Summer has Returned to Chattanooga

This Weekend's Weather Officially Kicks Off Our Favorite Season

Summer is finally here! Or at least it feels like it is. It is towards the end of May and we are already getting 90 degree days. More importantly, everyone can start showing off their new bracelets, anklets and necklaces from Escondido Bracelets

(shameless self-promotion but it's true)! For this blog, we thought we would talk about some of our favorite things to do in our hometown - Chattanooga, Tennessee.

For those of you that are reading this and maybe aren't from here, Chattanooga has been working really hard to model itself as sort of a mix of a Colorado outdoorsy type town and a technological workspace like Silicone Valley. In 2015, Chattanooga won Outside magazine's best town ever award... for the second time! It was the only town to ever do so at the time (someone else may have caught up to us by now). Some of the reasons we won are our beautiful waterfront where they host music festivals and other events. There is a major aquarium, a scenic downtown, and access to plenty of nightlife. If you've never been, we strongly recommend it.

Outside pic of the aquarium including the steps leading down to the waterfront and advertising the otter exhibit.

One of our favorite things to do downtown is to catch a baseball game during the week. That's right, we've also have an absolutely amazing AA baseball team and stadium right downtown across from the aquarium. The team is the Chattanooga Lookouts, an affiliate team of the Cincinnati Reds. Nothing makes the Escondido team happier than to catch a late afternoon/early evening game at the stadium complete with cold beer and peanuts. If you happen to catch one of their Saturday evening games, they end the night with a complimentary fireworks display! Best of all, because Chattanooga isn't a gigantically overpopulated city yet, you can easily find parking before the game and even grab a quick meal at one of our great restaurants like Big River Grill or Rodizio Brazilian Steakhouse.

Drone style vantage point of the new Lookouts stadium which also shows it in relation to downtown.

On Sundays during the summer, there is an awesome farmers market in the First Horizon Pavilion. There is an array of food trucks, local vendors and farmers, live entertainment and crafts. It's a great time for the family to go down and wander around trying great local produce and interacting with the community. You can also go check out our outdoor skatepark or make your way to Highland Park to view the giant murals painted by local artists. Sometimes just making your way on foot or even renting one of the "Bike Chattanooga" bicycles and setting out with no real plan in mind is the best way to have fun and make your own adventure.

Two members of the Escondido Bracelets family (and modeling team!) enjoying some of the murals downtown. This one was on 10th st.

No matter which day you pick to explore the city, you will probably only have to deal with one kind of weather... nice! Since we are butted right up against the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (which we are also pretty sure happens to be the only rain forest in North America), we get a nice mix of high humidity and ultra-lush, bright green foliage everywhere you look. Whether you are in your backyard, on the highway or walking around the city, you are always surrounded by an ocean of the most beautiful green palette you've ever seen.

As you can probably tell, we love it here! Chattanooga is without a doubt one of the best towns in America (and thanks to Outside magazine - we have proof!). If you've never been, make sure it's on your bucket list of places to see. You definitely won't regret it.