About Southern Belle Riverboat
The Southern Belle Riverboat is Chattanooga's signature river cruise experience, departing from Pier 2 on Riverfront Parkway in the heart of the downtown waterfront. This full-size paddlewheel riverboat has been a Tennessee River institution for decades, offering sightseeing, lunch, and dinner cruises that glide past the city skyline, Lookout Mountain, and the Tennessee River Gorge.
The cruise calendar includes daily sightseeing excursions lasting about 90 minutes, lunch cruises with buffet dining, and evening dinner cruises with live entertainment and a two-hour narrated route. Seasonal specials — fall foliage cruises, holiday light cruises, and New Year's Eve sailings — round out the annual programme. Private charters for weddings, corporate events, and large parties are also available, with the vessel accommodating several hundred guests across multiple decks.
What makes the Southern Belle special is the combination of river scenery and onboard hospitality. The Tennessee River Gorge — often called the Grand Canyon of Tennessee — unfolds through floor-to-ceiling windows while guests dine, dance, or simply relax on the open-air deck. For visitors and locals alike, it's one of the most relaxed ways to experience Chattanooga's dramatic natural setting.
