The Smokies are beautiful, I’m sure you’ll both have a good time. Chattanooga is worth visiting if you have the time, it’s a good mix of college town and rural Appalachian beauty.

Just be aware of your surroundings and whether or not anyone is giving you the stink eye or staring you down, and assume any dude giving you shit has a gun (ie, don’t escalate and just leave). The majority of people are not gonna be a problem, especially in urban areas. But anyone telling you it never happens is living in denial.