Choo Choos and Mountain Views in Chattanooga

I loved this motorcycle display! These bikes look like toys, but they are full-size!

I had a lovely week in Arkansas all planned - AirBnbs booked, hikes mapped out, restaurants identified, everything. And then, an emergency came along at work, and I had to cancel everything. By the following week, when I could actually get away, my beautiful woodland cabins were, of course, booked by other travelers. 

But we still wanted to take a family vacation. What might work? We practically pulled Chattanooga out of a hat at the last minute. Like most other destinations, AirBnbs were already booked up, but we were able to find a lovely hotel in a great location for a week's worth of dates. A few hurried reservations later, and we were off. 

Day 1

We decided to drive to Birmingham, Alabama, late on Friday to get a head start. On the way, we stopped at Weidmann's in Meridian, Mississippi, for a lovely dinner on their outdoor balcony, which overlooks a sweet little downtown street. I had the Chicken Oscar (with the bernaise sauce on the side), and it hit the spot. (We wanted to sit on the balcony due to Covid-19 safety, but be aware that this is also the preferred seating location for smokers. Just something to keep in mind.) 

After dinner, we continued making our way to Birmingham, where we checked into the Redmont Hotel downtown. This hotel is a historic property, with convenient parking in a public lot just across the street. The lobby is beautiful as well. Their hotel restaurant is currently not operating. However, their rooftop bar is in full swing. (If you stay on a higher floor, you will hear it. And even if you don't stay on a higher floor, keep in mind that many bar guests are using the stairs to go to and fro, as capacity in the elevators is limited for public health reasons. So, even on a lower floor, if your room is anywhere near the stairwell, you WILL hear these patrons well into the night.) In addition, our room had a couple of maintenance issues with the blackout curtains and the faucet. I would not stay at this property again until after the pandemic, when operations are more normal. However, in a pinch, and for a single night, it served us. 

Day 2

Some of the scooters on display were so
colorful and cute!

In the morning, we awoke and walked a few blocks to The Yard for breakfast. This place was a winner! Plenty of spaced-out seating, a short (but delicious) menu, and helpful staff. (The atmosphere was nice, too, with an inset tin ceiling, interesting fixtures, and large plate glass windows that looked out onto the street.) I had a delightful avocado toast with a poached egg on top and a big cup of coffee. Hubs and Clay ordered traditional breakfasts - eggs with bacon and toast. 

Our bellies full, we checked out of the hotel, loaded into the car and made our way to the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. This place is huge and amazing. Founded by George Barber, this facility houses one of the largest and best vintage/classic motorcycle collections in the world. There are also some really beautiful and unique classic/restored automobiles on display. 

Housed on several levels, the collection spans all types of motorcycles, from racing machines to limited edition bikes with sidecars to scooters and utility bikes. The expansive building looks out over a racing track that is also part of the Barber complex, and we were able to go out on a pedestrian bridge above the track and watch some of the motorcyclists racing on the day we visited. Honestly, this is a world-class facility and an incredibly impressive collection. We spent a few enjoyable hours here. 

We stayed in a lovely hotel,
with a great location. 

Once we were done, we grabbed a fast food lunch and finished our drive to Chattanooga. We checked in at the Edwin Hotel, where we'd booked a double room with an arts district view. We chose this hotel largely because of its location, at one end of the picturesque Walnut Street Bridge, a pedestrian thoroughfare that crosses the Tennessee River. 

We really enjoyed this hotel. First of all, the central location can't be beat. You're in the midst of the arts district, practically adjacent to the Hunter Museum of American Art. (The hotel is also full of gorgeous art.) The property has a lovely in-house restaurant and a beautiful (and quiet) rooftop bar with a gorgeous view of the river. You're a short walk to the Tennessee Aquarium and plenty of restaurants, super-close to the Tennessee Riverwalk, and you'll love walking or biking over the bridge to some of the public parks (Coolidge, Renaissance) just across the water. In addition, the hotel has bikes and helmets that it offers guests for free.

The only caveat - during our visit, there was a public works project right on our side of Walnut Street Bridge. The bridge was still passable, but not as pretty as it would have been otherwise. Signage at the site indicated that the project would be completed in February 2021, after which hotel guests would have a more aesthetic experience. 

That night, we dined at Whitebird, the hotel restaurant. We shared the hot crab dip, and I enjoyed the mushroom rigatoni. Delightful! This restaurant was a little pricey, but the food was so good and the location so convenient that we ate here several times during our trip. 

I really enjoyed discovering the 
public art at Renaissance Park. 

Day 3

Today was bike day! After a light breakfast, we checked out bikes and helmets and pedaled to Chattanooga Market. We were on the prowl for local goods (for souvenirs) and yummy local picnic supplies. It was a beautiful day for a ride, and the market is only 1.5 miles or so from the hotel. Chattanooga is a bike-friendly town, so you'll find bike lanes on most streets. I brought an empty backpack for our purchases so we could bike them back. 

We found all sorts of lovelies! We got a small loaf of pumpkin bread, a gorgeous amaretto apple butter, some regular sourdough, some organic granola bars, a HUGE soft pretzel, and a few gifts for folks back home. There were tons of other things on offer, too - kettle corn, spreads and canned goods, pumpkins and gourds, quilts, fresh flowers. It's a lovely market. 

After buying as much as would fit in our backpack, we pedaled to nearby Feed Table & Tavern for a hearty lunch. I had a delicious hash, which was incredibly filling (even if it was a tad short on the wilted spinach). I washed it down with a mimosa, and if we hadn't been biking home, I would have also ordered a Struggle Bus Bloody Mary. (The name is so on point for 2020.) 

A brilliant view of Walnut Street
Bridge, taken from Coolidge Park.

After lunch, we stopped by the hotel to drop off our purchases and take a quick break. Then, it was back on the bikes again to ride over Walnut Street Bridge and visit both Coolidge and Renaissance Parks. The weather was glorious, and this was a fun ride! The paths are well-maintained, and the parks are a joy to explore. Coolidge Park is more open green space, with benches to admire the river. Renaissance Park has several public art installations, which were wonderful to discover. We spent the afternoon riding around, stopping to take photos, and enjoying the fall air. 

For dinner, we ended up at Rembrandt's Coffeehouse, where we enjoyed sandwiches, chips and cookies in their gorgeous courtyard. The cozy eatery was only a quick walk from our hotel, nestled in the arts district. 

More to come . . .