Who says you can’t travel with your dog?!? We drove 25+ hours so that our dog could tag along on this EPIC Southeast USA Road Trip and we were met with SO many unique dog-friendly things to do in Chattanooga.
I may have debated moving to Chattanooga…
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Table of Contents
Where is Chattanooga Located?
At just about 2 hours from Nashville and Atlanta, Chattanooga is the perfect adventurous escape for nature-lovers who happen to be traveling with a dog. There were many dog-friendly things to do in and near Chattanooga.
When is the best time to visit?
Chattanooga, TN Weather:
- Winter (Dec-Feb): 52/36
- Spring (March-May): 72/53
- Summer (June-Aug): 86/71
- Fall (Sept-Nov): 72/56
Fall Peak Colors? Colors typically peak from the last week in October to the first week in November, but this will vary from year to year. I monitored the leaves by using this website.
Rain? According to Bestplaces.net Chattanooga averages 51 inches of rain per year (the national average is 38) and 2 inches of snow. The winter months see the most rain.
Dog-Friendly Things to do in Chattanooga:
Okaaayy, our trip to Tennessee was short, but we were able to experience some super cool dog-friendly things to do in Chattanooga. AND I can NOT wait to get back someday!
Walk over the Walnut Street Bridge
The Walnut Street Bridge is one of the world’s largest pedestrian bridges. You will have the best views of the Tennessee River and Chattanooga. Once making it across, you will be greeted with a pet-friendly ice cream shop! The perfect treat after your walk!
Picnic in Coolidge Park
Located in Chattanooga’s North Shore, Coolidge Park is the perfect place to picnic, play a game of soccer, or people watch. It is located right under the Walnut Street Bridge so you can kill two birds with one stone here!
Hint: Parking was available right on the side streets with parking meters.
Stroll the streets of historic downtown Lynchburg
Lynchburg is home to the famous Jack Daniels Distillery. It is a small town of 6,000 people with a HUGE tourist attraction front and center.
Okaaaayy so your dog cannot actually tour the distillery, but they are allowed on the grounds in front of the distillery and on the path to historic downtown Lynchburg.
Once “downtown” you will be met with the distillery’s gift shop, other cute shops, and delicious BBQ. We ate at Barrelhouse BBQ and had a delicious brisket grilled cheese!
Hint: Lynchburg is just over 1.5 hours from Chattanooga.
Go chasing waterfalls
My FAVORITE PART of every trip. Chattanooga was a perfect home- base for all the waterfall chasing. Head to Fall Creek Falls to explore the 56 miles of trails, then down to South Cumberland State Park for equally as beautiful waterfalls.
Insider tip: Some of the waterfalls at these parks are VERY accessible, which leads to larger crowds. Be sure to arrive early to get parking and the best views. You can also take any of the longer trails and be met with complete peace and quiet!
See our One Weekend in Chattanooga for the perfect detailed itinerary!
Explore Magical Rock City
It’s not often that a city’s most popular tourist attraction is also dog-friendly. I am also a bit cautious about expensive tourist attractions. More often than not, I am left disappointed and longing to escape to nature.
Rock City Gardens was an exception! Even with its popularity, the grounds were clean, it was not crowded (we arrived right before closing), and the views were breathtaking!
Read my full guide to visiting Rock City Gardens… you will not be disappointed!
Hunt for Ghost downtown
Chattanooga Ghost Tour Inc. offers a nightly dog-friendly Ghost tour around Downtown Chattanooga. The tours leave at 8:30 pm and you will cover about 1 mile. The guides will share researched ghost stories and history about Chattanooga.
FYI: The tour does go into one building where dogs are not allowed at the moment.
Wine Taste at Look out Winery
A dog-friendly winery?! Sign me up!
Located only 20 miles outside of Chattanooga, Look Out Winery is the perfect place to spend an evening! The server will bring you out a wine tasting menu and allow you to select up to six different wines!
They also serve delicious pizza for a perfect after-hike snack.
Insider tip: Look Out Winery is located between South Cumberland State Park and Chattanooga. Make sure to add it to your waterfall day trip!
Need help planning your PERFECT VACAY? Grab this FREE 15-page Travel Planner!
Grab a bite to eat downtown
There are plenty of downtown Chattanooga patios that are dog-friendly. Butttt again, if you have read any of my other posts, you know I am not a Foodie Traveler. I’m good with whatever food is put in front of me.
We did eat at Basecamp Chattanooga which offered craft beer and tasty eats! It was also within walking distance from the Walnut Street Bridge.
Check out more dog-friendly restaurants in Chattanooga HERE!
Make a Road Trip to Helen, GA
Helen was actually the inspiration for our Southeast Road trip. Chattanooga happened to be a great bonus surprise! Anyways, Helen is a quaint Alpine Village located in the heart of Georgia. It is less than 3 hours from Chattanooga, so it would make a great weekend getaway!
Where to stay on your dog-friendly Chattanooga getaway?
We stayed in this charming B&B. You will have your own private bedroom, but share a bathroom with one other room (if they are full). The hosts provided a DELICIOUS homemade breakfast each morning and additional snacks. The best part was a completely dog-friendly stay near Chattanooga.
Other pet-friendly hotels/stays near Chattanooga:
Booking.comTip! Make sure to use the “Pet-friendly” filter when searching on Booking.com!
As you can see there were many unique dog-friendly things to do in Chattanooga. Do you know of another great dog-friendly destination in the USA? I’d love to hear them below!
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