Itgredients Road Trip - Chattanooga

I love a good road trip - or even a plane trip, despite the fact that flying is torture. A favorite road trip is just 1 and 1/2 hours away in Chattanooga -- an eclectic little town surrounded by mountains and water, kitschy activities -- and surprisingly good food.

If you're thinking of a trip, here are some of my faves:

Dogs need weekends too! Pets are welcome at the Sheraton Read House an historic hotel in the center of Chattanooga's business district. The Read House is the Old South at its finest, and also features the best of the 20th Century with a Starbucks on the lobby level.

For dinner or happy hour, the Boathouse is the perfect option. Off the beaten path in an industrial area, it overlooks the river -- perfect for sunset views. Get your garlic fix with their amazing roasted garlic oil - the chunks of garlic are like candy.

The most important meal of the day, breakfast, couldn't get better than sitting outside on the patio at the Back Inn Cafe in the Arts District. Another breakfast option is the quirky Aretha Frankensteins with delicious, yet strange-looking blueberry pancakes. Just don't go there expecting expeditious service - Chattanooga is definitely on it's own time.

If you want to really splurge (at least on fat and calories), try Wally's for some down-home cookin'. Their peach cobbler is to die for. And, the place has been around since 1937.