What is your perfect day in Chattanooga?

Hey, friends. Sean here. 👋 I’ve been a bit obsessed lately with reading through the New York Times’ archive of their 36 Hours series. You know it, right? A writer lands in a strange city and eats, drinks + jams as much fun and culture as they can into a short window.

They featured Chattanooga in 2018 as a part of the series. The author didn’t stray much from the downtown footprint, but they did manage to get in a visit to Rock City, Ruby Falls and sample some hot fish from Uncle Larry’s.

The article inspired me to start thinking about the concept of the perfect Chattanooga day. I have no plans, some money in my pocket and 24-hours to do whatever I want in the city… what would that look like? Where would I eat? What would I do?

My perfect day would 100% involve a visit to River Street Deli, a walk on the Walnut Street Bridge with the wife and pup + a cigar at Burns Tobacconist. Ideally, we could go to a concert at either the Tivoli Theatre or Barking Legs Theater at night. And, because we’re old, the night would end early with a glass of wine on our porch while our dog chews a stick in the yard.

Here’s what I came up for my perfect day in a format that would seem feasible without running out of time or energy. Share yours below:

Early morning

Let’s be honest, the perfect day would most likely involve sleeping late. I’m not ambitious and I like to surface to morning like a whale. Although, if I felt up to it, a crisp sunrise hike at Snooper’s Rock is something I think every Noogan should do at least once.

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Breakfast

There are plenty of breakfast spots in the city, but we like taking guests to The Daily Ration or Syrup and Eggs, the former for an upscale-tasting breakfast in a casual environment (a former gas station), and the latter (only on weekends) a crowd-pleasing feast of whimsy with colorful pancake concoctions and savory bites.

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Morning activity

The sun is out and we’re walking around the city. We park the car on the south side of the Walnut Street Bridge and spend the morning exploring the Tennessee River, Bluff View Art District, Coolidge Park + shopping in North Chattanooga. Plus, you’ll burn off some of those pancake calories. The entire day is gluttony followed by guilty exercise and more excesses.

Lunch

We’re not counting calories on our perfect day. So, River Street Deli it is! Whatever owner Bruce Weiss is offering as the special is what we’ll be having. My wife, Monica, and I love his food so much that we had him cater our wedding. The Sunday special — with prosciutto, arugula, mozzarella, balsamic reduction sauce, fig jam — is heaven on a plate.

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Afternoon

We’ve eaten too much. Our bodies must deflect some energy. So, we’re driving up to Signal Mountain and taking the dog on a hike to Edward’s Point from Rainbow Lake. The round-trip hike is moderate with some great inclines + opportunities to let the dog play in the water. Expect to spend about 2 to 3 hours on the trail. The views are stunning.

Dinner

Now that our appetites are back, we’re heading for dinner + drinks at The Flying Squirrel. My wife is obsessed with their summer water cocktail and they have plenty of whiskey and beer for my tastes. I cannot get over how good the fried chicken is. With new chef Ben Park at the helm, you can expect a ton of interesting flavors coming out of the Flying Squirrel this summer.

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Nightlife

Some people enjoy sports ball games or live theatre, but we’re into concerts. Ideally, it would be an intimate acoustic concert at the Barking Legs Theater or an Americana act at The Walker Theatre. We’ll leave the pounding beats of the clubs to the younger folks. After the show, we’ll finish the night on our porch with a glass of wine for a nightcap.

Your Perfect Day