Things to do in Chattanooga?

Pretty awesome aquarium/IMAX theater...

Is that a pizza place by chance? We have several "down yonder in The South".

yes plus lots more.

Welcome to the Scenic City! If you need a guided tour, PM me. I'm happy to show a fellow Inforooster the places we locals love! 

Here are some links for ya:
Start w/the Chattanooga Visitors Bureau for official info.  this site offers tourist info.

These are the best places in the downtown/North Shore (just across the river from the Aquarium):

DRINKS:
Hair of the Dog pub - close to the Aquarium
The Honest Pint - Irish pub in downtown; great drinks & the most fantastic gourmet tater tots! They usually have live music most nights.
Terminal Brewhouse - beside the Chattanooga Choo Choo; brews made on premises; great noms, too!
Chattanooga Whiskey - drink local & take some home!
Chattanooga Brewing - on the North Shore; you can take growlers to go
BrewHaus - a supposedly German-style pub on the North Shore/Frazier Ave; it's small but has a nice patio
The Flying Squirrel - on the Southside (behind Chatt. Choo Choo)

NOMS:
Lupi's Pizza - if Bonnaroo was a pizza joint, this is what it would be. Try their amazing, ginormous (the size of a regulation NFL football!) calzones!
Taco Mamacita - great locally-owned chain (of 3 restaurants in TN & SC); try their homemade guacamole & chips and their two-for $6 margaritas on Tuesday.
Milk & Honey gelato - beside Taco Mamacita on the North Shore; orgasmically good gelato, all homemade on the premises
Aretha Frankenstein's - a tiny little dive on the North Shore; see the above description of Lupi's & apply it to this place for breakfast/brunch/dinner. The place has killer waffles & pancakes, plus Guinness & local beers on draught. It's where I take every Inforooster who's ever visited me.
River Street Deli - a great NY-style deli in Coolidge Park that's only open for lunch; best Reuben in town.
Sofa King Juicy Burger - a hip burger joint (w/a pun for a name that some locals don't get!) just outside the North Shore headed toward Signal Mountain. Great liquid nitrogen milk shakes.
Sticky Fingers BBQ - downtown, beside Lupi's. Locally-started southern franchise; great BBQ.
Urban Stack Burger & Bourbon Lounge - on the Southside (near The Terminal); great food but not much to do in that area unless the local Chattanooga Football Club is playing a home match, then the "Chattahooligans" as the crazed fans are called, will be out en masse and celebrating accordingly. But since you're not there on the weekend, you'll miss that action.

STUFF TO DO:
Bluff View Arts District - up the hill from the Aquarium; explore the sculpture gardens, have a coffee/pastry on the patio of Rembrandt's, visit some museums, then take a stroll over to the North Shore on the world's longest pedestrian walking bridge.

Once you're on the North Shore, you'll end up on Frazier Avenue where there are tons of eclectic shops & eateries. Chill out in Coolidge Park or stop in at Outdoor Chattanooga to find out what activities (river kayaking, mountain climbing, etc.) are available that day. You can rent skulls & paddle around the TN River for awhile if you like, or you can just stroll the Riverwalk for a few miles.

Downtown has a 12-screen theatre (one of which offers VIP seating & drinks) and an IMAX theatre located 1blk from the TN Aquarium.

If you need a cheap place to stay, I highly recommend The Crash Pad. It's a LEED gold-certified (read: environmentally friendly) hostel geared toward outdoor enthusiasts. (A bunk is $27 and comes w/free WiFi or use their 27" Macs, plus they keep great microbrews on hand.) A friend of my owns & built it from locally-sourced materials. It's a cool little place w/the Flying Squirrel Bar beside it.

If you're into indoor climbing, there are a few climbing gyms. Try the TBA Bouldering Authority in St. Elmo (near the foot of Lookout Mountain) and have a great workout, then grab a bite at Mojo Burrito. If you want to be a real Chattanooga tourist, take the scenic drive to the top of Lookout Mountain. You can go to Rock City (the place that's advertised on barns & billboards all over the country) and see the sites.

But if you'd rather just buy some records, go to Chad's on the North Shore. He's a cool guy whose regular space recently burned, so he's relocated to a little shop (Winder Binder Gallery) on Frazier Ave.

If you want to REALLY see how the Scenic City got its moniker, take a drive up Signal Mountain on the W Road. It's named that because of the zigzag shape the road takes at the pinnacle. Then drive along the brow to the main road down which takes you back to downtown. It's a white-knuckle ride for out-of-towners but it's breathtaking! (Watch the video & you'll understand!)


Oh, and if you need to stock up on booze in plastic bottles before 'Roo, visit Jax Liquors downtown on Market Street (2blks from the Aquarium) - they've got good prices & a decent selection. 

Hope these help! PM me if you get lost!

Laundry? You're on your own there, I'm afraid! There are many laundromats in every 'hood; don't know much else about 'em since I haven't used any since college! 

As for canned beer, your best bet is on the North Shore at Whole Foods. They've got a really decent selection, as does Riverside Wine about a block away. But since you said you're staying on the east side of town, any local grocery store (Bi-Lo, Publix, EarthFare, The Fresh Market) will please your taste buds (though maybe not your wallet!) better than WalMart. Just do not get the Chattanooga Pilsner from Big River Brewing. It's not palatable under any circumstance unless you like beer-scented water. 

edit: yeah, the IMAX is for all ages. Here's their current schedule.

Hey thanks again. For sec I forgot you can pretty much get beer anywhere. It's not like that here. We have only 1 main place to buy beer believe it or not!

Also thanks for telling me to stay away from the pilsner. I like to try new local beer but I'll trust you and stay away from that one!

Thanks again and I hope you're having as much fun as I am in 2 weeks!