Need recommendations for 1 night in Nashville or Chattanooga areas

[Claudia1]

We will be driving through Tennessee on a Friday night and want to stay in or close to these cities, traveling with our 11 yr old DGD.

Any cool or special places for a short lay-over? Great hotel pool? Something to see in the area Saturday morning for 2-3 hours?

Thanks!

 

[jimbostacks]

We stayed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Chattanooga I-24/Lookout Mountain...and thought it was nice. We went in the winter last year, but you are 10 mins to Look out Mountain or Ruby Falls...there are some attractions there. I like the view from Lookout mountain at night. Not sure which direction you would be going the next day? But I have boys and loved stopping at Stone mountain Georgia - not horribly out of the way when passing Atlanta. Took the cable car up to the top of Stone mountain and then walked down.....it is a long walk down and around back to car.

 

[LadyBeBop]

I'm assuming your travelling to WDW from the upper Midwest.

Might be a little too soon for you to stop, and I wouldn't do this until the government mess is over since the place is closed due to the lack of a budget.

But Mammoth Caves National Park is 90 minutes north of Nashville. There are a few nice places right outside the park in Cave City. And a cave tour is always something neat to see.

Nashville is a cool town to visit with the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ol' Opry. An Opry show won't fit until your schedule unless you arrive on a Tuesday or a weekend night before 7 PM. But I think there are Opry tours. When we went to Nashville last, we stayed at Courtyard by Marriott in Franklin. It's about 15 miles south of Nashville, so it's a little out of your way. But there are nice places inside the city.

Again, if you don't mind going a little out of your way (about 15 miles west of downtown), there is the Loveless Cafe for a good meal (serves breakfast, lunch and dinner). It's at the very end of the Nachez Trace.

 

[quigs3]

The Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville is very nice and just a short walk to Opryland. You can take a fun tour and shop at the mall right next door before heading back on the road. Happy and safe travels to you!

 

[EyesandEarsJami]

I live in Memphis, but own a business in Chattanooga and stay there often. Personally, I almost always use priceline for my stays. I bid for downtown Chattanooga and usually get either the Sheraton Read House or the Marriott Downtown. But are fine hotels, but I don't base my stays on using their hotels.

Both are in Downtown Chatt and you can easily walk to the Riverwalk area where there are quite a few restaurants, a movie theatre and other things to do. (With the Marriott being a longer walk)

I'd recommend Chattanooga over Nashville. You'll be two hours closer to WDW and it's an easier/smaller city to get around as well.

 

[MOpGrad2013]

The Gaylord at Opry is supposed to be very nice and there's a boat inside. Also, right next door is the Opry Mills mall--Aquarium & Rain forest restaurants. These are off of Briley Parkway (TN155).

Unsure where you are heading on to, but to let you know, we have a lot of construction I-24/I-65 interchange. This is an area that gets congested anyway, but right now, we are talking 11 ft lanes, curving and single lanes. It gets scary and we are relatively local. Briley Parkway is the detour route around this.

DH works out of Chattanooga so we have made the trip several times when he was at headquarters this summer. Trying to think of the billboards and most seem to be for the places already listed above or winery & distillery (not kid places IMO) or shopping. Of course, sometimes we don't notice what is out there.

Overall, if you end up all the way to nashville, I will say that the airport locations tend to be much cheaper than the downtown locations. And the travel time to a destination downtown from the airport is about 15 min (heavy traffic).

 

[LvsTnk]

We stay in the Holiday Inn express right across the street from the Gaylord If that isn't in your budget great place with free breakfast and pool.

If you can stay in the Gaylord all the better absolutely beautiful and you could honestly find plenty to do without leaving the property. I actually have stayed there several times due to the recommendation from this board.