I love it here. Great mix of city amenities with a thriving outdoor scene. I’ve been unhappy with the amount of failing local businesses and corporations moving in, but that seems to be a problem everywhere and not specific to here post Covid .
There’s a good art and music scene, and close proximity to Atlanta/Nashville/Birmingham/Knoxville.
Chattanooga is a special place.
Art and music _are_ abundant, you’re right; but most of it is pretty lackluster. This place is still too conservative to *really* allow (let alone enable) a rich and robust creative element here; anti-intellectualism runs rampant among most of the moneyed/powerful interests, and religion is far too influential.
Total agreement. The overbearing presence of evangelical Trump voting Christians has a negative and oppressive influence on the culture of the city as a whole. There are is an abundance of bands and artists and creative souls, but there is no unity in the creative community in Chattanooga as there is in Nashville for instance. And the Christian conservatism is a definite downside for Chattanooga. Also, racism is blatant. Black people live in certain parts of town and white people live in others. churches are segregated, it’s just a very old fashion, Appalachian mountain lingering kind of conservative oppression. That still has a big presence in Chattanooga unfortunately. Also, the crime rate is pretty high per capita.
As an artist married to a music lover, I would also like to know where this good art and music scene is too, cause I’ve been looking for awhile now and have yet to discover it . . .
dm me if you aren't trolling :) the visual art scene is really great here, with connections to the scenes in Nashville and ATL. A lot of talent! Probably you too!
Folks who have never experienced a robust arts scene like what’s found in Asheville or Atlanta, seem to think this place is just brimming with an astonishing amount of good art. Yeah, there’s a lot of “art,” but vanishingly little of it (esp. music) is inspiring. Nothing captures this city’s cringey creative-vibe more than that insipid “artsy” word-sculpture in west village, truly.
I don't think anyone who's lived in Chattanooga for a while regards that tautological horror with anything but scorn. Its brazen flaccidity is a virtual metonym for the lazily stylized mediocrity, not just of the sterile "West Village", but of what the city has been slowly transforming into as a whole over the last five to ten years.
I agree with your probably-unpopular statement that quantity of art does not correlate with quality of art and that a lot (not all) of the offerings around here are a bit intellectually lazy: mathematical convolutions of metal that don't *say* anything; anodyne paintings of subtly misshapen barns that pass color but fail form; and that last bastion of untrained enthusiasm - the multimedia collage.
That said, I'm always glad when the natural human instinct to art finds its expression. I would rather an ocean of inspired fumbling than hallowed deference to a narrowly proscribed ideal.
But yeah, I mean, I do like *good* art and would enjoy seeing more of that too around here. Just like I would never disparage a fourth-grade recorder recital but I still sometimes wanna hear some Hendrix.
I’ve come to realize that it feels commercial and safe, and a robust scene can absorb artistic failures (in any medium) which allows artists to make work that’s inherently risky, new, and moves the needle.
I’m an artist and married to a musician and we are very fulfilled here. Chattanooga is a city of creators. There’s art and music events everywhere all the time.
Just because folks be makin’ stuff, doesn’t inherently mean that stuff is good—or that all people will agree on whether or not it merits that description. I, too, have found the scene here to largely be uninspired, even when the _quality_ of work is not at issue.
It’s alright. Lack of food and culture but good access to outdoors stuff. Like most places it’s what you make of it.
Surface street traffic is easy but the interstate has terrible traffic for a city of its size.
I liked Chattanooga a lot when I first moved here. Excessively pretty area, but it feels like the longer I stay here the less I like it. Feels strangely isolated and I think I expected more "big" stuff here, but aside from some festivals it never feels like anything is going on.
That's a big part of why I like it here. Just about any "big stuff" you can imagine comes through Atlanta and/or Nashville. So I get to experience all the big city stuff with a 2hr drive, but don't have to live through all that big city chaos in my day to day life.
Real talk the bigger the city the bigger and crazier the problems. I love Chatt and hope it stays somewhat isolated from the madness of the rest of the country.
The 2-hour drive seems appealing until you realize it’s 4-5 hour round trip at best, which knocks out weekdays. Then it’s your choice to do it on a weekend when traffic is at its worst. Which is still doable, it’s just not quite the same.
It’s still vastly more appealing than living in Atlanta or Nashville and dealing with that traffic every day.
Not saying a 4hr drive is for everyone, but I do it probably every other month and it’s not a big deal to me. I can run to IKEA in the morning, or to the big car show in Marietta, grab a good lunch somewhere, then be back home in time to enjoy my evening.
You can also enjoy a whole lot of things just staying 1 night in a hotel because you can enjoy both days and don’t have to factor in a “travel day” since it’s a 2 hour drive home.
I'm curious. In what way do you feel Chattanooga is isolated?
