Springtime in Chattanooga, TN, by the Tennessee River; photos by Jill Martin Wrenn

After years of living in London, frequent guest blogger Jill Martin Wrenn loves exploring around her home base of Atlanta. With her three kids in tow, she and her husband have found  New Orleans to be surprising family friendly and Disney World during Thanksgiving to be quite crowded — but manageable! Most recently they’ve ventured to this charming city in Tennessee.

We wanted a family-friendly weekend getaway within a two-hour drive from our home in Atlanta. Because we’re landlocked here, we look for cities with water when we want to get away. And we didn’t have to look far. Like many of our friends and neighbors, we headed to Chattanooga. It’s about 120 miles north of Atlanta, in southwestern Tennessee, just over the border with Georgia.

With a massive children’s museum, a pedestrian-friendly riverfront, and (free!) electric shuttle buses taking tourists around town, Chattanooga has a lot to offer families with young children.

Riverfront fountain on the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, TN

In the South, the city’s appeal is hardly a secret. Many of our fellow guests at the Marriott Residence Inn Chattanooga Downtown were visiting from Atlanta. (This being the South, most people are incredibly friendly. Waiting for the elevator, or swimming in the hotel pool, people are happy to tell you where they’re from, and why they’re there). For most of our fellow travelers, Chattanooga offered lovely views, outdoor activities and southern charm.

Good Dog, the best hot dogs in Chattanooga, TN

In 2011, OutsideOnline’s Facebook readers voted Chattanooga “Best Town Ever”, largely because of its array of outdoor activities. The region’s abundance of caves, caverns and creeks helped Outside editors move beyond Chattanooga’s industrial past. It’s hard to envision Chattanooga’s manufacturing roots now. Its streets are clean and modern, and there’s a quaint art district perched on a hill overlooking the water.

We spent our weekend in Chattanooga downtown, where the Tennessee River is the star. Playgrounds, sprinklers and grassy playing fields line the banks of the wide river. The Tennessee Aquarium anchors the riverfront area, on a plaza with fountains where kids can splash and run.

Hot dogs from Good Dog in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Tourists have a choice of bridges that cross the Tennessee. Ice cream shops and family-friendly restaurants line the downtown streets. We spent hours in the Creative Discovery Museum, only leaving because we didn’t want to miss out on a gorgeous spring day.

The weather when we visited in late April was sunny and breezy, with temperatures in the high 70s. We took our three kids on a Chattanooga Ducks Tour, the part road, part river excursion on a vehicle that’s a cross between a boat and a bus. Our affable tour guide let all three of our kids (even our two year old) steer the boat in the water. He even offered to pull the boat over to the shore for an emergency bathroom stop.

Driving the Ducks tour boat on the Tennessee River

In the morning, we walked from our downtown hotel across the Market Street Bridge, taking in views of Lookout Mountain. About twenty minutes later, we found ourselves in a long line with other families at the Good Dog, a popular hot dog joint offering regionally inspired toppings. I had the “Chicago,” which came with mustard, neon relish, peppers and poppy seeds.

Jill in Chattanooga

Getting a table at the Good Dog required speed and sharp eyes. After lunging toward a table as soon as we saw another family look ready to leave, we decided that Chattanooga needs even more family friendly restaurants, to accommodate the throngs of visiting families. On a Friday night, Mellow Mushroom, a chain pizza restaurant, had a 40-minute wait for a table.

Now that Chattanooga’s secret is out beyond the Southeast, the waits are only going to get longer.