Top 12 Things To Do In Charleston, West Virginia

1. Enjoy a Broadway musical in Charleston Light Opera Guild

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Ever since its inception in 1949, the Charleston Light Opera Guild has been instrumental in entertaining audiences all over in West Virginia with quality shows and Broadway musicals. Leonard Stocker, who is accredited for the Guild seeing the light of the day, was a professional singer and actor. With 225 seats in the present times, the theater provides a warm setting for its audience to thoroughly enjoy the shows and operettas.

The theater has produced successful plays in the past such as The Sound of Music, Little Women, Shrek: The Musical, Mamma Mia, and The Addams Family only to name a few. Fans of Cinderella can catch a show of the timeless fairy tale in times to come. Don’t miss the upcoming musical, Kinky Boots, which will be produced by the Guild and staged at Charleston’s Coliseum and Convention Center Theater.

Charleston Light Opera Guild

Address: 411 Tennessee Ave, Charleston, WV 25302, United States

Website: Charleston Light Opera Guild

Price: 30 USD

2. Celebrate the annual river festival at the Haddad Riverfront Park

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Located in the heart of the city, Haddad Riverfront Park offers sweeping views of the pristine Kanawha River and downtown Charleston. Known for hosting annual river festivals, events, and concerts, the riverfront park features an amphitheater that can accommodate as many as 2,500 people. There is also the occasional private gathering. People enjoying a boat ride on the river can anchor down and watch the vibrant city scenes from the comfort of the boat.

The Charleston Sternwheel Regatta - an annual river festival is held at the park. People flock to the venue in huge numbers during the Independence Day weekend and celebrate with fireworks and carnival-style rides. Live music by local and nationally known bands adds to the celebrations.

Haddad Riverfront Park

Address: 600 Kanawha Boulevard East Charleston, WV 25301

Website: Haddad Riverfront Park

Opening hours: Opens at daylight; closes at dusk

3. Tour the beautiful West Virginia Capitol Building

Charleston has a marbled history in West Virginia and one of the first things you’ll want to do here is to tour the majestic dome of the West Virginia Capitol Building. While you’re there, you can pick yourself up some Appalachian Mountain salt from the family-owned J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works or go shopping and have a bite to eat at the popular Tidewater Grill. You can also check out the governor’s mansion or the numerous historic monuments and statues displayed on the Capitol grounds.

West Virginia Capitol Building

Address: 1900 Kanawha Blvd E

Website: West Virginia Capitol Building

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 8am - 5:30pm; Sat: 9am - 5:30pm; Sun: 12pm - 5:30pm

4. Stroll by Kanawha River to Magic Island Park

A lovely park to take the kids, it sits on the Kanawha River and is surrounded by pleasant and serene views. This public park has a playground, splash pad, grassy areas, and walking paths with views of the river. It’s a good place to take the family for a picnic or just to burn off excess energy. There are volleyball courts as well and the park is situated on five acres (two hectares) of land on the banks of the Kanawha River. Magic Island Park is also known to host events like Sportsfest or movie night. It’s just a nice place to take the family as you spend the bulk of your day experiencing what Charleston, West Virginia, has to offer.

Magic Island Park

Address: Berkeley St, Charleston, WV 25302

Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)

5. Learn about local history at the West Virginia State Museum

Located in the Culture Center of the State Capitol Complex, the West Virginia State Museum holds true to its mission statement, “to identify, preserve, protect, promote and present the ideas, arts and artifacts of West Virginia’s heritage.” The museum was recently renovated and has displays that celebrate West Virginia’s rich history and admirable culture. It traces West Virginia history via a series of displays such as the telescope that George Washington used to survey Virginia land or a large collection of antique hats that were donated by a school teacher.

West Virginia State Museum

Address: 1900 Kanawha Blvd E #435, Charleston, WV 25305

Website: West Virginia State Museum

Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 9am - 5pm (closed on Sun & Mon)

6. Have a great barbecue at Dem 2 Brothers & A Grill

Some say that the corner on which this restaurant sits is “the best smelling corner in West Virginia” but you can make that call for yourself. Four years ago, this restaurant’s owner, Adrian “Bay” Wright, was selling his delicious fare on the side of the road. But the food was so good, and the lines so long, that the restaurant was born and now, there are two. The restaurant serves such delicious southern fare as ribs and pulled pork and even serves its own original barbecue sauce. You should definitely plan on having lunch here as you check out charleston.