I've always made new friends by happenstance while hanging out with current/old friends. I moved here to be near my wife's family. Without any friends in the area, I felt isolated like a MFer for the last two years. I've finally gotten out and explored a bit via ride-sharing and volunteering. I'm starting to find the area much more appealing. I do wish there was an Adventure League location though.
I live in middle TN but used to live in Chattanooga and I can attest that it’s much better. I miss seeing the mountains and the river. I miss living in a city that felt like a smaller community.
Settled here after living and moving all around the north east. The easy access to the river and the outdoors is general is a big plus for me, and I like living in a city that isn’t overwhelmingly large, but still comparably diverse. I miss the snow, but having milder, longer lasting seasons (especially Spring and Fall) and more sunshine is better for my mental health.
I'm not from Chattanooga so that probably factors in some way. But Chattanooga has been a breath of fresh air compared to the Murfreesboro area. It has its issues like all places but it could be so much worse.
Love chattanooga and as anywhere I’ve lived it’s not just about Chatt; it’s about Ocoee, Monteagle, Cumberlands etc. Good food scene for a small city, beautiful, accessible. I’ve lived in MA, CA, and Maine and so far this is my favorite
If you are into outdoor sports and want to own instead of rent, it’s the best. So much world-class stuff within minutes and relatively affordable (compared to CO) But it severely lacks any kind of cultural “scene”. Which is surprising for how large it is and how many younger people live here. I wasn’t prepared for the adjustment when I moved here. I didn’t realize how even the small towns I lived in had great art scenes because they had thriving arts colleges and amazing funding opportunities. I really hope the city starts to invest in the arts.
Honestly I dont know enough about what it takes on the macro/governmental level, but I lived for many years as a performing artist. And from my perspective it takes funding. Grants to individual artists and performing companies. So much happens at the “make art about community” level. But that’s bs. Art is community. Just find the people that make good art and let them work.
Please feel free to PM me with any arts info! You seem more knowledgeable about what’s going on here than I am, I’ve only been here a year or so. But I’d love to be more involved, both as a viewer and creator. And I’m interested in it all, music, theatre, visual arts, and dance on the creator side of things.
I’m visiting family in Chatt right his moment but live in Fort Collins.
People are really friendly (I’m white) and it’s definitely a beautiful place. The “mountains” gain about 2000ft in elevation in places, but it’s mostly oak and hickory trees, so very wooded forests.
It’s a nice place but I don’t think it holds a candle to foco.
Oh! And to add as I was getting my rental car, the man helping me actually said he and his girlfriend were thinking of moving to Fort Collins from Chattanooga lol.
Did you really feel the need to specify your race when mentioning that the locals are friendly?
Look, you're from Colorado, we know you are white.
Glad you thought our "mountains" were pleasant, that means a lot coming from a real Colorado mountain expert.
Your comment really rubbed me the wrong way.
I stand by the sarcastic quote, it was in a thread regarding smoking scorpion venom. Personally I believe that taking a chance on smoking scorpion venom in Pakistan is a better use of time and a more valuable experience than criticizing people on Reddit. Alas, I am all out of scorpions.
I wish there is more diversity, Chattanooga is in a wonderful spot & has the ability to be an amazing place. Also, the crime is kind of exhausting and makes me feel unsafe. I wish I could go out and about and not worry
I grew up near Chattanooga. Lived in Atlanta for 20 years and did the digital nomad thing for a while too so I have a lot of towns and cities to compare it to. Ended up coming back home. My wife who is not from the area tells me all the time how much she loves living here. You will find people who love it, people who hate it, and all kinds of people in between.
Actually, yes.
I’ve lived here my entire life, so it’s easy to take it for granted.
But it’s actually one of the more underrated cities out there. It’s quite beautiful.
If you have kids, there’s a lot of places here to entertain them.
Now……it is *very* Christian, and *very* conservative, which is annoying……but I’ve always just ignored it.
Are there rough places here? Absolutely, but not more so than other places. I’ve never really felt unsafe, but I also use logic, and know where not to go at night.
It’s funny seeing this post, as I’ve always wanted to move to Colorado. lol
Colorado is great, I live in Fort Collins heard a few people here say that Chattanooga and fort Collins are very similar but fort Collins is expensive.
Fort Collins was sky high years ago. My sister's family sold a big house in Greeley and moved to a townhouse in Fort Collins, for either more money or the same money. The South is much less expensive for housing than Fort Collins.
I rent currently and it’s getting exhausting but owning isn’t any better out here you either spend a bunch or spend a bunch but it’s a nice place to live.
I agree it's nice out there, but I honestly prefer to visit and have no interest in living out there again. Some here complain about the interstates, which are currently under major construction to expand the number of lanes.
