Chill Weekend in Chattanooga
Goals of Trip:
Sleep in!
Relax, intentionally create time dedicated to “doing nothing” (reading, playing board games, and wandering without the rigors of a tight schedule)
Enjoy staying in a beautifully modern cabin with peaceful forest views.
Keywords: Chill, Forest, Easygoing
Time visited: Early Spring (February)
Don’t forget to pack:
Breakfast Items for having relaxed morning meals at our Airbnb (creamer, coffee, biscuits eggs, bacon, yogurt, fruit)
Snacks (for the road!)
Cooler (for drinks and breakfast items)
Yoga mat, blocks, and strap
Books, magazines
Board games (We brought Sushi Go and The Couples Game)
Travel & Accommodations:
It is possible to maximize walkability by staying downtown at the fabulous Edwin hotel or any other downtown hotel, but we were on a quest for a more peaceful and quiet experience. We rented a modern cabin Airbnb located 30 minutes outside of Chattanooga and the serene views of pines along with the sleek lines of the house were exactly what we were looking for.
Saturday – Day 1
2pm Drove straight to Brewhaus and enjoyed lunch of German food, cider, and beer on a shaded patio. The sun was shining, the pretzels were savory, and the pork schnitzel with potato cakes was divinely filling. Mid-afternoon timing allowed us to grab a seat immediately without waiting.
I devoured the pork schnitzel with mushroom gravy, potato cakes, and vinegar slaw – portions were generous and I was able to enjoy the leftovers later. My partner enjoyed the sausage plate and we shared the pretzel with various mustards.
4pm Walked across the pedestrian bridge and up and down the river walkway in Coolidge Park – there is a fun carousel, smooth walking path, and open grassy areas for frisbee throwing and dogs to play.
Stopped in to browse at Winder Binder bookstore, they carry new releases, classics, rare books, records, and more!
5:30pm Boba at Kung Fu Tea – this timing also allowed us to obtain our preferred boba orders without too much of a wait. Taro bubble tea 25% sweet for me!
6:30pm Drove to Airbnb, checked in and got settled
Played some board games, read books and magazines, and admired our tranquil surroundings.
Sunday – Day 2
10am Enjoyed sleeping in! Enjoyed a simple breakfast of biscuits, bacon, eggs, and apples before heading to the Hunter Museum of American Art – a very large museum and extremely thoughtfully curated.
1pm At the Hunter Museum, they acknowledge gaps in representation and encourage open dialogue about inequalities.
Dance Staff by Preston Singletary
It is architecturally interesting how they combined 2 new buildings with the original mansion that housed the museum. The experience of stark contrast in building design as you walk through is unique.
5pm Special Occasion Dinner at Zaya 1943 Korean Steakhouse
Think KBBQ but extremely upscale – the entire suite is purposeful in design, with a 2 store meat aging room on full display as soon as you walk in. It looks like an elevator that’s full of meat being gently aged. Dramatic red backlighting and beautifully prepared banchan and drinks set the mood immediately.
We chose the butcher’s feast, which seemed to be a menu favorite and fully appreciated the experience. All of the meats were lip-smackingly delicious, and the banchan added the perfect vinegary kick (or sweetness!) to cut through the fattiness of the meats.
I can understand why some reviewers have gone back to this place 2 days in a row. Can’t wait to bring my family here and visit again – a new must-do for us in Chatt!
Monday – Day 3
Modest breakfast, sipped coffee and admired our view for a final morning. Packed, showered and checked out of the Airbnb.
11am Headed over to The Tennessee Aquarium with timed entry tickets for 11am.
I. Will. Never. Go to this aquarium on a weekend ever again – it was almost entirely empty for most of our visit and we did not feel rushed. No one pushing you or jostling you for a view of the giant sea turtle or the sharks… No queues.
This aquarium is so thoughtfully designed – I love that you get to see gigantic tanks from so many different angles
Appreciate their efforts and exhibits advocating for reducing single waste plastics and conservation on multiple levels. There is a River building and an Ocean building and it is my preference to do the River building first before going on to the more colorful and mind-boggling Ocean bulding. We spent at least an hour in the River Journey, then decided we needed caffeine.
1pm Coffee and Lunch at Rembrandt’s
A complete staple, I remember this place fondly from our college days and they still produce consistently excellent coffee, pastries, and sandwiches to this day – we sampled them all of course! I chose a chicken salad on croissant with an iced oat milk latte to go and we split a chocolate éclair and a lemon bar. We dined outside on the patio area, which is drenched in grape vines in summertime and had gentle sunlight and breezes on this spring day.
2pm We returned to finish out our aquarium visit at the Ocean Journey building – the experience begins on the top floor with tropical vibes including exhibits featuring lemurs, psychedelically spotted rays, and a butterfly room before descending to the penguins and beyond.
The final stretch of the ocean journey is breathtaking as you walk over, under, and around the sea creatures you have been admiring – you truly feel like you are under the sea!
