10 Best Things to Do After Dinner in Chattanooga
Get Lost in Chattanooga's Nightlife, From Ghost Tours to Improv Shows
Chattanooga is a bustling and vibrant city where life doesn’t end at dinnertime, as you can enjoy everything from nightclubs to ghost tours to improv comedy and many other entertainments. You can learn all about Chattanooga‘s haunted history, head for an old-school video arcade, check out an outdoor movie, or take in a live stand-up comedy show.
While you’ll find plenty of nightclubs in Chattanooga, the nightlife involves a whole world of unique fun and adventure. Check out the 10 best things to do after dinner in Chattanooga to keep the excitement going well into the night.
1. Go on a ghost tour
Learn about Chattanooga’s spooky, haunted history
Good for: History, Adventure, Unusual
Go on a ghost tour with Chattanooga Ghost Tours to see haunted areas of town on an award-winning, 1-mile walking tour. On these trips, the guides say that you may get to actually see and interact with real ghosts and spirits as you traverse the downtown streets and learn mysterious facts about events from the shadowed past.
Several different tours are available that can take you from the heart of downtown to haunted cemeteries, historic haunted taverns, and other local points of interest rumored to host the spirits of the restless dead. Chattanooga Ghost Tours is found just north of the heart of downtown, but specific starting points will depend on which tour you choose.
Location: 57 E 5th St, Chattanooga, TN 37402, USA
Open: Sunday–Thursday from 8.15 pm to 10 pm, Friday from 8.15 pm to 11 pm, Saturday from 8 pm to 11 pm
Phone: +1 423-800-5998
Go on a ghost tour
2. Warehouse Row
Do some upscale shopping and dining
Good for: Shoppers, Food, Nightlife, Luxury
Warehouse Row is a shopping mall located on a historic Civil War site that today hosts a collection of high-end and luxury retail stores and upscale dining establishments. The Row is located downtown on Market Street and was established in 1904.
Recent years have seen it completely revitalized, and shoppers can find everything from high-end clothing brands to exotic orchids in boutique florist shops. When you’ve quelled the shopping bug, you can head for any of the local cocktail bars that also occupy the complex for a craft beer, mixed drink, or glass of wine.
Location: 1110 Market St, Chattanooga, TN 37402, USA
Open: Daily from 8 am to 11 pm
Phone: +1 423-267-1111
Warehouse Row
3. Sunset Rock
Go stargazing from the top of Lookout Mountain
Good for: Adventure
Sunset Rock offers a 3-mile round-trip hike up to the summit of Lookout Mountain for staggering panoramic views of the valley and unmatched stargazing opportunities. The trailhead begins at the historic Cravens House and is easily accessible just a few minutes’ drive from downtown. You can choose from several hiking trails of varying levels of difficulty so that you’ll have the right level of challenge whether you’re a novice or experienced hiker.
Without the light pollution you find in the city, you’ll see a breathtaking panorama of stars so brilliant and deep that you’ll think you’re floating in space!
Sunset Rock
4. The Coin-Op
Play some old-school arcade game cabinets
Good for: Nightlife, Adventure, Unusual
The Coin-Op Arcade offers a real, old-school video gaming experience with dozens of classic arcade cabinets, pinball machines, and modern consoles ready to play. A kitchen is available to provide snack food should you want a late-night snack, and, if you’re good enough, you might consider competing in the arcade’s pinball league competitions.
The atmosphere is eclectic and dim, but the walls are painted with bright, bohemian designs to evoke an atmosphere of fun and excitement that hearkens back to a day when video arcades ruled the landscape. It’s located in downtown Chattanooga, right on East ML King Boulevard.
Location: 233 E ML King Blvd, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA
Open: Tuesday–Thursday from 5 pm to midnight, Friday–Saturday from 5 pm to 1 am (closed on Sundays and Mondays)
Phone: +1 423-708-7492
The Coin-Op
5. Walnut Street Bridge
Take the scenic pedestrian bridge across the river
Good for: History, Photo, Adventure
Walnut Street Bridge is among the longest pedestrian bridges in the world and connects the city’s northern side to its south side, offering panoramic views of the river between. The historic bridge also hosts regular events like an annual country music festival and an annual wine tasting festival, and it has the distinction of being the first bridge built across the Tennessee River for non-military purposes.