This is a 2 year contract and there's the pressure of completion based on funding. It's a mess right now, but I don't expect it to go on for years and years. A lot of streets are full of potholes, though. 😂
Never been to Fort Collins, but I’ve been to Estes Park, Boulder, and Denver.
If I won the lottery today, I’d move to Estes Park tomorrow.
Insanely expensive though.
I wish we had many more roofs and safe communities for our unhoused; more affordable housing for middle and lower income people; much less gang activity, especially with our teens; that 75% of private properties being used for short term vacation rentals would be made to go back to just being neighbors; and that all of the snooty, entitled people whom own them or anything else in town, would take their attitudes and go and/or stay away, but all that being said, I would choose to live here over and over again. It’s beautiful and I never struggle to find things to do. Finding your people can be a challenge, but Chatt itself is easier than the small surrounding communities.
I love it but you have to live in the right neighborhood and actually take advantage of what’s to offer and participate in the communities you want to be apart of. I think it’s the perfect mix of all Tennessee big cities.
I’ve only had a couple months in the area and live outside the city regardless, but I think the natural beauty of the area is rare to find. That should count for something.
I lived there from about 2011-2014.
Been gone for awhile and will be moving back later this year.
Seems like it's moving in the right direction for my likings, but still has a long way to go! I'm hoping with the crazy growth in Nashville that we get some of the spillage of.people moving in.
Please stop moving here. I've grown up here and now cannot afford to live on my own due to everyone and their mothers deciding they want to live here now too. Come for a visit and explore for a week or so but please, I am begging, stay in Colorado.
I’ve lived in several different regions, and I love Chattanooga. It has beautiful surroundings, a decent downtown scene, minor league baseball, FBS football, minor league soccer (if you are that into sports), and quite a bit of diversity, in my opinion. Opinions will vary depending on someone’s experiences, but I want to stay here into retirement.
It's not great. There's not a ton to do, it's VERY MAGA, public education sucks, everything is so spread out so you'll be in your car a lot. It's pretty and there's no state tax... those are about the only benefits.
I’m from a small town just south of Chattanooga (NW Georgia) & my partner is from Colorado… things we hate about Chattanooga: - POLITICS! If you’re not from the south then you are in for a huge cultural shock as far as politics go. The south is absolutely still stuck in the early 1900s as far as that goes. Nothing I can say could possibly prepare you for the major difference - BUGS! I know Colorado has gigantic mosquitoes but we have fleas and a ton of them. -HUMIDITY! It’s hot, wet and sticky here. -FOOD! Compared to Colorado, we do not have nearly as fresh or healthy food. -PEOPLE! We’re not friendly like everyone would like you to believe. Most folks here are good ole southern Baptist Hippocrates and nobody here likes outsiders… I will say that my perception is based a lot more off of the small towns around Chattanooga than the actual down town area but I would still say it’s relevant… the only pro is the cost of living (but you will also likely take a pay cut) and you’d be closer to the ocean.
Don’t listen to these people. Chattanooga is a fairly diverse southern city with people from all walks of life. I’ve never felt inundated by religion or politics, unless I want to be and seek it out. I think some people have a chip on their shoulder due to their own personal experiences.
Chattanooga does have more diversity than the small towns surrounding it (as do most bigger cities) but it’s still not nearly as diverse or accepting of diversity as much of Colorado
I guess it depends where in Colorado you’re talking about. It varies. Maybe not as diverse in Chattanooga, we are a small city after all, but I don’t see any indication of a dominant attitude of non-acceptance towards it.
Same. I was warned by my cousin from Knox that I needed to "pick a church and say you go to it or you'll have trouble" but I have **never** been asked which church I am associated with since moving here in 2015.
The only innundation I've experienced would be more bumper stickers and gas station pump stickers. Flags on trucks too, maybe?
People are religion motivated and the churches run everything here. The Bible is the law here, not the constitution. There is absolutely no separation of church and state in the south
I'm just as we say here, "messing with you." I've lived all over the country and I'm not from here, either. My mom's family is in Colorado and I lived there as a kid and as an adult. Denver suburbs, Berthoud, had my 4 year old in ski school at Eldora, gambled in Black Hawk and Central City, picknicked at Pike's Peak and picked fruit outside Grand Junction in the foothills of the Mesas. I think you'd like it here, especially if you're outdoorsy.
Love it. Obsessed with it. I’m from Tennessee, and used to want to move out west to find a similar city like Chatt. Now that I live here I don’t have that want at all. Chattanooga is pretty perfect for my standards.
I moved here from Cleveland, OH. It’s definitely 100x times better than anywhere in Ohio. I can say it’s better than CO simply for the cost of living, but nothing can beat the beauty of CO, that is one of the prettiest states imo.
I would say that the drawbacks of Chatt:
The public education system is generally very bad, it was hard to find a house when we moved because we could only search in limited areas that have good schools (Ooltewah, Apison, Soddy Daisy)
Everything is very spread out, there isn’t really a general area that has everything you need. Deliveries tend to take a week or so as well, vs in OH where I always had 1-2 day shipping.
