Downtown Charleston Travel Guide
Charleston
Visit Downtown Charleston
Popular places to visit
Charleston Town Center
You can do some window-shopping at Charleston Town Center during your trip to Charleston. While in this walkable area, find time to visit its casinos.
West Virginia State Capitol Building
Take a guided tour around West Virginia’s seat of government and marvel at its dazzling dome, which is covered in 23.5-karat gold.
Mardi Gras Casino
Why not roll the dice with a visit to Mardi Gras Casino during your travels in Cross Lanes? Wander the area's riverfront or simply enjoy one of its top-notch restaurants.
University of Charleston
Take a campus tour or just explore the area of University of Charleston during your travels in Charleston. While in this walkable area, find time to visit its casinos.
Haddad Riverfront Park
Haddad Riverfront Park is just one of the places to see in Charleston, so why not enjoy the other things to explore during your travels? While in this walkable area, find time to visit its casinos.
West Virginia State Museum
Familiarize yourself with the story of West Virginia at this nicely laid-out museum, which covers such diverse topics as coal and the Civil War.
Things to do
Promise Land Bee Farm Private Tour in Charleston
Astonishing Scavenger Hunt: West Virginia’s Cultural Crown!
Top hotels in Downtown Charleston
Embassy Suites Charleston
The lobby was nice but our room was very rundown. Mold on ceiling in bathroom and there was a wood shelf next to the shower that looked like they got from a thrift shop and it was in very bad condition. Faucet in bathroom was not installed correctly and was hard to turn off. Very disappointed. Definitely ...
Reviewed on 9 May 2026
Charleston Marriott Town Center
My room was clean. I did have a heating issue but staff were quick to remedy this.
Reviewed on 9 May 2026
Holiday Inn Express Charleston-Civic Center by IHG
Breakfast was the best of all the Holiday Inns we stayed in the last 4 days. Good tasting and room was clean. Give the hostess a bonus. Placed in room 100, next to lobby. Not good. Could hear late guests arriving. Also, did not appreciate the 0530 wake up call which I did not ask for.
Reviewed on 4 May 2026
Courtyard by Marriott Charleston Downtown/Civic Center
Disappointed.
Reviewed on 6 May 2026
Suburban Studios Charleston - Civic Center
Breakfast was good, shower was clean with good pressure.
Reviewed on 8 May 2026
Four Points by Sheraton Charleston
There were no grab bars or non-skid mat in the shower. Sheraton should fix this. I had to repeatedly get on the floor and crawl under a table to access a power outlet to charge my devices. That’s not easy for me to do anymore. I was disappointed that dinner wasn’t available at the bar on weekends. ...
Reviewed on 3 May 2026
Other neighbourhoods around Downtown Charleston
Grosscup Road Historic District
If you're spending time in Grosscup Road Historic District, you might enjoy its casinos and river views. If you've got time to venture a little farther, you can make a stop by Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences or Charleston Town Center.
East End Historic District
East End Historic District is noteworthy for its casinos, and you can plan an outing to West Virginia State Museum and West Virginia Culture Center while you're in town.
West Side
If you're spending some time in West Side, Patrick Street Plaza Shopping Center and Ruffner Memorial Park are top sights worth seeing.
South Hills
While visiting South Hills, you might make a stop by sights like Wallace Hartman Nature Preserve and Cox-Morton House.
Loudendale
Though Loudendale may not have many top sights, you can venture to the surrounding area to see attractions like Wallace Hartman Nature Preserve and Kanawha State Forest.
Kanawha City
You'll enjoy the restaurants and shopping in Kanawha City. You might want to make time for a stop at Kanawha Mall Shopping Center or Kanawha Landing.
