The day — 1 day after the Autumn Equinox
The high — 70º
The vibe — 🍁🌰🥧🥾🎃☕
Bust out your sweaters, hiking boots, pumpkin spice creamer + calendars — we’re back with the ultimate Chattanooga Fall Bucket List. Whether your favorite autumn activities include scenic sights, comfort food, or getting spooked, we’ve got you covered.
🍂 Activities
- Take a drive to see fall foliage | If you’re in need of some help, check out last year’s foliage guide
- Go on a hike | There’s nothing more Chattanooga than taking a scenic hike during the fall — our favorite fall hikes are Point Park + Craven’s House loop , Fiery Gizzard Trail , and Falling Waterfalls (which is less of a hike and more of a quick jaunt to see gorgeous views)
- Bike around the city | Summer bike rides along the riverwalk are hard to beat, but there’s something about a crisp bike ride to your favorite coffee shop in the fall that’s really special. Pro Tip: Rent a bike for the day via Bike Chattanooga , or go on a full bike tour with Bike The South .
- Go on a ghost tour | Chattanooga Ghost Tours offers its services year-round, but they’re particularly spooky + appropriate when the weather gets cooler and the sun sets earlier.
- Find a cozy spot to read | Take a trip to the Chattanooga library, pick up a good book, and start reading. Bonus: Pumpkin spice lattes are back at the library’s Shush Cafe.
🎃 Farms + orchards
Apple Valley Orchard , 351 Weese Road SE, Cleveland | Various dates + times | While not a U-pick orchard, Apple Valley provides wagon ride tours complete with an apple + cup of cider at the end. Due to rising COVID-19 numbers, the orchard will not be doing weekend wagon rides.
Crabtree Farms , 1000 E 30th St. | Check Facebook for U-pick availability | Crabtree Farms is currently in the midst of its online fall plant sale, but they also provide seasonal U-pick pumpkin days that you can stay updated on via Facebook.
Bonus: The farm will host a pumpkin carving event on Oct. 2, Oct. 9, Oct. 16 + Oct. 23.
Guthrie’s Pumpkin Farm , 490 County Rd. 67, Riceville | Friday-Saturday, starting Sept. 24 | $15+ | This pumpkin farm located about ~1 hour from downtown features various activities to make it worth the drive, including a corn maze, wagon ride, animal petting barn, and pumpkins costing $0.50 a pound.
Red Apple Barn , 3379 Tails Creek Rd., GA | Weekday by appt., Saturday + Sunday | Sat., 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. + Sun., 1-4 p.m. | $9.50 | Located ~1 hour away, admission to the barn includes a tractor ride, an apple from the Orchard, a cup of apple cider, an apple cider doughnut, 2 flowers, rock + pumpkin painting, games, picnic areas and playground access. U-pick apples + pumpkins are available.
Smith Perry Berries , 9626 Ooltewah Georgetown Rd. | Weekends, starting Sept. 25 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Well-known for their summer sunflowers, Smith Perry also has pumpkins, kettlecorn, and games available in the fall. Check Facebook for additional hours as the season continues.
Weaver Tree Farms , 308 Signal Mountain Rd. | Daily, starting Sept. 24 | 9 a.m.-9 p.m. | Price of purchase | Opening day is tomorrow for this popular pop-up “pumpkin patch” with the large, inflatable pumpkin lining the side of the road.
Pro Tip: If you’re a sucker for tiny pumpkins + gourds, this place is your dream patch.
🎪 Fall festivals
Apple Festival | Sept. 26 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Chattanooga Market, First Horizon Pavilion | Free | The Chattanooga Market, but more hard-core — apple cake, apple jelly, apple pie, apple candles + more.
Boo in the Zoo | Fridays + Saturdays in October, starting Oct. 15 | 4-8 p.m. | Chattanooga Zoo | $15 | This family-friendly event features decorations, trick-or-treat stations, a scavenger hunt, costume contests, and more.
Chattanooga Oktoberfest | Oct. 9-10 | Oct. 9, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. + Oct. 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Chattanooga Market, First Horizon Pavilion | Free | Enjoy a full Biergarten, local vendors, the Wurstbrats Oompah Band, and Oktoberfest foods.
Rock City’s Rocktoberfest | Weekends in October | 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. | Rock City, 1400 Patten Rd. | $14.95+ | This yearly event features live German music, German food, specialty beer, birds of prey shows, costumed characters, and more.
Soddy-Daisy Fall Festival | Oct. 2 | 9 a.m. | Soddy-Daisy Farmer’s Market, 9817 Dayton Park | Free | Celebrate the reopening of the Soddy-Daisy market with a full fall festival — more details coming soon.
3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival | Oct. 1-2 | Oct. 1, 6-11 p.m. + Oct. 2, 12-10 p.m. | Ross’s Landing, 201 Riverfront Pkwy. | Free | Because fall is prime time for Bluegrass music — featuring artists like Ricky Skaggs, Fireside Collective, and more.
