Just minutes away from downtown Chattanooga, you can find a small town named Soddy-Daisy. If the town’s name does not draw you in, then I’m sure the views of the town will capture you, along with the divine southern food, friendly faces, and breathtaking nature scenes.
I have been privileged to call Soddy-Daisy home for over two years now. My husband and I moved from Seattle, WA to settle into Chattanooga. Quickly, we fell in love with the northern end of Hamilton County.
The town is the perfect mixture of urban and rural living. Within minutes, we can be at the local shopping centers or downtown Chattanooga. Also, within minutes we can wander deeply into nature losing track of time or stay a while to linger at the beauty of the lake. Soddy-Daisy is the perfect place to call home and visit, especially for families!
Here are my top 5 reasons you should visit Soddy-Daisy:
Parks
There are five parks, five. That means everyday of the week you could visit a different one to let your child burn that never-ending energy! The Veterans Park has a nice playground, as well as a walking trail you can use with your stroller. The Kids Park (across from the lake) also has a walking trail along with two playgrounds (one is specifically for toddlers and babies), afterwards you could walk over to the lake or to Shufford’s BBQ to grab lunch. One of our favorite parks is Scramble Alley. It has a wooden maze and a large pavilion. Holly Park is also near the water and has plenty of picnic tables to use!
Don’t forget about the Soddy-Daisy Lake. Whether it is sitting to have a picnic, fishing, swimming in the lake, or watching the geese that live there, this is the perfect spot. I’m thankful that I get to ride past it everyday and see its beauty.
Nature Trails
If you are a family who loves to hike or take your dog on a walk, check out the Big Soddy Creek Gulf. It’s an easy hike with beautiful views and a waterfall. There are several spots to have a family picnic too. What family doesn’t love fun and free? There’s also the Blue Hole, which is located at the North Chickamauga Creek Gorge. It’s a short hike perfect for the summer months since you can hang out and splash around in the natural pool afterwards!
Shopping
If you love thrift stores, we got ’em: Here We Go Again Resale Shop, Neighborhood House and the Soddy Thrift Store all have tons of great finds.
Do you love shopping from boutiques? Try out the Cottage Closet and Wild Daisy Boutique (sadly, it is closing this month). Both have the cutest clothes! I actually need to go there, now. My momdrobe needs a serious upgrade from my usual t-shirt and soffe shorts.
Although almost every town has one, I can’t leave out my local Walmart. I despised Walmart before moving to Soddy-Daisy. It was always an unpleasant experience to shop there, but this Walmart has been a game changer! I have been greeted, approached to see if I needed help, rarely wait in line, and asked if someone could assist me to my car to help me unload my cart! Soddy Daisy Walmart has spoiled me and I know it’s thanks to the people that work there.
Restaurants
Southern Food. Southern Food. And MORE Southern Food! Do I need to say more!?
If southern food is what you’re craving head out to Home Folks — a Southern style buffet that is delicious. We have family members who request to go there every time when they come up — it’s good, y’all. The staff has even offered to hold my baby while I ate my food and I totally took them up on it. They were able to get their baby fix and I was able to actually…wait for it…EAT. What is even better is that kids (under 6) eat for FREE and kids (ages 6-10) for $2 on Tuesdays! There’s also Wimpies Country Restaurant. Whatever southern food your heart could desire is found at this place, along with prices to make your budget jump for joy!
Speaking of southern food, if you need a BBQ fix check out Shufford’s BBQ or Andy’s BBQ.
Ready for a date night? Check out Screen Door Cafe, Steve’s Landing Waterfront Grill, Flavors of Italy Italian Restaurant, Delia’s Mexican Restaurant, Merv’s Burgers, and Blue Ribbon Cafe. They have delectable food and the uniqueness of each restaurant will spark great conversation! (Note: these restaurants are family friendly too.)
If you want to surprise your kids with a fun ice cream treat check out Kay’s Kastle (just bring cash!).
Supportive Community
Soddy-Daisy is truly filled with some wonderful people, who make up enhancing organizations. It is definitely one of the top reasons I love this town so much. Local food resources include the Soddy-Daisy food bank, and church food banks like Soddy-Daisy First Baptist Church. If you need direct emergency assistance, check out the Neighborhood House. Around Veteran’s Day each year, a Veteran’s Dinner has been held by the late WV Robinson, who passed away earlier this year. I could go on and on, but there are truly some amazing people who reside here.
If you are a mom in the area, check out the new mom’s group on Facebook, Soddy Daisy Moms.
So come and visit Soddy-Daisy! There’s so much to love about this town. What do you love about Soddy-Daisy? Let us know in the comments below!
More of our Outskirts of Town Series:
Outskirts of Town: Signal Mountain
Outskirts of Town: Soddy-Daisy
Outskirts of Town: Ringgold, Georgia
Outskirts of Town: Chickamauga, Georgia
I love reading about my hometown! Grew up in SD (class of 1983 – Go Trojans!). Been gone since 1986 – moved to Knoxville after getting married, but still love to keep up with things.
You left out anything about the schools in Soddy Daisy, but then again, you may not have children old enough for school yet. Our children all attended SD schools and graduated from Soddy Daisy High School. We have the best teachers in Hamilton County. They care about our kids and our invested in our community.
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