Drive Time: Harrison is located about 13 miles northeast of downtown Chattanooga and is a 20-minute drive from the Tennessee Aquarium.
Locator Maps: Harrison, which is bordered almost in its entirety by the Chickamauga Lake, has the following cities and towns surrounding it: Collegedale, East Ridge, Lakesite, Red Bank, Ridgeside, Soddy-Daisy, Walden, Falling Water, Middle Valley, and Ooltewah.
Curb Appeal: Median home price listing is $275,000 according to realtor.com.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner: With just 7.1 square miles of land the options for food may be limited but the quality is not.
Dockside Cafe, located at the Harrison Bay Marina, offers menus for all three meals. Boaters love the fact they can dock at the restaurant, while the outside deck area is popular year-round. Among the culinary favorites are the raspberry ribs, a variety of grilled, fried and blackened seafood and handmade deserts such as strawberry cake with buttercream icing, Oreo pie and the Sunshine pie.
Fresh Burger Grill (formerly known as Merv's) is the newest of the three area locations (on Highway 58) and it's quickly drawn a large following. As the name suggests, FBG is known for its never-frozen burgers, but folks also rave about the onion rings and hand-cut fries. Want to show off your Southern roots? Try the fried bologna and fried Oreos.
Sweeney's Bar-B-Q on Highway 58 offers all the favorite smoked cuts of meat one would expect of a southern berbacue restaurant and, for the adults, a full-service bar to unwind after a day on the water.
In The News
- Input sought on $400,000 investment at Booker T. Washington, Harrison Bay state parks
- Camping records set at Tennessee State Parks in 2020 as people 'stay home' outdoors
Happy Place: Harrison's main attraction is Harrison Bay State Park and the 1,200-acre park has something for everyone. There are the usual park activities such as camping (including 128 RV campsites that have electrical and water hookups), hiking (three main trails, including a 4.5-mile look around the shore), children's educational programs and a playground. The park, however, is also home to Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, a Jack Nicklaus-designed course that plays up to 7,140 yards and features several water-lined holes. The course also has a driving range, practice putting greens, snack bar, club rentals and offers lessons. The park is also home to Harrison Bay State Park Marina, which offers a 24-hour no-fee boat ramp (no overnight parking, though). Water enthusiasts can rent canoes, kayaks and standup paddleboards and there is a free public boat launch.
Shop Talk: There are numerous options for shopping in the Harrison area, though most big-ticket items can be found outside the city limits. Lake Hills Shopping Center and 58 Crossing are located on Highway 58 and have several small shops. Northgate Mall is part of the shopping mecca just a few miles away in Hixson.
Livability score sheet
Walkability: Being a mostly rural area, most commuters in Harrison use some form of transportation to get around. However, if it's a walk you want there are plenty of green spaces to exercise (see parks and recreation below).
Health care assets: CHI Memorial Hospital, 2051 Hamill Road, Hixson
Harrison itself does not have a hospital but several health care provider offices, including family practices and urgent care centers, can be found in the Harrison area and CHI Memorial Hospital in Hixson is not far away.
Claim to fame: Since nearly 20% of Harrison is water, the area is known for its recreational areas and easy access to the Tennessee River. The area also attracts tourists curious to get a glimpse of "Old Harrison." The town was flooded in 1940 with the completion of the Chickamauga Dam and, when TVA lowers the water level during the winter months, remnants of Old Harrison can be seen, including roads, foundations of houses and cemeteries. The flooding and its impact were the focus of the 1960 movie "Wild River."
Parks and Rec
- Harrison Bay State Park
- Booker T. Washington State Park
Schools
- Chattanooga Central (grades 9-12)
- Brown Middle (grades 6-8)
- Harrison Elementary (grades K-5)