The 19 best free things to do in Chattanooga

The city may be a part of musical history, but there's more to Chattanooga than a catchy tune. Besides stunning scenery and outdoor activities,  visitors will also find a city full of engaging cultural experiences. 

While Chattanooga is best known for classic ticketed attractions like the Tennessee Aquarium and Rock City, affordable activities abound. From public sculpture gardens and city parks to historic sites and craft markets, there's plenty to do in the Scenic City for free. Start with our roundup of the 20 best free things to do in Chattanooga.

1. Coolidge Park

Once an abandoned shipping yard, Coolidge Park is a family-favorite spot. It has a fountain with stone lions, a restored wooden carousel, a 50ft climbing wall and walking paths along the river’s edge.

One end of the park is anchored by the Chattanooga Theatre Centre, which has put on fun performances by adult and youth casts for decades. The other ends with the Market Street Bridge and connects to Renaissance Park.

A kayak and canoe launch will get you onto the Tennessee River, and many restaurants and shops have back entrances opening to the park. Grab a sandwich from River Street Deli, ice cream from Clumpies, or a gourmet weenie from Good Dog and start exploring.

The best day trips from Chattanooga 

2. Walnut Street Bridge

The Walnut Street Bridge has been part of the Chattanooga skyline for over a century. It became a symbol of racial divides in the Jim Crow South after two lynchings – one in 1893 and another in 1906.

The bridge was nearly demolished in 1978 due to disrepair. Concerned citizens rallied to save the bridge and got it added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Money was raised to retrofit the Walnut as one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world. It quickly attracted tourists and locals, linking the revitalized downtown and North Shore neighborhoods.

Today, the Walnut Street Bridge hosts various events like the Wine Over Water Festival and Seven Bridges Marathon. It also provides a viewing spot for waterfront events like the Riverbend Festival, Iron Man competition or downtown fireworks displays.

3. First Street Sculpture Garden

Towards the Walnut Street Bridge’s south end at First and Market Streets is a sculpture garden that rotates its works every year or so. Stroll down the hill on your way up to the Bluff View or down towards the Aquarium. Enjoy pieces like Louise Peterson's "High Four," a beloved statue of a Great Dane offering a paw that took on a patina as visitors paused to shake it.

4. The Tennessee Riverwalk

The Tennessee Riverwalk is a 16-mile greenway running from Chickamauga Dam in Hixson to the old Wheeland Foundry in St Elmo. There are several restaurants and businesses to stop at along the way, from the Boathouse on Amnicola Highway (get the tableside-made guac and margaritas) and the Overboard Bar & Grille on an old riverboat downtown to The Tap House. You'll also encounter plenty of picnic spots, playgrounds and kayak launches.

5. The Chattanooga Market

Half farmer's market, half craft fair, The Chattanooga Market typically runs from April to December, thanks to the city's mild climate. The solid roof on the First Tennessee Pavilion covers the market in case of rain, but its open-air sides bring pleasant breezes.

Live music acts perform at one end of the market, where food trucks cluster around first-come cafe seating. The rest showcases booths selling everything from fine art to jewelry, spices, produce and local gifts. 

6. Sculpture Fields at Montague Park

Home to huge sculptures, Montague Park is a 33-acre outdoor art space. There are 40 pieces of art here at any given time, sprinkled throughout a field punctuated by trees, picnic pavilions and walking paths.

The Sculpture Fields are dog-friendly and feature views of Lookout Mountain. Since opening in 2016, it's become a popular place for joggers, photographers, kite enthusiasts and families. 

The best city parks in Chattanooga

7. Chickamauga Battlefield

Once the site of one of the bloodiest fights of the Civil War and supposedly haunted by a cryptid called Old Green Eyes, Chickamauga Battlefield is mostly a maze of walking, cycling and driving routes spread across former farmland and tall pines.

It's all within a National Military Park, and you can learn a lot about Civil War history here from the park rangers. Chickamauga Battlefield is also a great place to learn about local ecology, Indigenous history, monumental art and Reconstruction-era symbolism.

Expect to find parents teaching their kids to ride bicycles, out-of-town history buffs, locals out for a walk, sunset ghost hunters and families campingfor the weekend.

8. The Passage

Before Chattanooga was settled by European colonizers, it was a trading post for Indigenous nations, including the local Cherokee. In the 1800s, John Ross arrived via the Tennessee River and formed a long-standing relationship with the Cherokee. They even inducted him into their tribe.

Ross's trading success directly led to Chattanooga's founding, and the point of his arrival is still known as Ross's Landing. The Tennessee Aquarium was built near that spot, and later the Passage was added to honor Indigenous history.

Tucked between the Tennessee Aquarium and the Tennessee River, the Passage is a gathering place, art installation and memorial to the Cherokee who were removed on the Trail of Tears. Ceramic sculptures inspired by Cherokee legends and history are blended with fountains that invite visitors to bear witness to the terrible impact wrought by the Indian Removal Act. 

9. River Gallery Sculpture Garden

Located near the Hunter Museum of American Art and the Bluff View Art District’s Victorian Christmas village of bed-and-breakfasts and bakeries, the River Gallery Sculpture Garden is a perennial favorite for its mix of diverse art in an unbeatable setting.