Dem 2 Brothers & A Grill

Address: 423 Virginia St W, Charleston, WV 25302

Website: Dem 2 Brothers & A Grill

Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 9:30am - 7pm (closed on Sun & Mon)

7. Spend a fun, educational day at Clay Center for Arts & Sciences

This 240,000 sq ft (22296.7 sq m) facility, located just a few miles from the West Virginia State Museum, is dedicated to the performing arts, visual arts, and sciences, all of which are housed under one roof. This makes the facility one of only a few like it in the United States. The art museum boasts traveling exhibits from around the world as well as a permanent collection at the Juliet Art Museum. The center also has a Discovery Museum that highlights three floors of hands-on interactive exhibits for the entire brood to enjoy. There are a planetarium and theater to experience science and more from a more three-dimensional perspective and you might even enjoy catching a live performance.

Clay Center for Arts & Sciences

Address: 1 Clay Square, Charleston, WV 25301

Website: Clay Center for Arts & Sciences

Opening hours: Sat: 10am - 12:30pm & 1:30pm - 4pm; Sun: 1pm - 4pm (closed from Mon - Fri)

Price: Adult (museum only): 9 USD (6.68 BPS) Children (museum only): 7.50 USD (5.57 BPS)

8. Read a book and appreciate the art at Taylor Books

Not your average bookstore, this large, cozy Indy bookstore is located in the Downtown Charleston Historic District on Capital Street. In it, you can sit and enjoy a good read from a large selection of books, with a scone and a hot cup of java, or you can peruse local contemporary art and handmade crafts exhibited in their Annex Gallery. Taylor Books is a one-of-a-kind bookstore that will have you so cozy and inspired, you won’t want to leave.

Taylor Books

Address: 226 Capitol St, Charleston, WV 25301

Website: Taylor Books

Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 8am - 8pm; Sat: 9am - 8pm: Sun: 9am - 5pm (closed on Fri)

9. Hike the Sunrise Carriage Trail

Beautifully adorned with the foliage of West Virginia, this hiking trail is sure to offer you moments of tranquility and peace while giving you a burst of exercise to invigorate the rest of your journey. The trail is dog friendly but only if dogs are leashed. It’s a 1.4-mile (2.25km) trail that is adequate for all levels of hikers, and it offers scenes of rivers, creeks, and waterfalls. It’s also a great place for birding if that is your thing.

Sunrise Carriage Trail

Address: 746 Myrtle Rd, Charleston, WV 25314

Opening hours: 5am - 7pm (daily)

10. Attend an art of culinary class at Uncork and Create

Located in the heart of downtown Charleston, West Virginia, at Uncork and Create, you can dig into your creative side and learn to create art of your own. This establishment offers both art and culinary classes and even summer camps for kids. These creative events are taught by talented artists and culinary experts from the local area and this is sure to be a unique experience for the whole family.

Uncork and Create

Address: 901 Quarrier St, Charleston, WV 25301

Website: Uncork and Create

11. Have fun at Sky Zone Trampoline Park

With several locations throughout the world, this park is well-liked as well as well-established. Sky Zone Trampoline Park features freestyle bouncing, Dodgeball, a Toddler Zone, and a foam pit for all ages. You can play laser tag or you can plan your trip there around birthday parties or other special events. There is also a team-building facility if you want to bring groups or even hold corporate events there. Whether you want to blow off steam and get some “air time” you’ll have fun here for certain.

Sky Zone Trampoline Park

Address: 500 Southridge Blvd, Charleston, WV 25309

Website: Sky Zone Trampoline Park

Opening hours: Tue & Wed: 4am - 8pm; Thu: 10am - 6pm; Sat - Mon: 12pm - 8pm (closed on Fri)

Price: From 19.99 USD

12. Go shopping at Capitol Market

Located in the middle of downtown Charleston, this market offers an assortment of fresh produce, meats, and fish. Shop here if you wish to gather up some of the local foods and bring them home with you. Indoors, they have specialty shops, a meat market, fishmongers, a Wine and cheese store, a coffee bar, a sushi bar, an Italian restaurant, and even a store that sells nothing but creations from chocolate. The outdoor market is filled with greenhouses offering fresh grown West Virginia veggies and the Capitol Market is also home to a monthly online cooking class.

Capitol Market

Address: 800 Smith St, Charleston, WV 25301

Website: Capitol Market

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 10am - 6pm; Sun: 12pm - 5pm

Discover Charleston, West Virginia

Located in the heart of colonial America, Charleston is a great place to explore and you’ll be mesmerized by the beautiful sceneries and tantalized by the food. Come to Charleston, West Virginia, and tell your friends what you discover.