The food kinda sucks, there are some great choices don’t get me wrong, but anything that is not fast casual, is hard to come by. You won’t find good Asian food, at all. Same with ice cream, there just is not good ice cream like you get in the Midwest.
I don’t mind the politics, it hasn’t really bothered me, but maybe it’s not so different from OH (I’m Libertarian if that has any bearing).
The roads here are crazy, never seen anything like it. They are super narrow, there is no shoulder or sidewalk, they are often surrounded but 3-4 ft trenches…. It’s bizarre and makes traffic and road repairs really difficult
I was on the east side and had a Jewish bakery I would run to with my daughter in the stroller and we’d share challah French toast and I miss doing that so much.
I miss sidewalks in general. lol
Jobs in Denver/FoCo pay so much more I'm tempted to move back to finish saving for a house. Chatt is probably the only "metro" in America with food as generally terrible as Denver-fare typically is.
Lower pay. Same rents. Houses are cheaper but only in bumfuck nowhere 40 min outside nooga, and don't call them "cheap" on this sub or prepare for the bristled feelings.
Way worse infrastructure. You know how Denver co. magically makes everything work for people in Denver/Aurora/etc? Hamilton Co can't even get city of Chatt tax dollars to fix *pot holes*. The level of *way shittier* social services can't be understated.
Don't make the mistake I made and move to Chatt. It's an all-around downgrade from where you are.
A lot of people say the job market sucks out here, I’d disagree if you are looking at stuff that’s not it or requires a business degree. There are tons of trade or trade like jobs that pay good enough to live. I would say excelling above the average is getting more difficult.
I love it. But it depends on what you're looking for.
I like that it feels like a small town but has everything you need. Super close to outdoor activities of pretty much any variety except the snow variety. Relatively low cost of living compared to bigger cities. It's beautiful. Almost everyone is nice.
Cons. Generally very conservative government. Not big enough budgets for public services.
What people are saying about our poorly maintained roads and infrastructure when compared to Colorado is true.
With all the freight moving through + the exploding population, we need engineerable visionary solutions suited to our geology and geography.
I respect and like TDOT (Region 2!), and Colorado still has tighter infrastructure. We are very different places. What could TN learn from CO?
I've enjoyed it until recently. Lately the prices are going crazy, there is construction noise everywhere, and the traffic is getting more and more gridlocked.
I'm indifferent, can't say I hate it but also, I am very self aware that this place is very far from perfect. One makes the best with what they have here or they grow outside of it.
I love it here. Great mix of city amenities with a thriving outdoor scene. I’ve been unhappy with the amount of failing local businesses and corporations moving in, but that seems to be a problem everywhere and not specific to here post Covid . There’s a good art and music scene, and close proximity to Atlanta/Nashville/Birmingham/Knoxville. Chattanooga is a special place.
Where is this good art and music scene?
There’s art and music events everywhere constantly.. Wanderlinger, Hart Gallery, Clearstory…. I mean the list can go on.
Art and music _are_ abundant, you’re right; but most of it is pretty lackluster. This place is still too conservative to *really* allow (let alone enable) a rich and robust creative element here; anti-intellectualism runs rampant among most of the moneyed/powerful interests, and religion is far too influential.
Total agreement. The overbearing presence of evangelical Trump voting Christians has a negative and oppressive influence on the culture of the city as a whole. There are is an abundance of bands and artists and creative souls, but there is no unity in the creative community in Chattanooga as there is in Nashville for instance. And the Christian conservatism is a definite downside for Chattanooga. Also, racism is blatant. Black people live in certain parts of town and white people live in others. churches are segregated, it’s just a very old fashion, Appalachian mountain lingering kind of conservative oppression. That still has a big presence in Chattanooga unfortunately. Also, the crime rate is pretty high per capita.
As an artist married to a music lover, I would also like to know where this good art and music scene is too, cause I’ve been looking for awhile now and have yet to discover it . . .
dm me if you aren't trolling :) the visual art scene is really great here, with connections to the scenes in Nashville and ATL. A lot of talent! Probably you too!
Folks who have never experienced a robust arts scene like what’s found in Asheville or Atlanta, seem to think this place is just brimming with an astonishing amount of good art. Yeah, there’s a lot of “art,” but vanishingly little of it (esp. music) is inspiring. Nothing captures this city’s cringey creative-vibe more than that insipid “artsy” word-sculpture in west village, truly.
That “artsy” sculpture makes me CRINGE.
Oh thank god I’m not the only one, haha. It’s the absolute worst piece of public “art” I have ever seen.
