See Chattanooga: Home Run Spots to Eat and Play

For Tyler Higgins, pro baseball player and fromer pitcher for the Double-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, visiting downtown Chattanooga’s restaurants for a quick bite to eat before or after a game against the Chattanooga Lookouts is “as close to home as I’m gonna get [while traveling with the team].” Higgins, who grew up in Michigan, loves the mom-and-pop feel. “These locally owned places just feel like home—quaint and comfortable,” he says.

But it’s not just the small-town vibe that has Higgins gushing about this city in eastern Tennessee. Here are the top Chattanooga attractions the baseball player loves to visit when in town.

Outdoor adventures rule

Ride the Incline Railway up Lookout Mountain for a gift shop, Civil War points of interest and panoramic views of the Chattanooga Valley.

There are lots of Chattanooga attractions that take advantage of its location in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The town is a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts. One must-do? Head to nearby Lookout Mountain for a hike—so you can see the city from above. Lookout boasts three renowned attractions: the Incline Railway, Ruby Falls and Rock City.

In Rock City, take the self-guided tour up to 1,700 feet above sea level, where you’ll enjoy breathtaking views of Chattanooga, a 100-foot cascading waterfall and the famous, 200-foot-long Swing-A-Long Bridge. Not so sure about the hike? Hop on the Incline Railway, one of the steepest passenger railways in the world, to see the mountains and city by train. Want to be even more mesmerized? Visit Ruby Falls; the 145-foot cascade sits 1,120 feet beneath the peak of Lookout Mountain, and was named one of the 10 most incredible cave waterfalls in the world.

Find uptown food downtown

Chattanooga isn’t often considered a foodie town, but Higgins knows better—there are some seriously fantastic places to eat here. First stop: Main Street Meats. The neighborhood butcher shop houses a restaurant that serves up quite possibly the best burger in town along with creative cocktails, including a spot-on Old-Fashioned. Another option is Easy Bistro, located in the first Coca-Cola bottling plant. The restaurant features a decadent Sunday brunch, with classics like biscuits and gravy alongside more innovative options like a pork belly skillet. Be sure to save room for some Southern staples at Champy’s, which opened in 2009 in Chattanooga. There are now several locations in the South, but this is the original, where owners Seth and Crissy Champion first unveiled their family’s Mississippi Delta recipe for scratch-made fried chicken (which many believe to be the best you’ll find in town).

Sports or songs, there’s no shortage of attractions

At the Tennessee Aquarium, the Jellies: Living Art exhibition features boneless beauties like the large sea nettle.

If Higgins had his way, visitors would take in every game the Jumbo Shrimp and the Lookouts (a Minnesota Twins affiliate in existence since 1930), play at AT&T Field. And for good reason: The stadium overlooks the Tennessee River, and offers views of downtown Chattanooga and the Tennessee Aquarium. It’s a laid-back atmosphere where families and friends can come together and enjoy some good old-fashioned baseball.

If you’re in town in June, the annual Riverbend Festival is a must. This waterfront celebration began as a five-day event in 1982 and has grown into an eight-night music festival featuring nearly 100 artists from a variety of genres. The diverse list of past performers includes Toby Keith, The Flaming Lips, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, Ludacris and Boz Skaggs.

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