Chattanooga's riverfront in one walk: Ross's Landing, the Tennessee Aquarium, the Hunter Museum and Bluff View, the Walnut Street Bridge and Coolidge Park.

Last checked Oct. 18, 2026. Facts come from the City of Chattanooga’s park pages, the Tennessee Aquarium, the Hunter Museum, Bluff View Art District, the Southern Belle and CARTA.

Chattanooga’s riverfront is the city’s front porch. On the south bank, Ross’s Landing and the Tennessee Aquarium sit below the Hunter Museum and the Bluff View Art District; the pedestrian Walnut Street Bridge crosses to the North Shore, where Coolidge Park and Renaissance Park line the river. It is all walkable in an afternoon, and much of it is free. Parks questions: Parks and Outdoors, 423-643-7866.

What this means for you

  • Start: Ross’s Landing, 101 Riverfront Parkway, by the aquarium.
  • Walk: east along the Riverwalk to Bluff View, across the Walnut Street Bridge, and back by Coolidge Park.
  • Ride: the free CARTA Downtown Shuttle links the aquarium to the Southside.
  • Park: meters are free after 6 p.m. and on Sundays.

South bank: Ross’s Landing and the aquarium

Ross’s Landing, 101 Riverfront Parkway, honors John Ross, principal chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1828 to 1866. It has a natural amphitheater, a river pier, the Chattanooga Green, an accessible playground, a marina and an aquarium plaza with wading pools, streams and markers on Chattanooga’s Native American and military history (Ross’s Landing).

Tennessee Aquarium, One Broad St., 800-262-0695: two buildings, River Journey and Ocean Journey, plus an IMAX 3D theater. Hours change by season; in mid-October 2026 it was open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, last entry 5 p.m. (tnaqua.org). Library card holders can borrow a family pass; see free things to do.

Southern Belle Riverboat, 151 Riverfront Parkway, 423-266-4488: sightseeing, sunset and dinner cruises on the Tennessee River from the downtown landing (chattanoogariverboat.com).

The bluff: Hunter Museum and Bluff View

Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View Ave., 423-267-0968, perched on the bluff above the river:

Day Hours
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday Noon to 5 p.m.
Tuesday Closed

It also closes Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Parking in the museum lot, 500 feet from the entrance, is free once you register your plate (visit the Hunter).

Bluff View Art District, next door: a family-owned historic neighborhood of restaurants, a coffee house, an art gallery, a bed and breakfast and gardens, with Rembrandt’s Coffee House (since 1994), Tony’s Pasta Shop & Trattoria, Bluff View Bakery, the Bluff View Inn in three renovated mansions and River Gallery with its sculpture garden (bluffviewartdistrict.com). A Riverwalk trailhead sits at 411 E. Second St.

Walnut Street Bridge

At 2,376 feet, almost half a mile, it is one of the world’s longest pedestrian bridges. Built in 1890 to a design by Edwin Thacher, it closed to cars in 1978 and sat unused for nearly a decade until residents raised more than $10 million to restore it; it reopened as a pedestrian linear park in 1993 (Walnut Street Bridge). The south end lands by the Hunter Museum and the aquarium; the north end drops into Coolidge Park.

North Shore: Coolidge and Renaissance parks

  • Coolidge Park, 150 River St.: lawns, kayak and paddleboard access, an interactive fountain open May to September, and the Bud Ellis Carousel, a restored 1894 Dentzel, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, $1 a ride for adults (Coolidge Park).
  • Renaissance Park, 100 Manufacturers Road: 23 acres of wetlands, nature trails and public art on a former industrial site (Renaissance Park).

The north bank also leads into the North Shore district’s shops, galleries and restaurants, the city notes. Brunch spots nearby are in our brunch guide.

Getting there and parking

  • Meters: downtown, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday; North Shore, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday; 2-hour limit; free outside those hours unless signs say otherwise.
  • Free shuttle: CARTA’s electric Downtown Shuttle runs between the Chattanooga Choo Choo and the aquarium, daily except New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
  • On foot or bike: the Riverwalk runs through the riverfront, with Bike Chattanooga stations at 100 Walnut St., Coolidge Park and Renaissance Park.

Full parking rules are on our getting around guide.

Related: walking and biking trails, date night, kids’ activities and history and landmarks.

Frequently asked questions

What is there to do on the Chattanooga riverfront?

Within a short walk: the Tennessee Aquarium and its IMAX theater at Ross’s Landing, the Hunter Museum of American Art and the Bluff View Art District, the Walnut Street Bridge, Coolidge Park’s carousel and fountain, Renaissance Park and Southern Belle river cruises.

How long is the Walnut Street Bridge?

2,376 feet, almost half a mile. Built in 1890 and closed to cars in 1978, it reopened in 1993 as a pedestrian linear park linking downtown to the North Shore.

What are the Hunter Museum’s hours?

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. It is closed Tuesdays and on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Where do I park for the Tennessee Aquarium and the riverfront?

Downtown meters run 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday with a 2-hour limit and are free outside those hours, including Sundays. CARTA’s free Downtown Shuttle runs between the Chattanooga Choo Choo and the aquarium.