May visit Chattanooga next month, free and cheap things to do? (Kingsport: coupons, hotels)

[danielintn]

I may be visiting Chattanooga next month just for a weekend get away. I'm on a very tight budget and would like suggestions on inexpensive things to do down there. Free is the best but I do want to see the city a bit! I've never been to Chat but I'm not that far from it as I live up in the Kingsport, TN area. If I come I will be leaving on a Saturday and spending Saturday night there and coming back sometime Sunday so its just going to be a very short trip. However since it's not far from me I will have pretty much two full days to see the area a bit.

One is hotel stay I want something cheap but I don't want a flea bag place or something in a sketchy area. I've found a Mictrol Inn thats listed in being very close to Hamilton Mall which apparently according to the site has a decent amount of things nearby. I've considered staying here the price is good and it seems to be near a lot. Reviews of it online seem to be decent but not great. I'm somewhat interested in the aquarium as I've heard its one of the areas most popular attractions but I wonder if its any good and worth the money and time.

I'd also like some suggestions on places to eat and drink. I'd ideally love to find some cool places to eat and hang out at that are local although I'm not opposed to chains. Chains however seem to drown out that local vibe and appeal that I want to experience. I'm open to art, outdoor things such as parks etc... I'm really just looking for things and to see a bit of the area and culture that your area has to offer.

Thanks you for the suggestions!

[SPLIT]

DAN.: For a very limited one day budget I would suggest the RiverFront / pedestrian bridge bike paths.. Try to bring a small bike or Folding bike on your trip .. Can still view the vendors in front of the Aquarium Sat afternoon & use the gift shops... Go North a short way on the bike path . & OVER the bridge to North shore.... eating at the GREEN Life market ,outdoor tables.

The city has the FREE Electric buses to south side Choo- Choo & walk the Main street area. . Kids of ALL ages soak their feet in the ripple stream at
the Aquarium & down the PASSAGE Steps to the BIG Cannons spray.

[RiverView]

SPLIT's suggestions are spot on . The hotel you are considering is 20 minutes out of downtown. It's located in the "Mall" area and the traffic can wear on you. The "things to do" are all pretty much downtown. You could check out some of the newer hotels in Hixson and Tiftonia. Those would put you closer to downtown and a much less rushed pace.

[danielintn]

I can live with a little bit of traffic and noise as long as it's in a safe area. Which the reviews online of the hotel seem to be fine it's just a sparse hotel with no extras which is fine as I'm just spending ONE night in the hotel. I found out I can get a double bed standard room there with taxes and all fees for $70 a night, this is very reasonable.

I've been checking out tripadvisor.com for low cost and free things to do. Walnut street bridge and the TN riverpark look quite nice and have high ratings on the site. Coolidge Park looks interesting as well. Rock city and lookout mountain look nice but honestly I'm terrified of heights so I'd rather avoid hiking trails and such that are have high elevations.

[bravissima82]

We actually stayed at the Microtel during our trip at the beginning of May. It was fine (and there were coupons for it in the Chattanooga Area Guide magazine, I don't think we paid more than $50) They were building another hotel next door so there was some construction noise.

It will be close to the mall and everything, like someone said you won't be close to downtown but it's not that long of a drive.

The Hunter Art museum is free on the first Sunday of the month. The aquarium looked awesome, but not cheap, we ended up skipping it and just walking around, across the bridge and around downtown. We went to the Chattanooga visitors center which was just down the street from the aquarium and the guy gave us tons of brochures and told us all the cool stuff to do and good places to eat.

[bravissima82]

They also had some kind of shuttle bus thing that went around town... you could get on it right outside the visitor's center. We didn't end up riding it, but we had a good time just walking across the bridge and looking at the scenery, and the sculpture garden outside the art museum, and then looked at the art museum once they opened at noon.

[SPLIT]

Dan , Others,: If you are a single visitor , you may want to save money with
this new facitity on the south side called the CRASH PAD Hostel..
Affordable Boutique Hostel | Hotel in Chattanooga | The Crash Pad .. Common area , then a dorm
single cubby bed.. Some of the rock climbers, or bike riders gather here & have common sports interest.

The outside walls of the AQUARIUM have 53 , raised 3-D story picture tiles on the parimeter.. Showing a event or outdoor scene common to Eastern Tenn. We have one of these 53 page BOOKS from the gift shop. Can sample their food court & music, with out buying a admission ticket. . Just another
comment. Here is a pic of one of these MURAL stories.
............

[SPLIT]

Meant to add to post above the gift shop book is historic at $ 2 , called
"RIVER SCENES ".

[Nonlocal]

Stay at the La Quinta on the south side. Enjoy W. Main St. Explore the riverfront (Ross's Landing, Walnut St. Bridge, Coolidge/Renaissance Park). If you can, just park for free up on Walnut St. near the bridge and explore in any direction from there. The Hunter Art Museum is fairly cheap (and free on the first Sunday of every month), if that's your thing. If you want to go swimming, the beach at Hamilton County Riverpark (right off of 153 by the dam) or Chester Frost Park in Hixson are both popular options for free. Driving up Lookout Mountain and enjoying the views from Point Park will only cost you a couple dollars. Also, the Chattanooga Market (outside of TN Aquarium on Saturdays, First Tennessee Pavilion on Sundays) is a must--the Sunday one if you can. Also, if you make it in on Friday night, you can enjoy Nightfall (free music) at Miller Plaza downtown in the evening. Google any of these ideas for more info.

If you like Mexican food, try Taqueira off of W. Main St. or Taco Roc at Shallowford Rd. & Lee Highway. If you like asian food, try Rice Boxx on Hixson Pike or Formosa on Highway 153 near Hixson. If you like a good burger, try Nikki's Drive-In on Cherokee Boulevard. If you like BBQ, I'm not an expert, but Purple Daisy down into St. Elmo is pretty good. For cafes/delis, try Joe Friday's on Houston St. or Sweet Peppers Deli on Market. For the best fried chicken in town, Champy's on MLK is a must. For the best pizza, try Lupi's (downtown and off Hixson Pike in Hixson). For a more unique experience, Aretha Frankestein's in North Chatt. or Yellow Deli near UTC are both worth a try. Those are some of our favorites, but there are certainly others out there that have great reviews as well, including City Cafe, River Street Deli. There's no shortage of good places to eat around town, and I'm sure I've missed a few. Every place I've mentioned here is reasonably affordable (we're always on a budget). I can recommend a few other more upscale places as well if you would like, but trying to go with your theme of staying cheap.

Good luck and enjoy.

[Nonlocal]

Originally Posted by danielintn

Rock city and lookout mountain look nice but honestly I'm terrified of heights so I'd rather avoid hiking trails and such that are have high elevations.

$$$. The following are all touristy and priced accordingly: Rock City, Ruby Falls, TN Aquarium, Incline Railway, and any river tour. Out of those, I personally think the TN Aquarium is worth it if you have an interest in it and have never been, and Rock City is unique, but all of them are overpriced.