Charleston Area Inspiration Guide - Charleston Area Inspiration Guide 2019
Downtown Stroll
2019-07-10 01:46:03
PICTURE-PERFECT RIVER CITIES
EXPERIENCE CHARLESTON’S hip, historic vibe with a stroll through downtown. Along Capitol Street’s brick sidewalks, visitors delight in quirky boutiques, progressive eateries and upscale art galleries. Historic architecture, restaurants, retail and professional offices seamlessly mingle to create a postcard-perfect scene. Downtown Charleston is home to more than 20 restaurants and specialty shops selling everything from ethnic fare and fine wine to fresh-roasted nuts, handmade ice cream, pastries and artisan breads.
On-trend boutiques offer all manner of designer labels, handmade jewelry, hard-to-find handbags, upscale consignments, mid-century modern furniture and local art. One of downtown’s crown jewels is Taylor Books, a combination independent bookstore, art gallery, coffee shop and entertainment venue with a micro-theater in its basement.
Housed in a turn-of-the-20th-century train depot, Capitol Market anchors this shopping district and is a main attraction itself. The year-round, indoor-outdoor farmers market features six eateries, a chocolatier, West Virginia-made products and a wine shop. A butcher and indoor produce market also are go-to favorites for locals planning everything from a picnic to an elegant holiday feast.
Towns Around the Valley
Like Charleston, the cities of South Charleston, St. Albans, Nitro and Dunbar all feature vibrant and historical downtown areas.
Nitro, a World War I boomtown, was built in 1917 and has been recognized by Congress as a “Living Memorial to WWI.” Take in the doughboy statue and WWI museum or browse through numerous antique shops. Nitro is “booming” for other reasons, too. It’s home to Mardi Gras Casino and Resort, a New Orleans-inspired casino featuring slots, poker, sports betting, greyhound racing, restaurants and live music.
The center of South Charleston’s downtown area is a 33-foot-tall burial mound constructed more than 2,000 years ago by Native Americans known as the Adena. In the shadow of the mound is a bustling downtown filled with antique shops and ethnic restaurants – Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Mediterranean intermingle with traditional American fare. Perched on a lush hillside is South Charleston’s oasis, Little Creek Country Club, open to the public and featuring a resort atmosphere with a championship golf course, Olympic-size pool and elegant dining at Eagles Nest Restaurant. Charleston and South Charleston meet at what locals call “Corridor G” or “Southridge,” a huge area featuring Cabela’s and other big-box stores, a wide variety of restaurants, a movie complex, indoor trampoline park and an ice arena.
Dunbar also boasts a burial mound. This historically significant structure is now part of the Shawnee Sports Complex, a new $18 million outdoor venue that is quickly becoming a destination for large sporting events like soccer, lacrosse, football and baseball tournaments. At nearby Wine Cellar Park, home to the remains of an 1800s-era wine cellar, visitors can hike, picnic, play disc golf or fish at Anderson Lake. Savvy shoppers like Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, and arts-and-crafts lovers flock to Jo Ann Fabrics, one of the last fabric stores in the region.
Olde Main Plaza in St. Albans is the city’s center for art, shopping and dining. The Alban Arts Center features local theater productions of classic shows like “Annie,” “The Wizard of Oz” and “Arsenic and Old Lace.” Lil’ Bit of Heaven Cupcakes, an award-winning bakery, has been featured on the Food Network. Dining options range from hot wings and cold brews to a seafood-Italian joint, with fine dining at historic Angela’s on the River. Just steps away from Olde Main Plaza is the Coal River, offering the best flatwater kayaking in the region.
Spring Hill Cemetery Park & Arboretum
Start your visit to Charleston at Spring Hill Cemetery Park & Arboretum. Soak up the best views of the city at this 150-acre park that boasts extraordinary monuments and statuaries, a Moorish-type mausoleum and a large arboretum, which is also a popular site for bird watching. You can also take one of several self-guided tours that interpret the history of the Kanawha Valley. On the National Register of Historic Places, the park has Jewish, Confederate and African-American sections, and many of the owners of what was the largest salt industry in the U.S. are interred here. With a gorgeous setting and small roads throughout, this is a popular place to walk your dog or simply hike.
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