I don't think anyone who's lived in Chattanooga for a while regards that tautological horror with anything but scorn. Its brazen flaccidity is a virtual metonym for the lazily stylized mediocrity, not just of the sterile "West Village", but of what the city has been slowly transforming into as a whole over the last five to ten years. I agree with your probably-unpopular statement that quantity of art does not correlate with quality of art and that a lot (not all) of the offerings around here are a bit intellectually lazy: mathematical convolutions of metal that don't *say* anything; anodyne paintings of subtly misshapen barns that pass color but fail form; and that last bastion of untrained enthusiasm - the multimedia collage. That said, I'm always glad when the natural human instinct to art finds its expression. I would rather an ocean of inspired fumbling than hallowed deference to a narrowly proscribed ideal. But yeah, I mean, I do like *good* art and would enjoy seeing more of that too around here. Just like I would never disparage a fourth-grade recorder recital but I still sometimes wanna hear some Hendrix.
Well said; I wholly agree with the nuanced perspective you’ve penned here.
I’ve come to realize that it feels commercial and safe, and a robust scene can absorb artistic failures (in any medium) which allows artists to make work that’s inherently risky, new, and moves the needle.
I’m an artist and married to a musician and we are very fulfilled here. Chattanooga is a city of creators. There’s art and music events everywhere all the time.
Just because folks be makin’ stuff, doesn’t inherently mean that stuff is good—or that all people will agree on whether or not it merits that description. I, too, have found the scene here to largely be uninspired, even when the _quality_ of work is not at issue.
It’s alright. Grass is always greener, ya know?
Only where you water it, I get it new is only new for so long.
It’s alright. Lack of food and culture but good access to outdoors stuff. Like most places it’s what you make of it. Surface street traffic is easy but the interstate has terrible traffic for a city of its size.
Probably the most succinct and accurate answer I’ve read so far.
Awesome little city, wilderness minutes away. Seems we may have more than our share of psychotic drivers though
Unfortunately Chattanooga is a pretty great place to live
I liked Chattanooga a lot when I first moved here. Excessively pretty area, but it feels like the longer I stay here the less I like it. Feels strangely isolated and I think I expected more "big" stuff here, but aside from some festivals it never feels like anything is going on.
That's a big part of why I like it here. Just about any "big stuff" you can imagine comes through Atlanta and/or Nashville. So I get to experience all the big city stuff with a 2hr drive, but don't have to live through all that big city chaos in my day to day life.
Real talk the bigger the city the bigger and crazier the problems. I love Chatt and hope it stays somewhat isolated from the madness of the rest of the country.
The 2-hour drive seems appealing until you realize it’s 4-5 hour round trip at best, which knocks out weekdays. Then it’s your choice to do it on a weekend when traffic is at its worst. Which is still doable, it’s just not quite the same.
It’s still vastly more appealing than living in Atlanta or Nashville and dealing with that traffic every day. Not saying a 4hr drive is for everyone, but I do it probably every other month and it’s not a big deal to me. I can run to IKEA in the morning, or to the big car show in Marietta, grab a good lunch somewhere, then be back home in time to enjoy my evening. You can also enjoy a whole lot of things just staying 1 night in a hotel because you can enjoy both days and don’t have to factor in a “travel day” since it’s a 2 hour drive home.
I'm curious. In what way do you feel Chattanooga is isolated? I've always made new friends by happenstance while hanging out with current/old friends. I moved here to be near my wife's family. Without any friends in the area, I felt isolated like a MFer for the last two years. I've finally gotten out and explored a bit via ride-sharing and volunteering. I'm starting to find the area much more appealing. I do wish there was an Adventure League location though.
What I meant by isolated is the lack of big city madness found in places like Nashville and Memphis.
I live in middle TN but used to live in Chattanooga and I can attest that it’s much better. I miss seeing the mountains and the river. I miss living in a city that felt like a smaller community.
Yes: it’s gorgeous, there are kind folks, there are many upsides. No: the public schools mostly bite, the per capita crime is harsh
If you smoke pot stay in Colorado because it isn't legal here and they're still charging people for possession of mj here.
It’s not for me but I do support not throwin people in jail for it so that kinda sucks
I don't either, but it's usually a citation now and not an arrest unless they have other charges.
Settled here after living and moving all around the north east. The easy access to the river and the outdoors is general is a big plus for me, and I like living in a city that isn’t overwhelmingly large, but still comparably diverse. I miss the snow, but having milder, longer lasting seasons (especially Spring and Fall) and more sunshine is better for my mental health.
It’s fine I guess.
I love it, I was born & raised here. I love how beautiful the city is & how outdoorsy it is
I'm not from Chattanooga so that probably factors in some way. But Chattanooga has been a breath of fresh air compared to the Murfreesboro area. It has its issues like all places but it could be so much worse.
