Free Things to do in Chattanooga

We have talked a lot about all the things you can pay to do in Chattanooga. Now, let’s talk about some of the free things to do in Chattanooga! I’m sure I’ve missed stuff, so please make a comment with more suggestions!

NATIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL PARKS

We have a wealth of local parks to choose from for a day’s worth (or at least an hour) of diversion in the outdoors. I’m sure I can’t name them all, but let’s look at a few.

NATIONAL PARKS

First of all, we have our local National Park, the Chickamauga Battlefield system, which includes a large park in Fort Oglethorpe/Chickamauga, plus Point Park on Lookout Mountain, and Orchard Knob downtown. At the Chickamauga park, you can watch the new NPS film, take a driving tour, hike or bike around miles of roads and trails. At Point Park, much more hiking can be found to and from the iconic views and historical displays.

STATE PARKS

You can also check out our local Tennessee state parks for more picnicking, hiking, and possibly fishing or swimming. Near to Chattanooga is Harrison Bay State Park, Booker T. Washington, and Cumberland Mountain State Park isn’t too far away in Crossville, TN.

DOWNTOWN

In downtown Chattanooga, you have the fantastically-designed Coolidge Park and neighboring Renaissance Park, good for grilling, ball and frisbee games, concerts, even a carousel ride, all along the banks of the Tennessee River. Over in Renaissance, you’ll find more nooks & crannies good for exploring.

NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS

Scattered around Chattanooga, you’ll find several local parks, too. In Hixson, there’s Chester Frost Park, a lovely waterfront getaway. East Ridge has Camp Jordan, with a walking track and various ball fields. At Jenkins Road and East Brainerd Road, you can take your Lupi’s pizza, Bruster’s Ice Cream, or a picnic from the nearby Food City into Heritage Park, which features a walking path, fields, and a fun playground. Further out in Ooltewah is Enterprise South, a great spot for hiking at all ability levels.

I actually haven’t visited this park, but you can visit the Moccasin Bend Archaeological District at the base of Lookout Mountain, part of the National Park Service. On the other side of Lookout is Prentice Cooper State Forest, with miles of hiking and two campgrounds.

CHATTANOOGA MARKET

The Chattanooga Market is the area’s largest open market for local produce and art. Find everything from local honey and carrots to photography and jewelry, plus much, MUCH more. Every week has a different special event, such as an apple festival, wings competitions, ice cream showcases, and more. I’m really looking forward to the Oct. 7 Culturefest, featuring Chattanooga’ diversity through music, dance, and food. Every week showcases a different live music act, and a parking lot full of food trucks, so even without any extra events, it always feels like a party!

The market is open every Sunday from 11-4 from April through the annual Christmas market in December. It’s held in an open-air First Tennessee Pavilion next to Finley Stadium.

20TH CENTURY WATERFRONT

I’ve talked about this a little already when addressing Chattanooga’s Renaissance. You can park in the lots past the Southern Belle and visit the Chattanooga Pier, the Chattanooga Green, hang out on the First Street Steps, play in The Passage, walk across the Walnut Street Bridge, and walk around Coolidge and Renaissance Parks, all for free. The Coolidge Park Antique Carousel is only $1, and there are even dance steps embedded in the sidewalks along Frazier Ave for anyone to enjoy. Incorporate a walk around the Aquarium Plaza with the history of the area embedded in the concrete. Or take a walk around the Bluff View Arts District, and you have a very full day of FREE!

RIVERWALK

You could also incorporate parts of the Riverwalk, since it intersects with the Bluff View area, Walnut Street Bridge, etc. Or take the Riverwalk in sections on foot or maybe all at one go on a bicycle. (It’s 13 miles long, is that too much to bike in one day?) The lighted, concrete path takes you beside the river, past swamp areas, parks, boardwalks and more on its varied journey. Water fountains and restrooms can be found the length of the path.

One end of the Riverwalk ends at the Chickamauga Dam in a big Riverpark with picnic tables, a large playground and field, fishing piers, a boat ramp, and public art. It’s a great place for a large family gathering where the kids can run around and everyone can eat a picnic lunch.

SCULPTURE AND ART

You can park for free and walk around the Bluff View Art District. Browsing the River Gallery and the bluff-side sculpture garden is completely gratis, though if you want to buy anything in the gallery, it might set you back. And a pastry from Rembrandt’s Coffee House is hard to resist. But definitely go explore all the nooks and crannies, the little allies and hidden fountains. It can all be pretty romantic at night.

Large-scale sculptures are BIG (pun intended) in Chattanooga, and it’s all featured in public areas for everyone to enjoy. Just walking around downtown will net you some smaller works on the sidewalks on Main Street or Broad. You’ll pass several great sculptures walking from the downtown side of Walnut Street Bridge towards Market street.

And besides the sculpture garden on the Bluff, there is a small park across from the entrance of the Chattanoogan. At the Main Terrain Art Park, there are some exercise stations, some poetry in the pavement, but the big draw is the large bridge-like multi-piece installation that spans the entire city block of the park. And the three central pieces move! You can turn them with a crank at the bottom of each piece. I do love art you can touch.

Another spot for sculpture is in Montague Park, a minute or two from downtown on East 23rd Street. Here you’ll find the REALLY big stuff, great for pictures! It’s a great walking track too, with lots of paths to take and things to interest your eye. It’s pretty darn cool.

