What do you recommend - anything from diners to $30 max entree places? Good local barbecue is a favorite, but basically we just like food! We're going to be staying on the Delta Queen this summer with our teenage and older sons.

We stayed on the Delta Queen last summer and had a great time.
We asked to stay on the main deck-it is enclosed and much quieter than the outside decks. I guess your sons know that there is no tv, but they do have wifi if you bring a laptop.
The best entertainment is sitting out on the deck and watching the boats go down the river.

We enjoyed walking across the Walnut St. bridge and going to the aquarium and the arts district. There are many restaurants within walking distance. We loved Tony's Pasta-Italian in the arts district.

Hope you have a good trip.

The Boathouse(on the river), and the Terminal Brewhouse are good:
boathousechattanooga.com
terminalbrewhouse.com

nig - what more can you advise about the delta queen. we're driving north from new orleans and think it would be fun to spend a night rather than in a routine hotel. you say to say on the main deck? we would need to two twin beds. hope they have that. is the food good?

I go to Chatt once per yr or so and always stop by the certified green restaurant at 212 Market (I think the restaurant goes by the same name). It's is close to a Marriot Courtyard - I remember seeing that out the window - and has a free parking lot next to it.

Food is prepared perfectly with fresh ingredients and quality is on par with 4/5 star restaurants. Price is $20 to 30 entree, less than $10 apps. I also like the warm focaccia bread (free). It doesn't have fancy decor but I'd rather not pay for the frills and just focus on the food, which is what this place is about.

Nig - thanks for the heads up on what deck to ask for. I didn't realize/hadn't paid attention that we could walk to things from the boat - that will be nice. Desperado - are you driving any part of the Natchez Trace or River Road? After Chattanooga, we're going to Nashville and then plan to do some of both on our way south to NO. I'll look into the restaurants mentioned - thanks so much!

I just checked out the menus of the restaurants you recommended - I don't know how we will decide - they all sound wonderful! It mad me so hungry - I may have to go eat a piece of last night's birthday cake! Thanks!

When we stayed on the Delta Queen our room did have two twin beds. I looked around at some of the other rooms-on the main deck they leave the doors open when the room is empty so it is nice to be able to see the other types of rooms. Most of the rooms(cabins) and bathrooms are small-some of the rooms had two twin beds pushed together to make a king and some had a table between the beds. On of the advantages of staying on the main deck is being able to walk right out of your room and sit in the lobby area with chairs and couches. They also have tables if you want to play board games or use your laptop.

Thanks - I'm really looking forward to staying on the DQ. DH worked as a bartender on it for a year or so after college, and my parents went on a couple of trips on it - but I was just on it for a quick 15 minute tour when we saw it docked in Natchez 20 something years ago.

A good BBQ place is Sugars.

I think their website is sugarsribs.com

There are a lot of awesome resturants in Chattanooga, and some very good ones within walking distance of the area around
the aquarium, which is the area I think you will be in.

I will put my thinking cap on and get a list together.

Sounds like a fun trip.

We really enjoyed the Blue Plate last year. The Blue Plate Chips (can't remember the exact name) were awesome! They were fresh cut potato chips topped with salsa, cheese, etc. It was very reasonable. Can't remember the street but it's across from the aquarium.

We also enjoyed the mini burgers (kobe beef, I think) at Big River Grill.

Sugars looks great - and they cover all our sauce needs (we have one who wants mustard based, one who wants sort of sweet, and one who wants Carolina red, and two who will eat any kind)!Blue Plate Grill looks good, too - sort of like an upscale version of Mack's in Nashville. We ate there any time we had money when we were in college - meat and three vegetables and sweet iced tea. Thanks!

Be sure to check out Zarzours (oldest restaraunt) only open 3 hours during weekdays and Beas (an unique all you can eat) a great experience, who knows who you will meet. The station house in the train station is fabulous the waiters/waitresses sing and they are great as is the food you will want to stay for a long while. Restaraunt.com offers $25 coupons for the latter. I luv Chattanooga and find these 3 restaraunt a must!

Oh yeah, Rembrandts in the art district is great for coffe and desert, sit outside and enjoy the atmosphere.

Many will suggest City Cafe (they have the most wonderful looking cakes/deserts) BUT we tried 4 different ones and none of them were good. YUK!

Try to hit Miller Park on a concert night while there, great entertainment and fun.....oh yeah you may wanna schedule during Riverbend it is cheap and a blast.

Good luck, hope you have a blast.

We had a great trip, but unfortunately I forgot the list of restaurants that you all had recommended! The first night we ate at Terre Nostra - a tapas bar we noticed driving to the DQ - it was wonderful! Each of us (5 people) got 4 or 5 things and shared - the only thing that was "just ok" was the pear and walnut quesadilla - not bad, just bland. DH had sea scallops wrapped in bacon with bearnaise sauce - OMG! The next night we walked across the pedestrian bridge and ate at the Big River Grill. Food was good, but it was too noisy and raucous for the mood we were in. Somehow we heard that there was a Melting Pot - the boys had never had fondue and wanted to try it, so we drove to a suburban strip center for fondue. It was fun and they now have a new favorite food! Staying on the DQ was so much fun, and it was a great location. The park it was moored next to was nice, and with the pedestrian bridge right there we didn't need the car. DH had a great time retelling his DQ bartending stories to eveyone!