Chattanooga

Nestled into the Appalachian foothills along the Tennessee River, Chattanooga is a historic city bursting with new life.

Evidence of its storied past can be found around every corner. Along its walkable downtown district alone, you’ll find the city’s first legal whiskey distillery to open since Prohibition, the Chattanooga Choo Choo hotel (its lobby is housed in the line’s former Terminal Station) and the pedestrian Walnut Street Bridge, built in 1890.

An underrated gem of Tennessee (this city is often overshadowed by Nashville’s sounds and Memphis’ delicious scents), this former train hub is reinventing itself as a culinary and cultural destination, with brand-new boutique hotels, rooftop whiskey bars, riverfront museums, trendy restaurants and world-class family attractions.