SIX18 TRAVEL

Situated along the Tennessee River and nestled among the mountains of Southeast Tennessee, Chattanooga has truly earned its nickname as the "Scenic City." Once named the most polluted city in America by the Department of Health, Chattanooga has experienced an urban revitalization over the past few decades, making sustainability a priority and giving the city a much-needed boost of diversity without losing touch of its small-town charm. Chattanooga is known as a historical hub, having served as a Civil War battlefield and the grand central station for southern railway travel in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, the city is a pioneer of different sorts, as one of the first cities in the U.S. to offer its citizens 2 gigabits per second (read: extremely speedy) internet service, and the first American city to have its own typeface, appropriately named "Chatype." Silicon Valley better watch its back.

Technological advancements aside, travelers of all types could spend days enjoying Chattanooga's diverse array of attractions. Adventurers can explore the nooks and crannies that lie within Lookout Mountain, history buffs can traverse terrain once inhabited by Civil War troops at Chickamauga, engineers can marvel at restored trains (several of which are over 100 years old) at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum and foodies can eat their way through the delectable North Shore district. Or, you can simply take a stroll along the city's riverwalk and catch a sunset atop the Walnut Street Bridge, one of the world's longest pedestrian bridges.