The permanent collection debuted in 1993, though visiting workspop up from time to time, too. There are cast bronze skateboarders, kinetic sculpturesand abstract works that glitter in the sunshine. The Garden connects to the Tennessee Riverwalk, so it's easy to take a longer stroll through downtown, by the water and up to the historic Fort Wood neighborhood.

10. Hiking to Sunset Rock

Partway up Lookout Mountain, hikers can find Sunset Rock. If you plan to use the small parking lot at 405 W Brow Rd, be aware it can fill up fast. Pack a thermos of coffee or a picnic lunch to make the most of your time at Sunset Rock. It's less than half a mile from the parking lot, though you can continue along other trails. While attractions like Rock City on Lookout Mountain often cost money, this hike and scenic overlooks are free.

11. Forest Hills Cemetery

Learn more about Chattanooga's early history at Forest Hills Cemetery in St Elmo. This garden-style graveyard has been in use since the 1880s. Its splendid tombstones and mausoleums pay tribute to some of the city's founders and prominent families.

Civil War generals are buried here, plus industrialists who profited off Chattanooga's old foundries and railroad empires, the founders of local private schools and a United States Postmaster General. With a canopy of spruce trees, winding paths and a quiet atmosphere, it's a great place for a stroll near St Elmo's main hub of shops and restaurants.

12. Disc Golf

There are several disc golf courses available free to use throughout Chattanooga. Carver Community Center has a nine-hole disc golf course perfect for kids and beginners. 

The Sinks in DuPont Park is a well-regarded disc golf course with challenging wooded terrain that's free to use as long as you already have your gear. Portland Park also features a free disc golf course. The nine-basket course challenges players to navigate trees and tunnel shots. 

There's even a disc golf course at Cloudland Canyon State Park (a 30-minute drive from Chattanooga), though you'll need to pay a fee to use that one.

13. Hiking to Snooper's Rock

Snooper's Rock is another viewpoint that offers high returns for little effort. Head to Prentice Cooper State Forest near Signal Mountain, north of downtown.

You'll have a winding drive down forest service roads that always feel like you've gone a little too far. Thankfully, the walk from the trailhead to Snooper’s Rock itself isn't long at all, just a little steep.

The result is a view of the gorge between Signal and Raccoon Mountains where the Tennessee River carved its path. Hawks circle overhead and houses peek out of the mountainside’s dense green foliage. It's one of Chattanooga’s best views.

14. Geocaching at Cloudland Canyon State Park

Cloudland Canyon State Park has many fun activities, from hiking to staying overnight in a yurt. But geocaching is a kind of scavenger hunt the whole family can get behind. Several themed geocache hunts at Cloudland Canyon include educational components on Indigenous history or the park's geography.

You'll need a phone or other GPS device to help solve clues leading to buried treasure. Cloudland Canyon has a $5 parking fee, but all other activities are free.

15. Enterprise South Nature Park

An old World War II munitions-manufacturing site is now a network of mountain biking courses, equestrian trails and walking paths. Since 2016, Enterprise South Nature Park has become popular with residents of the city's northern suburbs and workers at the local Volkswagen plant. Bunkers #28 and #50 are open to the public for viewing if you're curious about the place’s history, and leashed pets are allowed if you want to get outside with your furry friend.

16. Filling your photo reel at Umbrella Alley

Take eye-catching photos to remember your Chattanooga trip at free spots like Umbrella Alley. Find this whimsically decorated photo backdrop in one of the best neighborhoods in Chattanooga, the West Village. Colorful umbrellas suspended overhead make Umbrella Alley perfect for a photoshoot. For variations on the decorated alley theme, visit Cherry Street's Urban Chandelier Alleyway and patio full of vibrant sculptures.

17. Touring the Bluff View Art District

Stretch your legs on a self-guided walking tour of Chattanooga’s Bluff View Art District. While the River Gallery Sculpture Garden alone is an excellent free attraction, it’s not the district’s only budget-friendly entertainment option. In the Bluff View Art District, travelers can also discover the historic Bluff View Inn, beloved restaurants like Tony's Pasta Shop & Trattoria, and recreation areas like the Bocce Court Terrace.

18. Listening to live music during Nightfall

For 30 years, the Nightfall Free Music Series has livened up Chattanooga summers with Friday night musical performances. Visit Miller Plaza from May through August to catch one of the shows. Attendees are encouraged to arrive with the whole family, including pets. Featured musicians range from folk artists and soul singers to jazz bands and indie rock acts.

19. Foster Falls Recreation Area

Drive out to one of Chattanooga's surrounding natural wonders and spend a day at Foster Falls Recreation Area. Located near South Cumberland State Park, this recreation area is named after its centerpiece waterfall. Take the short but steep hike down to Foster Falls, or pack your bouldering gear and go climbing. In the summer, visitors can cool off by swimming in the pool beneath the falls.

Keep planning your trip to Chattanooga:

Fall-ing for Tennessee: unforgettable outdoor autumn adventures
Get outside in Chattanooga, a little city that's big on adventure
The best day trips from Chattanooga