FREE CONCERTS

The most popular free music concerts in Chattanooga happen at Nightfall, on Friday nights during the summer, May-August. Bring your kids, pets, and lawn chairs and enjoy a great band that you’ve probably never heard of. Riverfront Nights happen Saturday nights on the riverfront from July-September.

At noon on Wednesdays in the fall, check out Noontunes in Miller Plaza while enjoying your lunch. On the first Thursday of June, July, and August, head to Station Street next to the Chattanooga Choo Choo for free music and extended happy hour deals on drinks. And for 10 weeks (Aug 23-Oct 25, 2018) enjoy the free Levitt AMP Music Series at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center. It’s going on now, check it out!

HIKING

I feel it’s hardly worth mentioning the hundreds of miles of hiking to be done in the Chattanooga area. There’s the whole trail system on Lookout Mountain including the popular Sunset Rock and Point Park. You can hike the 13-mile trail to & from Signal Point on Signal Mountain. Urban hikes can be found on Stringer’s Ridge in Red Bank/North Chattanooga. The Lula Lake Land Trust on Lookout Mountain is an extra-special spot since it is only open on certain days–the first & last weekends of every month from May-November, from 9-3:30 on Saturdays and noon-3:30 on Sundays. And the North Chick Blue Hole is off the beaten track with plenty of swimming holes along the trail.

CAVING

Similarly, there are hundreds of caves to explore, most of them for free! There are the Raccoon Mountain Caverns (though a tour costs $$), Petty John’s Cave, Sitton’s Cave, and Nickajack Cave. I’m sure there are tons more, but since this is out of my expertise, you should definitely refer to the experts.

HISTORIC CEMETERY TOURS

Something I have done is a day touring historic area cemeteries. Maybe it’s because I’m an introvert, but I find them beautiful, interesting, and wonderfully quiet. It’s nice! And there are several in the area that have a deep history. There’s perhaps the oldest, the Brainerd Mission Cemetery, basically surrounded by the Eastgate Town Center parking lot. The Silverdale Confederate Cemetery can be found in East Brainerd near McKay’s used books, and a unique Potter’s field (a cemetery for those who can’t afford to be buried elsewhere) is around the corner on Jenkins Rd near Bonny Oaks.

The drably-named Chattanooga Memorial Park in Red Bank has fantastic views if you keep driving up the hill to the oldest parts of the cemetery. And the historic Forest Hills Cemetery in St. Elmo at the base of Lookout Mountain even hosts costumed tours and talks about famous Chattanooga residents throughout the year.

FREE MUSEUM DAYS

You can visit the Hunter Museum’s vast permanent art collection for free on the first Thursday of every month, from 4-8 pm. Access to special exhibits only costs $5.

The National Medal of Honor Museum in the Chattanooga Visitor’s Center is always free.

FESTIVALS

Chattanooga is host to several free festivals throughout the year. Probably my favorite of these is the 3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival, held on the riverfront Oct 5-6 in honor of Chattanoogan and Dismembered Tennessean Fletcher Bright.

Bands on the Bluff coincide with free admission to the Hunter Museum on first Thursday nights and offer a more eclectic collection of sounds. Coming up is Sounds of the City on Sept. 6 and 90’s Flashback on Oct. 4.

The Cambridge Square Night Market in Ooltewah provides free music and an evening perusing local arts and crafts. It’s held Friday nights at 6 pm during the warmer months. This lasts through the end of September, so there’s still time to check it out this year.

Culturefest is an exhibition of food, dance, and music across several cultures as represented by our local population. It is hosted by the Chattanooga Market on Sunday, Oct. 7, 11-4. The Chattanooga Market itself is a festival with free music every Sunday from April-December.

The Chattanooga River Market occurs on Saturdays 10-5 around the Aquarium Plaza during the summer through Labor Day weekend. Free music, local produce, and art can all be found here, as with all of Chattanooga’s local markets. I’m pretty sure it pops up somewhere in town every day of the week.

The free Latin Festival happens in May in the Highland Park Commons downtown, with a lively Caribbean party atmosphere, educational booths with a “passport challenge”, music, artists, and soccer!

In the winter months, enjoy Mainx24, a 24-hour event on Main Street downtown. Some of the events cost, but several don’t, like pet parades, and just browsing the galleries and shops.

Make Music Day is a worldwide event that Chattanoogans proudly take part in. Roam around downtown to catch various bands, parades, and more. You’ll find everything from classical to punk on display, just depending on who wants to get out and play!

Pops on the River is the annual Independence Day concert by the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, usually held on July 3. The music is incredible and the fireworks are the best!

RiverRocks Chattanooga is a multi-day athletic festival. Kicked off by the 3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival at the start of this list, there are races on foot, boat, bike, and more. Some events are (literal) marathons, some are just encouragements to get outside and get together. Definitely check out the calendar for events that interest you.

FIREWORKS

If you know where to look, Chattanooga has tons of fireworks throughout the year! There are huge displays around Independence Day, naturally. Pops on the River, Lake Winnepesaukah, and the Lookouts ballpark do the best on and around July 4. In fact, the Lookouts shoot fireworks during every Friday home game during the baseball season. The finale fireworks at Riverbend in June are spectacular and definitely the best of the year, and you don’t need a Riverbend pin to see them.

There used to be a “start to Christmas” festival Thanksgiving weekend with a boat parade and lots of great fireworks, but I don’t think they do that anymore. So I *can* say that I’ve seen Santa Claus parasail into Coolidge Park before and that’s something.