Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston, West Virginia is nestled along the Kanawha River and surrounded by the Appalachian Mountains. It is best known for its rich history, arts scene and southern hospitality. Popular attractions include the State Capitol and West Virginia State Museum. Check out our one day trip to Charleston to get some ideas for your visit!
getting to Charleston for your one day trip
Charleston has an international airport that is located about 4 miles from the downtown. It is the West Virginia International Yeager Airport (CRW). If traveling in from the airport you should catch a taxi or uber as taking the bus (route 20) takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Nearby cities for a day trip include Lexington, KY which is 177 miles or about 2 hours 40 minutes, Columbus, OH which is about 162 miles or 2.5 hours, Pittsburg, PA which is 228 miles or 3 hours 20 minutes. It is ideal to have your own car for getting around the area.
When we went in 2021 we were on a road trip from Baltimore, MD to Nashville, TN. We spent the night in Charleston, WV explored area and stopped in Lexington, KY on way to Tennessee.
Getting around
We got around by driving since were on a road trip. You can also consider using taxi or uber in the area. Parking was fairly easy around town.
What we did on our one day trip
West Virginia State Capitol
Charleston is the capital of West Virginia and has an iconic State Capitol Building. It was completed in 1932 and has a 293-foot-gold-leafed dome which is the tallest of any US state capitol. It has elegant interior with Roman influences. Free guided tours are available.
West Virginia State Museum
The West Virginia State Museum is a free museum near the capitol building. It is open Tuesday-Saturday 9 AM- 5PM. It has a variety of exhibits and is a great thing to check out.
Walk around the town
There are many little restaurants and shops in the downtown area of Charleston. Strolling along the charming Capitol street you can check out boutiques, galleries and cafes. Charleston is located along the Kanawha River and nearby Kanawha State Forest has 60 miles of scenic trails for hiking and biking.
Our experience Charleston, West Virginia
When visited in Fall of 2021 on a road trip from Baltimore to Nashville. We decided to take a bit of a longer route to check out some places we hadn’t been before. We stopped and spent a night in Charleston, WV and when we woke up we did some exploration before getting on the road again. We also really love check out state capitols and this one was definitely impressive. It is a really charming town and we enjoyed our short time there. I would recommend checking it out for a day or if passing through on a road trip.