☕ Food + drinks
Be Caffeinated | Pumpkin spice chai, coffee cake donuts
Clumpies Ice Cream | Autumn sangria sorbet + coffee cake, dirty chai, maple pecan crunch, oatmeal apple butter, and pumpkin buttermilk ice cream flavors
Hutton & Smith | Rocktoberfest brew
Rembrandt’s Coffee House | Sticky bun latte, harvest moon fog, pumpkin apple chai, pumpkin spice frappe + pumpkin spice latte
Sleepyhead Coffee | Vegan pumpkin spice latte, apple chai, pumpkin chai, vegan + gluten free pumpkin spice donut
Stone Cup Café | Maple spice chai
Syrup and Eggs | Dirty chai latte + apple-solutely pie pancakes
Together Café | Pumpkin pie latte, Autumn cold brew, pumpkin pie chai + vegan cookie butter latte
Wildflower Tea Shop | Rose cardamom chai
💵 The buy
Fall decor from Merchants on Main | From cute fall mugs to dish towels + seasonal signs, Merchants on Main has various cute decor items for fall.
Mums from Barn Nursery | Mums are the best fall flower, and we’re willing to fight on it — pick some up at the Barn Nursery to brighten your yard + set that autumnal mood.
Rustic House candles | This local brand’s fall collection is full of cozy scents, from bourbon + brown sugar and farmhouse cider to pumpkin chai and apples + honey.
Seasonal goodies from the Chattanooga Market | There are always fall goodies to be found at the market, but even if you don’t find a treasure, there’s just something that feels right about going to the market on a crisp fall morning.
Pro Tip: Editor Brianna’s favorite piece of fall decor — a hand towel featuring the cutest porcupine holding a pumpkin — came from last year’s Chattanooga Market.
💀 Haunted houses
Dread Hollow | Thursday-Sunday, starting Oct. 1 | Various times | 321 Browns Ferry Rd. | $25 | We’ll keep it blunt and just say that this haunted house is pretty scary — not recommended for children under 12.
Hell’s Bar Dam | Weekends, starting Sept. 24 | Various times, dependent on attraction | 1265 Hales Bar Rd | $20+ | Situated at Hale’s Bar Dam — a spot already known for being haunted — you can choose from multiple spooky attractions like “Black Out,” in which you enter the haunted house with no lights on.
The Haunted Barn | Fridays + Saturdays, starting Oct. 1 | 7 p.m.-12 a.m. | 5017 McDonald Rd., McDonald | $20 | More than just a haunted spot, the barn also has a live DJ, bonfire, and concession stand to make waiting your turn to go inside a bit easier.
The Haunted Hilltop | Fridays + Saturdays, starting Oct. 1 | 7 p.m.-1 a.m. | 8235 TN-58, Harrison | $20 | The Haunted Hilltop features a bonfire, hayride through the woods, concessions, and a Halloween store in addition to its haunted house.
🚗 Fall road trips
- Camp at South Cumberland State Park | Located ~45 minutes away, enjoy the changing colors of the leaves, a grand waterfall, and a hike on Fiery Gizzard Trail, all located next to the Foster Falls campground. If you’re wanting a slightly more primitive experience, try the Father Adams campground that’s ~.05 miles from the parking lot via Fiery Gizzard Trail.
- Drive the Cherohala Skyway | The Cherohala Skyway makes for 1 of the best autumn drives, starting right here in Tennessee. The 43-mile National Scenic byway starts in Tellico Plains, TN, and will take you to Robbinsville, North Carolina. The start of the drive in Tellico Plains is roughly an hour and a half from downtown Chattanooga, so plan on a long drive.
Pro Tip: Make sure your car is gassed up + your snack bag is full when you start the drive — the only facilities on the 40+ mile byway are a few scattered restrooms.
- Go sightseeing at Fall Creek Falls | Fall Creek Falls provides 26,000 acres of pristine wilderness + is home to the tallest waterfall east of the Rockies at 256 feet. You’ve probably seen photos of this place in the fall, and for good reason.
Bonus: The park hosts a variety of events each month, so you can take advantage of a scenic pontoon or kayak tour when we reach peak fall foliage.
🍁 Your fall favorites
“A seasonal latte and pastry at Rembrandt’s early morning, followed by a slightly chilly walk along the waterfront or across the bridge!” — Destin S.
“The Five Points 50/25 mountain bike race starting at Lula Lake is a fall classic that I’ve participated in for the last several years. Great event and great after party!” — Greg H.
“Visit Snoopers Rock at Sunrise (I should probably stop recommending this one because it’s started to become too popular, but it’s where my husband and I got married and our best friends got engaged so we’ll keep going back), Tailgate a UTC home game at Finley Stadium, Go Camping (lots of great local choices for this)” — Abigail C.
“Go trout fishing” — Daniel E.
“Hiking short trails to enjoy the colors and cooler weather. We like Glen Falls on Lookout Mountain. But would be interested in other ideas.” — Monika V.
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