If you're thinking of taking a road trip on Valentine's weekend, Chattanooga is a two-hour jaunt up I-75. If "been there, done that" is your attitude concerning Chattanooga, consider the more romantic aspects of the inns and attractions offering themed packages for Valentine's Day.
For those unfamiliar with this former industrial town near the Georgia border, Chattanooga has come a long way since the early 1990s, when the Tennessee Aquarium opened and helped transform a blighted downtown area into a new tourist mecca. The natural beauty of the Tennessee River flowing through town and sweeping past Lookout Mountain has always helped make Chattanooga's case as a destination for lovers, but now there's much more to do than just see it from a mountain top.
Friday
Check into your accommodations at either the Chattanoogan, a large resort-style property on the south side of downtown near the Chattanooga Choo-Choo, or the smaller Bluff View Inn in the Bluff View Art District that overlooks the river. Both places offer romance packages for the weekend (see "If you go" listings for specifics). Don't worry about getting back in your car at this point. Downtown Chattanooga is very pedestrian friendly. For places that may be a little too far to reach on foot, a free electric trolley runs between the aquarium and the Choo-Choo. After dinner take a leisurely stroll on the scenic River Walk behind the aquarium. You'll see the lights of the Walnut Street pedestrian bridge spanning the water to the hip North Shore district and may be tempted to walk across, but it's best to wait until the next day to head over and back, as there's plenty to do on the North Shore that could fill an afternoon and/or evening.
Saturday
Ring in Lincoln's birthday by having breakfast with the penguins at the Tennessee Aquarium. This special event begins at 8:30 a.m. and requires advance registration (423-267-3474, www.tnaqua.org). The penguin keeper will conduct a feeding show at Penguin Rock and a buffet breakfast will be served. Regular admission to the aquarium is included in the breakfast ticket price. Afterward, have lunch downtown and walk it off across the Walnut Street pedestrian bridge to the North Shore district, or work up an appetite getting there. The North Shore has plenty of eateries and is lined with locally owned boutiques and galleries. The sidewalk along Frazier Avenue is embedded with famous dance steps that can put couples in a playful mood as they strive to hit their marks. Be sure to visit Coolridge Park before 6 p.m. for a ride on a restored old-time indoor carousel. When you get back downtown, stop all the strolling and take in a show. The historic and ornate Tivoli Theater on Broad Street features "Big Band Fever" on Saturday night, with a big band orchestra performing classic numbers from the swing era.
Sunday
Have brunch at a downtown spot such as Easy Bistro or 212 Market Restaurant, then head to the Hunter Museum of American Art. The museum is perched on an 80-foot bluff overlooking the river and houses a collection containing works from such diverse American masters as Winslow Homer and Andy Warhol. That afternoon the Tennessee Aquarium is hosting another special event, the Valentine Sunset Cruise aboard the River Gorge Explorer. This high-speed boat has an open-air top deck and enclosed lower level and makes daily forays into the spectacular Tennessee River Gorge, also known as "the Grand Canyon of Tennessee." The Valentine's cruise departs at 3 p.m. and ends just after sunset. There will be complimentary appetizers and a cash bar available as well as a naturalist on board to point out the wildlife and other wonders of the gorge. If you really want to make the trip special, the captain is an ordained minister, so bring a witness and a marriage license and you can tie the knot while on the cruise. That evening, take a special tour of one of the Chattanooga area's oldest tourist attractions, Ruby Falls. "Romance at Ruby" will include a lantern-lit tour to the falls inside the cave, a photo and a souvenir. Reservations are required for the sunset cruise and cave tour.
If you go
Stay
The Chattanoogan. Two Valentine's packages are available. The "Roses are Red" package includes dinner and breakfast for two at the Broad Street Grille, valet parking and late check-out. Rates start at $244 per couple. The "Violets are Blue" package includes a candlelit dinner and breakfast in bed inside your Presidential suite, a bottle of champagne, a dozen long-stem roses and other perks. Rates start at $669 per couple. 1201 S. Broad St., Chattanooga. 423-756-3400, www.thechattanooganhotel.com.
Bluff View Inn. The "Romance Package" includes a bottle of champagne and a $75 gift certificate for the Back Inn Café or Tony's Pasta Shop in the Bluff View district, a half-dozen chocolate-covered strawberries or hand-dipped chocolates and breakfast for two. Rates vary according to the length of stay and room category. Regular room rates $105-$240. 411 E. Second St., Chattanooga. 423-265-5033, www.bluffviewartdistrict.com.
Eat
St. John's Restaurant and Meeting Place. Upscale fine dining in the restaurant; more casual bistro-like dining in the Meeting Place next door. Main courses start at $24 in the restaurant and $10 in the Meeting Place. Reservations recommended. 1278 Market St., Chattanooga. 423-266-4400, www.stjohnsrestaurant.com.
212 Market Restaurant. This restaurant serves gourmet Southern cuisine and was a pioneer in the revitalization of downtown, opening for business before the aquarium in 1992. 212 Market was also in the vanguard of the local farm-to-table movement and is a Wine Spectator award winner. Entrees start at $10. 212 Market St., Chattanooga. 423-265-1212, www.212market.com.
Visitor info
Chattanooga Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Visitor Center. Located across the street from the aquarium. 215 Broad St., Chattanooga. 800-322-3344, www.chattanoogafun.com.
About the Author
The Latest
Featured
