In 2021, I documented our move to Chattanooga from NYC. We have now been here a little over a year and have had another baby! Life has moved fast. We still love and truly miss NYC, but have found Chattanooga to be home for us. I looked forward to writing this post all those months ago, so to close my New in Town series, I’d love to share with you a small comparison of the two cities. I know, I know, no one is probably looking for a comparison of the largest, busiest city in the US to the Scenic City, but I hope you enjoy it, and for those still not calling Chatt home, it just might be the encouragement you need to make this small metropolis your new home.
- New York City is very bright. So bright you can’t really see stars most of the time. One of the things my husband and I kept repeating when we moved here was, “it’s so dark.” Over time, we’ve gotten used to this and have enjoyed many stargazing nights here.
- NYC has fabulous city views. From rooftops, restaurant decks, and world-class attractions, the views you get are like none other. I love that we have found different but also amazing views here. Our favorite views so far are from the Incline Railway (top) and even our backyard.
- Chattanooga is known for its hiking and outdoor activities. We have come to enjoy this in ways we didn’t know we would. The outdoor parks, zoo, and attractions are great fun for our family, and we love sharing them with our friends and family when they come to visit.
- Southern hospitality reigns in Chattanooga. After almost 10 years in the City, I forgot how friendly and gracious people in the South are. We had our first son in NYC and our second at Erlanger. The experience was night and day, and it was mostly because nurses, doctors, etc., went out of their way here to help us feel comfortable and cared for it.
- Speaking of hospitality, Chattanooga has offered us so much in the way of community and friendship. This was one of the primary reasons we felt it was time to leave the City, and while we had some really cool friends there, Chattanooga takes the cake! From stroller walks with three moms who had babies the same week I did, to church friends and neighbors who trick-or-treat together, we feel so blessed.
- Because I owe it to you to be real, Chattanooga is losing in the category of food. We have found some cool local spots and are always up for trying new ones. NYC has some of the best food cultures in the nation, in particular, if you are an adventurous eater. We miss our favorite ethnic foods and being able to get foods from around the world delivered to our apartment day and night. We did find an authentic Mexican bakery here, just like one we had in Queens. Check out Gordo’s Bakery if you need a touch of Mexico.
- I love the traffic and even road layouts here in Chattanooga. I feel like I rarely hit traffic, and getting around via 153, 75, and 24 makes living here doable. We miss taking the subway though!
- One of the things we miss most about NYC is living in a walkable city. Walking to stores, restaurants, and friends’ houses was so good for our health but was never any fun when it was raining out. So a win I guess here is that we never “have” to walk in the rain.
- Lastly, NYC and Chattanooga alike have some great parks and playgrounds for our growing family!
