I am a walker. I love to get out with a coffee, hot or iced, and explore the Scenic City. That’s actually one of the things that drew us to move here. We would often take day trips here and I would find myself hitting my Fitbit goal well before lunch! Coming from a rural area, there were only a handful of places to walk and they weren’t very scenic, and you would probably see the same 20 people there every time.
I don’t mind a mild hike, but you won’t catch me backpacking overnight or peeing in the woods for that matter. So, I tend to stick to the beaten path and since I have fairly young children, I find it easier to stick to flat land. After our walk today, I thought about sharing some of the best family friendly walks my family and I enjoy in Chattanooga. These are perfect for the non-hikers and those not so avid nature lovers.
- The Walnut Street Bridge obviously hits the top of the list. One of the most iconic places in the city, the bridge is a great walk to do with the kiddos and fur babies. We generally park on the Northshore side, walk across to the Ice Cream Show and then walk back. We have even brought scooters for this, but my youngest wasn’t very good at navigating traffic so we usually leave them behind. And don’t forget a soccer ball to kick around Coolidge Park.
- The Bluff View Art District. I always start at the Art Museum, by the Ice Cream Show and we usually walk this right after we hit the Walnut Street Bridge if the kids seem to be doing well and we have the time. We head to Rembrandts, for a sweet treat and coffee, then take a stroll around the River Gallery Sculpture Garden all while taking in the sights of the River and downtown Chattanooga.
- The Riverwalk. If you continue along past the Bluff View Art District, you’ll find yourself along the roughly 13-mile long Riverwalk. There are many parking spots and entrance points along this span, but we tend to start at the end closest to the art district. The trick here is to turn around and head back to the car BEFORE the kids hit their limit. We learned that the hard way. But there are gorgeous homes to admire in the amazing Battery Place neighborhood and then a great river view.
- The Riverwalk Part 2. Since the Riverwalk is so long, I really view it as a whole different adventure to start from the Chickamauga Dam side. I feel like there are more playgrounds on this side and it has the Riverpoint Park which has a bug themed play walk that the kids LOVE.
- Downtown! I love the vibe of downtown, especially on a nice weather Saturday. Flat and full of some trendy restaurants and shops, you can spend all day walking and still not see everything. We love parking and walking to the Children’s Discovery Museum, Highpoint Climbing, the Tennessee Aquarium and sometimes we check out what’s happening at River Pier. The traffic can give me a bit of anxiety, so if you have toddlers, I highly suggest bringing a stroller.
There are so many places in our wonderful city to explore! Which is your favorite place to walk?