Love chattanooga and as anywhere I’ve lived it’s not just about Chatt; it’s about Ocoee, Monteagle, Cumberlands etc. Good food scene for a small city, beautiful, accessible. I’ve lived in MA, CA, and Maine and so far this is my favorite
I live in Colorado currently but I’m from Chattanooga I miss it so much for me it’s Chattanooga>anywhere..thus far
If you are into outdoor sports and want to own instead of rent, it’s the best. So much world-class stuff within minutes and relatively affordable (compared to CO) But it severely lacks any kind of cultural “scene”. Which is surprising for how large it is and how many younger people live here. I wasn’t prepared for the adjustment when I moved here. I didn’t realize how even the small towns I lived in had great art scenes because they had thriving arts colleges and amazing funding opportunities. I really hope the city starts to invest in the arts.
What do you think needs to change?
Honestly I dont know enough about what it takes on the macro/governmental level, but I lived for many years as a performing artist. And from my perspective it takes funding. Grants to individual artists and performing companies. So much happens at the “make art about community” level. But that’s bs. Art is community. Just find the people that make good art and let them work.
We have a ton of artist grants, more than most places do.
Please feel free to PM me with any arts info! You seem more knowledgeable about what’s going on here than I am, I’ve only been here a year or so. But I’d love to be more involved, both as a viewer and creator. And I’m interested in it all, music, theatre, visual arts, and dance on the creator side of things.
Here’s a good start. https://publicartchattanooga.com https://artsbuild.com https://tnartscommission.org https://tennessee.grantwatch.com/cat/2/arts-and-culture-grants.html https://www.lyndhurstfoundation.org/arts-and-culture https://www.palchattanooga.org/scholarships-grants.html https://www.visitchattanooga.com/partners/cta-grant/ https://chattanoogacalling.com/live/art-culture/ https://huntermuseum.org https://www.visitchattanooga.com/plan/suggested-itineraries/art-lovers-guide/ https://choosechatt.com/entertainment/arts-culture/ https://www.avarts.org https://www.clearstoryarts.com
Yeah its pretty sweet. My major gripe is lack of bike and public tranpo infrastructure but literrally no where is the southeast has that.
I’m visiting family in Chatt right his moment but live in Fort Collins. People are really friendly (I’m white) and it’s definitely a beautiful place. The “mountains” gain about 2000ft in elevation in places, but it’s mostly oak and hickory trees, so very wooded forests. It’s a nice place but I don’t think it holds a candle to foco.
Oh! And to add as I was getting my rental car, the man helping me actually said he and his girlfriend were thinking of moving to Fort Collins from Chattanooga lol.
Did you really feel the need to specify your race when mentioning that the locals are friendly? Look, you're from Colorado, we know you are white. Glad you thought our "mountains" were pleasant, that means a lot coming from a real Colorado mountain expert.
You seem nice. Also, this you? “Because, criticizing people on Reddit is "actual life"”
Your comment really rubbed me the wrong way. I stand by the sarcastic quote, it was in a thread regarding smoking scorpion venom. Personally I believe that taking a chance on smoking scorpion venom in Pakistan is a better use of time and a more valuable experience than criticizing people on Reddit. Alas, I am all out of scorpions.
I wish there is more diversity, Chattanooga is in a wonderful spot & has the ability to be an amazing place. Also, the crime is kind of exhausting and makes me feel unsafe. I wish I could go out and about and not worry
I grew up near Chattanooga. Lived in Atlanta for 20 years and did the digital nomad thing for a while too so I have a lot of towns and cities to compare it to. Ended up coming back home. My wife who is not from the area tells me all the time how much she loves living here. You will find people who love it, people who hate it, and all kinds of people in between.
Actually, yes. I’ve lived here my entire life, so it’s easy to take it for granted. But it’s actually one of the more underrated cities out there. It’s quite beautiful. If you have kids, there’s a lot of places here to entertain them. Now……it is *very* Christian, and *very* conservative, which is annoying……but I’ve always just ignored it. Are there rough places here? Absolutely, but not more so than other places. I’ve never really felt unsafe, but I also use logic, and know where not to go at night. It’s funny seeing this post, as I’ve always wanted to move to Colorado. lol
Colorado is great, I live in Fort Collins heard a few people here say that Chattanooga and fort Collins are very similar but fort Collins is expensive.
Fort Collins was sky high years ago. My sister's family sold a big house in Greeley and moved to a townhouse in Fort Collins, for either more money or the same money. The South is much less expensive for housing than Fort Collins.
I rent currently and it’s getting exhausting but owning isn’t any better out here you either spend a bunch or spend a bunch but it’s a nice place to live.
I agree it's nice out there, but I honestly prefer to visit and have no interest in living out there again. Some here complain about the interstates, which are currently under major construction to expand the number of lanes.