The bridge runs between and parallel to the Chief John Ross Bridge on Market Street and the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge.
Location: 1 Walnut St, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA
Open: 24/7
Phone: +1 423-643-6096
Walnut Street Bridge
6. Tivoli Theatre
Catch a live theatrical performance
Good for: Families, Nightlife, Unusual
The historic Tivoli Theatre is known as the “Jewel of the South” and shows musical acts, movies, and plays year-round, including occasional performances of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” If you’re looking for some quirky fun on a Saturday night, grab your fishnets and watch the local Shadowcast perform this iconic audience-participation extravaganza.
If that’s not your thing, fear not: the theater shows everything from the latest Broadway musicals to children’s shows, so you’ll probably find something that appeals to you here. The theater is located right at the center of downtown Chattanooga.
Location: 709 Broad St, Chattanooga, TN 37402, USA
Phone: +1 423-757-5580
Tivoli Theatre
7. Classic Arcade Pinball Museum
Explore the history of pinball and gaming in an interactive environment
Good for: Unusual
The Classic Arcade Pinball Museum offers up a world of old-school fun with dozens of classic machines and exhibits detailing the history and science of pinball. Many of the machines are available to play, and the museum showcases hundreds of exhibits tracing the entire legacy of pinball and its role in the development of arcades and gaming today.
In addition to pinball machines, you’ll find classic arcade games to enjoy, and admission allows unlimited free play. A snack bar on-site allows for the purchasing of basic snacks and sodas. It’s right in the heart of central downtown on Broad Street.
Location: 409 Broad St, Chattanooga, TN 37402, USA
Open: Wednesday–Thursday from 2 pm to 5 pm, Friday from 1 pm to 10 pm, Saturday from 10 am to 10 pm, Sunday from 11 am to 9 pm (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Phone: +1 423-541-4097
Classic Arcade Pinball Museum
8. Wilderness Outdoor Movie Theater
See a flick on a massive drive-in movie screen
Good for: Families
The Wilderness Outdoor Movie Theater is a drive-in theater that claims to have the largest outdoor screen in the world and shows new and classic movies nightly. The theater is actually located in Dade County, Georgia, but is just about a 25-minute drive from downtown Chattanooga. It’s cash-only and features 2 screens in scenic forested surroundings.
A dog park is located on-site if you want to bring your furry friends, and a full concession stand keeps your hunger satisfied while you watch the latest blockbusters with your family.
Location: 217 Old Hales Road, Trenton, GA 30752, USA
Phone: +1 706-657-8411
Wilderness Outdoor Movie Theater
9. The Comedy Catch
Catch a show from iconic national stand-up comedy acts
Good for: Couples, Unusual
The Comedy Catch is a famous and iconic comedy club hosting national stand-up comedy acts and local up-and-comers in a bar and grill setting. Many of the comedians performing here have appeared on such notable networks and outlets as HBO, Showtime, the Tonight Show, Comedy Central, and in many other notable venues.
The restaurant and full bar offer a range of food options like burgers, nachos, craft beer, and signature cocktails. To laugh the night away here, head for the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel complex downtown on Market Street.
Location: 29 Station St, Chattanooga, TN 37408, USA
Open: Fridays from 6 pm to 11 pm, Saturday–Sunday from 6 pm to midnight (closed Monday–Thursday)
Phone: +1 423-629-2233
The Comedy Catch
10. Improv Chattanooga
Get involved in the comedy in this interactive show
Good for: Couples, Unusual
Improv Chattanooga bills itself as the city’s home of improv comedy and features sketches and performances by a local improv troupe in the tradition of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” If you’re a fan of theater sports or stand-up comedy, if you enjoy interactive entertainment with audience participation, or if you just want to laugh the night away, this is the place to go.
If you’re interested in learning more about the art of improv and how it works, the cast offers regular workshops where you can get involved, too. Vist Improv Chattanooga in the Southside Historic District, just south of the center of downtown.
Location: 1800 Rossville Ave #118, Chattanooga, TN 37408, USA
Phone: +1 423-843-1775
Improv Chattanooga
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