Discover Kanawha: Culture, History and Regional Experiences

Kanawha is well worth visiting for travelers who want to combine culture, history, music and regional specialties into varied days of vacation. Between museums, stages, markets and historical traces, this destination offers both in-depth discoveries and the flexibility to create different daily rhythms. When choosing your vacation rental, you can therefore consider whether you mainly want to experience exhibitions and music, get to know regional products or focus on the history of the Kanawha Valley.

Museums of Art, Science and History

The West Virginia State Museum presents the history, culture, art, paleontology, archaeology and geology of West Virginia. This provides broad access to the subjects that have shaped the state. Those traveling with several generations or different interests can discover a variety of focal points here without having to commit to a single field.

Another notable destination is the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia. The 240,000-square-foot building houses performing arts, visual arts and sciences under one roof. Admission to the museum provides access to the Avampato Discovery Museum and the Juliet Art Museum. This makes it possible to combine scientific topics and art in a single visit.

Music, Markets and Regional Traditions

Mountain Stage has been a live music program on public radio since 1983. Most live shows take place at the Culture Center Theater on the State Capitol grounds in Charleston. The Vandalia Gathering also features traditional Appalachian music. FestivALL brings performances, concerts and visual art to Charleston for 10 days. These offerings showcase different sides of the regional cultural scene: from a regularly hosted live format to events with a strong focus on music and visual art.

The Capitol Market is ideal as a program item in its own right for an enjoyable break. The year-round indoor and outdoor market is located in a train station dating from around the turn of the century. It offers seasonal goods, gifts made in West Virginia, handcrafted chocolate, cheese and wine. Those looking for a vacation rental that allows them to plan their days independently will find inspiration here for regional shopping and culinary discoveries, without their vacation having to consist solely of museum visits.

Adena History and Special Experiences

The Criel Mound in South Charleston is the largest of around fifty conical mounds of the Adena culture in an area west of Charleston that extends to Institute. The mound is 35 feet high and has a diameter of 175 feet. These dimensions make the historic site particularly vivid, while its connection to the Adena culture highlights the region's long history.

You can experience an unusual regional tradition at J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works. There, a seventh-generation family produces natural salt by hand from a prehistoric ocean trapped beneath the Appalachians in West Virginia's Kanawha Valley. J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works also offers experiential tours. This craft-focused experience complements Kanawha's cultural and historical themes.

Getting There and Choosing the Right Base

West Virginia International Yeager Airport offers passengers dining, shopping, lounges and free Wi-Fi. The airport is located near the intersection of three major Interstate highways. For a stay in which you want to combine different interests, this travel information provides a helpful basis for further planning. An additional natural highlight is the Spotted Salamander Trail, an accessible educational trail for wheelchair users.

When searching for a vacation rental in Kanawha, you can therefore first determine your preferred focus: museums and stages, markets and regional products, Adena history or a combination of culture and nature.

Other Places for Orientation

For comparing other destination pages, you can consider South Charleston, St Albans, Charleston, Elkview, Cross Lanes, Dunbar and East Bank. Another destination page is Harrison.

For the higher-level travel overview: West Virginia.