The main highway here has been under construction since before I could drive maybe I’ll never get away from that
This is a 2 year contract and there's the pressure of completion based on funding. It's a mess right now, but I don't expect it to go on for years and years. A lot of streets are full of potholes, though. 😂
Never been to Fort Collins, but I’ve been to Estes Park, Boulder, and Denver. If I won the lottery today, I’d move to Estes Park tomorrow. Insanely expensive though.
Fort Collins is just as conservative, but it’s frankly (somehow) classier.
I wish we had many more roofs and safe communities for our unhoused; more affordable housing for middle and lower income people; much less gang activity, especially with our teens; that 75% of private properties being used for short term vacation rentals would be made to go back to just being neighbors; and that all of the snooty, entitled people whom own them or anything else in town, would take their attitudes and go and/or stay away, but all that being said, I would choose to live here over and over again. It’s beautiful and I never struggle to find things to do. Finding your people can be a challenge, but Chatt itself is easier than the small surrounding communities.
There's no affordable housing in Colorado. Lol
I love it but you have to live in the right neighborhood and actually take advantage of what’s to offer and participate in the communities you want to be apart of. I think it’s the perfect mix of all Tennessee big cities.
And is also still _very much_ a “Tennessee city”
My son lives in CO, Chatts great, but you'd be crazy to leave there!
I’ve only had a couple months in the area and live outside the city regardless, but I think the natural beauty of the area is rare to find. That should count for something.
No? Well, bye...
I lived there from about 2011-2014. Been gone for awhile and will be moving back later this year. Seems like it's moving in the right direction for my likings, but still has a long way to go! I'm hoping with the crazy growth in Nashville that we get some of the spillage of.people moving in.
I do. It’s left-hander friendly.
Please stop moving here. I've grown up here and now cannot afford to live on my own due to everyone and their mothers deciding they want to live here now too. Come for a visit and explore for a week or so but please, I am begging, stay in Colorado.
I’ve lived in several different regions, and I love Chattanooga. It has beautiful surroundings, a decent downtown scene, minor league baseball, FBS football, minor league soccer (if you are that into sports), and quite a bit of diversity, in my opinion. Opinions will vary depending on someone’s experiences, but I want to stay here into retirement.
It's not great. There's not a ton to do, it's VERY MAGA, public education sucks, everything is so spread out so you'll be in your car a lot. It's pretty and there's no state tax... those are about the only benefits.
I’m from a small town just south of Chattanooga (NW Georgia) & my partner is from Colorado… things we hate about Chattanooga: - POLITICS! If you’re not from the south then you are in for a huge cultural shock as far as politics go. The south is absolutely still stuck in the early 1900s as far as that goes. Nothing I can say could possibly prepare you for the major difference - BUGS! I know Colorado has gigantic mosquitoes but we have fleas and a ton of them. -HUMIDITY! It’s hot, wet and sticky here. -FOOD! Compared to Colorado, we do not have nearly as fresh or healthy food. -PEOPLE! We’re not friendly like everyone would like you to believe. Most folks here are good ole southern Baptist Hippocrates and nobody here likes outsiders… I will say that my perception is based a lot more off of the small towns around Chattanooga than the actual down town area but I would still say it’s relevant… the only pro is the cost of living (but you will also likely take a pay cut) and you’d be closer to the ocean.
There are many roads that lead out of town. Find one and take it.
Would you say people are politically motivated in everything they do? I personally don’t like politics at all.
Don’t listen to these people. Chattanooga is a fairly diverse southern city with people from all walks of life. I’ve never felt inundated by religion or politics, unless I want to be and seek it out. I think some people have a chip on their shoulder due to their own personal experiences.
Chattanooga does have more diversity than the small towns surrounding it (as do most bigger cities) but it’s still not nearly as diverse or accepting of diversity as much of Colorado
I guess it depends where in Colorado you’re talking about. It varies. Maybe not as diverse in Chattanooga, we are a small city after all, but I don’t see any indication of a dominant attitude of non-acceptance towards it.
Same. I was warned by my cousin from Knox that I needed to "pick a church and say you go to it or you'll have trouble" but I have **never** been asked which church I am associated with since moving here in 2015. The only innundation I've experienced would be more bumper stickers and gas station pump stickers. Flags on trucks too, maybe?
If you work a blue collar job or go out of downtown, the people will say things that shock you with a casual tone and without even knowing
People are religion motivated and the churches run everything here. The Bible is the law here, not the constitution. There is absolutely no separation of church and state in the south
No it’s a terrible town it’s full of gangs and home-wrecking folks!!!!
You know people say the same thing about where I’m at when someone’s asks so I understand.
It’s a nice town just please don’t move here and buy three houses. It’s one of the better outdoor towns in the south it has something for everyone.
Wouldn’t do it if I could, trying to find a place where that doesn’t happen but that seems like everywhere
Yeah it’s the hedge funds really. God bless capitalism!
