I'm a couple hours from Chattanooga in north Alabama, my wife & I occasionally take short three day vacations there. We found it to be full of southern hospitality, good food and awesome scenery. I don't have an opinion about crime rates but in a city that large you're sure to find a little of everything. We usually stay near downtown, ride the free bus, mingle with whoever happens to be enjoying the weekend, have never had any problems whatsoever. Happened upon a bike nite/free concert last fall, one local said it goes on all summer. If you're a civil war buff there's tons of historic stuff around, TN river flows right thru the place, Appalachian mtns dwarf everything human. One lifetime is not long enough to ride all the good roads in the area.