It’s cold, the weather has been rainy, and I’m dreaming of the beach and sunnier days—gotta love the end of January, right?

Hi, intern Brianna here. 👋 Since we can’t go swimming or bask in the sun right now, I've been thinking about what to do during the dreariest of days in Chattanooga, and honestly—there’s some great stuff out there. If you’re bored + looking to do something without having to wear 3 coats and a rain jacket, read on.👇

Take a fun class

Chattanooga has dozens of exciting classes, so take advantage of your next rainy day and learn something new! Try a cooking class at Sweet & Savory, paint while drinking wine at Painting with a Twist, or take one of the many interesting classes offered at The Chattery + TakeClassy. If you’re hoping to let out some energy, try taking a dance class at Dance Tonight Chattanooga.

Go indoor climbing

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Let’s face it, sometimes it’s just too cold (or rainy, or windy… you get the drift) to participate in outdoor activities for even the bravest among us. If the outdoors is unwilling to cooperate but you’re itching for adventure, try climbing at High Point. The climbing gym has beginner-friendly walls, a kid zone, a top-roping room, bouldering areas + more.

Bonus: Keep an eye out for Synergy Climbing + Ninja opening on the Southside soon. 👀

Get your adrenaline pumping

Being inside doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t go crazy. If it’s the third rainy day of the week for the third week in a row (a definite possibility here) and you just need some way to get that adrenaline rush, try jumping around at DEFY Chattanooga trampoline park or playing indoor dart tag + airsoft at Insane.

Throw some axes

Head to Civil Axe Throwing or Valkyrie Axe Throwing for fun, friends, and an excellent way to let out any pent-up frustration. (Bonus: Valkyrie also has a bar, so grab a beer while you’re there and get throwing!)

Visit the Tennessee Aquarium

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Yes, this one is an obvious choice, but with the half-priced admission that the Aquarium is offering to college students, faculty + scouts from Feb. 1-29, we couldn’t leave it out of this list. Plus, the aquarium always has something new to discover (like their new “Turtles of the World” Gallery that’s opening in March).

Tour the Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery

Take a tour + go whiskey tasting at Chattanooga Whiskey’s Experimental Distillery. If you’d rather take the drink and leave out the tour, visit their Whiskey Cocktail Lounge for a flight of experimental whiskeys or a specialty craft cocktail.

See a show at the Tivoli Theatre

The Tivoli Theatre probably has more going on than you think, so check out some of the awesome shows going on for those days when the outdoors are unbearable. (Drew & Ellie Holcomb, Blue Man Group + Michael Carbonaro are just a few of the names

you’ll see coming to the Tivoli in Feb.)

Walk the Hunter Museum + have coffee at Rembrandt’s

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The Hunter Museum’s breathtaking art can keep you entertained for hours, especially since the museum has traveling exhibits visit often. After you spend some time walking the museum, you can stop by Rembrandt’s for coffee or tea to keep you warm (or just to grab a delicious pastry snack).

Head to the arcade

Go back to the good ole days and head to an arcade for your next indoor adventure. For the grown-up kids out there, the Coin-op Arcade is the perfect place to grab a drink and show your friends who the champion of Pacman is. For a younger audience, the Classic Arcade Pinball Museum has enough arcade games + pinball machines to ensure that everyone has a great time.

Visit an animal shelter

If the cold weather makes you want to cuddle, go to an animal shelter for copious amounts of furry cuddles + kisses. The Naughty Cat Cafe will give you a chance to caffeinate and meet some of the cutest cats you’ve ever seen. If you just can’t seem to part with the animals after a short meet and greet, McKamey gives you the opportunity to take one of their shelter dogs out for the day for only $5 and a valid ID.

For lots of people, though, the best indoor activities in Chattanooga don’t require lots of thinking or planning. If you’re not one for doing much of anything on Chattanooga’s dreary days, you’re in good company. In fact, NOOGAtoday editor Trista’s response to what her favorite indoor activity is was simply “sitting.”