Charleston Things to Do

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This large home, officially named "The Executive Mansion", is the official residence of the Governor of the state of West Virginia and his family. The mansion, designed by local architect Walter Martens, overlooks the Kanawha River and is adjacent to the state Capitol Building. It has 30 rooms and was completed in 1925.

Guided tours are available, which take visitors through the public rooms on the ground floor.

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The West Virginia Cultural Center is a modern-style building located next to the state capitol that houses the West Virginia Museum (currently closed for renovation) and the West Virginia Archives.It also houses the West VIrginia State Theater, where numerous concerts are held throughtout the year, including the popular Mountain Stage series of concerts, which are broadcast on the NPR radio network and the PBS television network.

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We took a walk along the Kanawha River near the capitol building. It was a nice relaxing way to get some exercise while in Charleston. The river in that section of the city is calm, with pleasant views. Howver, we did have some excitement while we were walking, as a paddlewheel riverboat passed us by.

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There are a number of interesting statues located around the grounds of West Virginia's state capitol complex. These include statues of Abraham Lincoln, who was President of the US when West Virginia gained independence from Virginia, and Stonewall Jackson, the Confederate Civil War general, who was born in the area. Other statues include a mountaineer and a coal miner, two iconic symbols of West Virginia's citizens.

The East End Historic District is a pleasant residential neighborhood full of older Victorian-style homes and leafy streets. It is adjacent to the state capitol complex, and is a nice area through which to take a stroll on a summer evening, particulalrly along Virginia and Quarrier streets.

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The Vandalia Gathering is an annual 3-day cultural festival that is held in Charleston in late may over Memorial Day weekend. It features lots of mountain/bluegrass music and other native folk music, along with local crafts and folk dancing. Stages and booths are spread out throughout the state capital complex, with larger concerts every night in the State Theatre. The music events range from instrument-playing competitions (fiddle, banjo, guitar, etc.) to formal concerts to informal jams that seemed to constantly be springing up wherver there was some shade. Crafts on display included quilts, hand-blown glassware, pottery, hand-mad instruments, and jewelry.

For children, they have hands-on crafts exhibits, as well as a tent where children can try to play the various instruments. There is also plenty of food, water, and soft drinks, which are sold in tents throughout the event that raise money for local non-profit organizations.

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We love to go to the Circus when it comes to town each year. It comes to the Charleston Civic Center which is located across the street from the Charleston Town Center Mall. They have a parade from the Stockyard Train Station to the Civic Center, and they have the annual Elephant Bubble Wash where the kids get to blow bubbles while the firemen spray them down. It is alot of fun...and the kids enjoy it.

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Galaxy Bowling is alot of fun in Charleston. Located in Kanawha City a suberb of Charleston, located across the river from Charleston.

If you go on the weekend after 9pm they will turn off the lights and turn on the lazer lighting. It is alot of fun for the children..It is a little expensive though. It cost $3.75 per game per person and the shoe rental is $2.00 per pair per person. So if you have several people going and bowl more than one game, it can add up.

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Every February or March in Charleston at the Civic Center, they sponsor a HUNT SHOW..which has bunches of dealers and reps displaying Hunting and Fishing supplies.
You walk around and see what they are offering to sell or demonstrate.

You fill out slips of paper and try to win things. They give you pencils, hats, pens, brochures, etc and it is a fun way to spend the afternoon or a few hours. It cost about $5 or so and usually the kids are totally FREE!!!

This year they had the WEST VIRGINIA MOTORCYCLE on display..it is beautiful !!!!

I am a member of the FRATERNAL ORDER OF THE MOOSE..and we have an awesome MOOSE in Charleston.

It is two stories, and we have a huge dancing floor on both levels. We also have great dinners and family parties that we can include the children.

I love to go there on friday and saturday nights to dance my cares away...they have a wonderful DJ and play some great dance music..The drinks are discounted and ample.