the mythological African hidden world of Wakanda from the Marvel universe, he described Chattanooga as the most amazing place on earth, and none of the locals want you to know about it.

I've never been there and have no frame of reference, but I loved this man's description of it.

Just stay off the interstates at afternoon rush hour. Not as bad/long as say LA or Houston, but its pretty intense in places.
Also be very careful if you choose to attend a downtown 'festival' that they periodically have. Gang-related shootings seem to occur at these about once a year.

Don't forget to visit the Moon Pie store!

[dedmiston]

I was listening to a podcast on my drive home yesterday and the person being interviewed was a security expert born in Tijuana. He was talking about his travels through the US giving presentations on security and cartels and he mentioned his visit to Chattanooga. He couldn't have been more in love with the place. He called it "Wakanda for white people". Just like the mythological African hidden world of Wakanda from the Marvel universe, he described Chattanooga as the most amazing place on earth, and none of the locals want you to know about it.

I've never been there and have no frame of reference, but I loved this man's description of it.

[rr2254545]

dennis1949 wrote:
That is a easy choice on where to stay. Holiday Travel Park. Have stayed there many times and will stay there again.

x3 Wonderful park - we stayed there for a week in April 2017

[dennis1949]

That is a easy choice on where to stay. Holiday Travel Park. Have stayed there many times and will stay there again.

[Piddlers]

Raccoon Mountain - We were in the area and did a "drive through" of the campground. We were not impressed. Maybe for an over-nighter but I would not stay there for an extended stay or vacation. It was just not our kind of campground and like mleekamp stated, it just seemed more like a trailer park and a low budget one at that.

[DownTheAvenue]

I Googled, "Things to do in Chattanooga" and found more reading and ideas than I can easily post here. I suggest you do the same. That way YOU can decide what interests YOU."

[mleekamp]

Sorry for 2nd posting, but forgot to mention Chickamunga Civil War battlefield just a few miles away. Worth a visit.

[mleekamp]

We've used 2 in the area: Raccoon Mtn Campground. Our thoughts: Thought it has a cave, go-carts, and some nice views, it is filled with permanent campers so expect fridges, porches, and general junk around the campground. Not a bad place, but cramped and feels more like a trailer park.

Holiday Inn Travel Park -- while Raccoon Mtn is on the north side of Chattanooga, Holiday is on the south side, literally just over the border into Georgia. Don't worry...you are still in Chattanooga. We love this place...long wide pull thrus, and next to a civil war cemetery. Costs more, but we liked it more. We stay at this one about once per year on way to Florida.

Things to do in area: Rock City, Lookout Mountain. Spend a day here...it's worth it! Ruby Falls, a cave, and more in that one area. Chattanooga Choo Choo hotel downtown. Worth a visit! Train yard in back with historical trains. Lobby is nice, and a nice restaurant inside. There is more, but these to us are the highlights.

Have fun!