Discover Charleston: Culture, Nature and Events

Charleston lies at the confluence of the Kanawha River and the Elk River. The capital of West Virginia combines museums, architecture, events, markets and wooded trails into a trip where you can place different emphasis on culture and scenery. If you are looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home, it is therefore worthwhile to first determine your preferred activities for each day.

Museums, Architecture and the State Capitol

The West Virginia State Museum has 26 Discovery Rooms and 2 Connections Rooms. It interprets pivotal events and places from West Virginia’s past through first-person accounts and vivid recreations. Anyone who wants to learn about history through more than just dates will find a narrative approach here.

At the Juliet Art Museum, you can see exhibitions by national and local artists. The Craik-Patton House was built in 1834, is an example of Greek Revival architecture and now serves as a museum. Another distinctive landmark is the West Virginia State Capitol Complex, with its 293-foot-high dome clad in gold leaf. Tours of the State Capitol are offered Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. You can take these times into account when planning a cultural day.

Live Culture and Special Dates

Mountain Stage is a two-hour live-performance radio program broadcast on more than 200 public radio stations in the United States. Many performances take place at the Culture Center Theater on the grounds of the West Virginia State Capitol Complex in Charleston. The free concert series Live on the Levee began in 2004 and remained a regular part of the summer program despite a one-year interruption in 2020. In 2026, it returned to the Schoenbaum Stage at Haddad Riverfront Park with ten evenings from May 22 to July 31.

FestivALL also shapes the events calendar: the citywide, multidisciplinary cultural program includes events, performances and exhibitions in music, theater, dance, visual arts and the humanities throughout the year. This gives Charleston a range of cultural occasions, from a single performance to a stay with several scheduled activities.

Markets, Trails and Nature Experiences

Open year-round, Capitol Market is an indoor-outdoor market in a turn-of-the-century railway station. It offers seasonal goods and gifts made in West Virginia. When planning your trip, a visit to the market can easily be scheduled as a separate activity between museum and event appointments.

The Cato Park Trails form a wooded trail network in central Charleston, with routes of varying difficulty. Spring Hill Cemetery Park covers 168 acres on a hill less than a mile from downtown Charleston. In the area surrounding Charleston, Kanawha State Forest also offers 14 hiking trails and 9 mountain bike trails. Depending on your focus, you can plan short walks within the city or a more active outing in the surrounding area.

The Right Base for Your Trip

Three major interstate highways meet in Charleston. When choosing your accommodation, the desired pace of your trip is particularly important: Do you want to combine museums, tours, markets and live culture, or should hiking trails and mountain bike trails be the main focus? Accommodation in Charleston provides a starting point for planning a trip centered on these different interests, without requiring you to commit to just one type of experience.

More Places for Your Trip Planning

If you would like to see other places besides Charleston, you can also consider South Charleston, Elkview, East Bank, St Albans, Cross Lanes and Dunbar when planning your trip.

To the main travel overview: Kanawha.