The Perfect Weekend Itinerary For A Family Trip To Chattanooga, TN

Are you looking for a quick weekend getaway with plenty to do that is family-friendly? Kidding Around’s Melanie loves the city of Chattanooga, TN, and has shared the weekend Itinerary from one of her trips with readers. There’s so much to see and do in this Tennesee city, but if a weekend is all you have – this is the perfect weekend itinerary to use.

Here’s a great weekend itinerary if you want to enjoy the city as my kids and I did! Chattanooga is such a fun city to visit with kids. There are natural adventures to have, as well as indoor attractions to see. No matter what your family enjoys doing, this weekend itinerary is a great way to spend a weekend away with your family, exploring one of my favorite places in The Volunteer State of Tennesee.

If you’re looking for more things to do in Chattanooga for families, don’t miss our complete Guide To Chattanooga, TN.

We started off our weekend getaway by booking a room at The Read House Hotel. For the details about this historic hotel check out our review of The Read House Hotel. It’s a unique experience all on its own!

Day 1 – Your Weekend Itinerary in Chattanooga, TN

• Check-in at The Read House is at 3 pm. If you are more organized than I am, you can arrange to arrive prior to check-in and do one of the things in our Guide To Chattanooga. This guide includes attractions like The Tennesee Aquarium, Rock City, and more. Be sure to check attractions for ticketed times if you plan on doing something upon arrival to Chatanooga during your weekend getaway.
• Enjoy Dinner from The City Cafe Diner across the street. The front desk has take-out menus you can take to your room. The menu notes that kid’s meals can’t be ordered for anything other than dine-in. We ordered carry-out, so I ordered the spaghetti and meatball entree for my kids and they split it. It was delicious and bites that I stole from them went well with my dinner salad.
• Get a good night’s sleep for all the fun you’ll have on Day 2 during your weekend itinerary.

Day 2 – Your Weekend Itinerary in Chattanooga, TN

• We ran downstairs to the hotel Starbucks to grab breakfast. This can be done in advance through the app, to help prevent you from standing in a line of people during the morning rush.
• Check with the front desk on your way back to the room with breakfast, about The Room 311 tour. If they are conducting them, return after breakfast for the tour.
• Grab the sunblock and head to the neighboring suburb of Soddy-Daisy for some swimming-hole fun. If you bring a picnic lunch you can stay until dinner time splashing in the crystal clear mountain water. Be sure to bring plenty of drinking water!
• Head back to Chattanooga, grabbing dinner from Champy’s Chicken, just a few blocks from the The Read House Hotel. If you like baked beans, you have to order them here! Everything was so delicious, I can’t recall my children eating so much of any kind of chicken! The rooms have mini-fridges so order plenty!
• Go for a swim in the hotel pool before or after you eat. The deepest part of the pool is 4’ so it’s very family-friendly. The waterfall coming out of the wall is the perfect answer to a tired mom’s back. I could have stood under it all day.
• For dessert enjoy a slice of cake from The City Cafe Diner. One slice and four forks is all you’ll need!

Day 3 – Your Weekend Itinerary in Chattanooga, TN

• Checkout is at 11 am, so you could grab Starbucks again and start packing up your room. “Why did we bring so much?” is usually what you’ll hear me muttering in the process of trying to check out on time.
• After successfully checking out from the hotel, head to the Chattanooga Zoo to visit with the animals. This is a smaller zoo, so two hours is enough time to see everything. There is a neighboring park you can explore if time allows.
• After the zoo, everyone will be hungry! Order carry-out from Taco Mamacita then head around the corner to Coolidge Park for a picnic. The park runs along the Tennesee River and includes an interactive fountain for kids to play in, a carousel, and more. If you plan in letting the kids play in the fountain, don’t forget to keep a change of clothes/bathingsuit/towel accesable and not buried away in the suitcase.
• After the park, we grabbed a bathroom break and a gourmet pop at Frios Pops. Here’s a tip, their Cold Brew popsicle had just enough of a caffeine kick to keep me alert on the four-hour drive home.
• A drive up Lookout mountain to see the city is a great way to say “Until Next Time” with a birds eye view. Family photos taken from the peak of Lookout Mountain – Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park will give your family a unique backdrop for souvenier family photos.

An entire week could easily be spent exploring this southern city! But sometimes we just need to getaway, and a weekend is all we have to escape for. I hope this weekend itinerary helps your family squeeze a much-needed getaway into just three days. It’s a great way to make notes of things to enjoy on your next trip, whether it be a week, or another quick weekend itinerary of your own design.

For more information on what the state of Tennesee is doing to keep visitors to the Volunteer state safe, check out The Tennesee Pledge.