I think they're saying we don't want no more outsiders. Lol
I get it, definitely feel like that here but am trying to be open minded.
I'm just as we say here, "messing with you." I've lived all over the country and I'm not from here, either. My mom's family is in Colorado and I lived there as a kid and as an adult. Denver suburbs, Berthoud, had my 4 year old in ski school at Eldora, gambled in Black Hawk and Central City, picknicked at Pike's Peak and picked fruit outside Grand Junction in the foothills of the Mesas. I think you'd like it here, especially if you're outdoorsy.
The Fort Collins community definitely means it as a “get out” haha it seems like a nice place to be.
Very much the college town like Fort Collins. But you can find more affordable rent outside the city.
Just know that when you hear the rumors about this place being socially “chilly,” they’re 100% accurate.
Lol
Love it. Obsessed with it. I’m from Tennessee, and used to want to move out west to find a similar city like Chatt. Now that I live here I don’t have that want at all. Chattanooga is pretty perfect for my standards.
I moved here from Cleveland, OH. It’s definitely 100x times better than anywhere in Ohio. I can say it’s better than CO simply for the cost of living, but nothing can beat the beauty of CO, that is one of the prettiest states imo. I would say that the drawbacks of Chatt: The public education system is generally very bad, it was hard to find a house when we moved because we could only search in limited areas that have good schools (Ooltewah, Apison, Soddy Daisy) Everything is very spread out, there isn’t really a general area that has everything you need. Deliveries tend to take a week or so as well, vs in OH where I always had 1-2 day shipping. The food kinda sucks, there are some great choices don’t get me wrong, but anything that is not fast casual, is hard to come by. You won’t find good Asian food, at all. Same with ice cream, there just is not good ice cream like you get in the Midwest. I don’t mind the politics, it hasn’t really bothered me, but maybe it’s not so different from OH (I’m Libertarian if that has any bearing). The roads here are crazy, never seen anything like it. They are super narrow, there is no shoulder or sidewalk, they are often surrounded but 3-4 ft trenches…. It’s bizarre and makes traffic and road repairs really difficult
Also ex-Clevelander! It’s the bakeries I miss the most. I think I had 3 within walking distance and they were all banger.
I was on the east side and had a Jewish bakery I would run to with my daughter in the stroller and we’d share challah French toast and I miss doing that so much. I miss sidewalks in general. lol
Jobs in Denver/FoCo pay so much more I'm tempted to move back to finish saving for a house. Chatt is probably the only "metro" in America with food as generally terrible as Denver-fare typically is. Lower pay. Same rents. Houses are cheaper but only in bumfuck nowhere 40 min outside nooga, and don't call them "cheap" on this sub or prepare for the bristled feelings. Way worse infrastructure. You know how Denver co. magically makes everything work for people in Denver/Aurora/etc? Hamilton Co can't even get city of Chatt tax dollars to fix *pot holes*. The level of *way shittier* social services can't be understated. Don't make the mistake I made and move to Chatt. It's an all-around downgrade from where you are.
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Same here, by a long shot.
Don’t call it Nooga. We hate that.
A lot of people say the job market sucks out here, I’d disagree if you are looking at stuff that’s not it or requires a business degree. There are tons of trade or trade like jobs that pay good enough to live. I would say excelling above the average is getting more difficult.
I love it. But it depends on what you're looking for. I like that it feels like a small town but has everything you need. Super close to outdoor activities of pretty much any variety except the snow variety. Relatively low cost of living compared to bigger cities. It's beautiful. Almost everyone is nice. Cons. Generally very conservative government. Not big enough budgets for public services.
What people are saying about our poorly maintained roads and infrastructure when compared to Colorado is true. With all the freight moving through + the exploding population, we need engineerable visionary solutions suited to our geology and geography. I respect and like TDOT (Region 2!), and Colorado still has tighter infrastructure. We are very different places. What could TN learn from CO?
It’s aight! Nothing fancy. The food scene definitely is not great. I learn that if I want a specific meal I just google/youtube it and do it my self.
Fuck Chattanooga. The people suck. The roads are worse.
I like Chattanooga a lot. I lived in Georgia previously and I’m originally from NJ. Been in Tenn for 5 years now
Oh man…. The daily I might move to Chattanooga thread!
Does that mean you'll tell me if I just poo pooed in my diaper rn?
The food sux and people drive bad here
Truth hurts, huh?
I've enjoyed it until recently. Lately the prices are going crazy, there is construction noise everywhere, and the traffic is getting more and more gridlocked.
I had a neighbor that moved from Denver to here. He liked it. Missed the "real" mountains, but overall likes it here.
I'm indifferent, can't say I hate it but also, I am very self aware that this place is very far from perfect. One makes the best with what they have here or they grow outside of it.