2018-05-01 14:53:36
SITTING ATOP AN ANCIENT ocean and nestled amid lush hillsides, Charleston is a city of delightful surprises. During the past decade, historic homes and buildings have beckoned young creatives, who are transforming downtown districts with hip art galleries, vinyl record stores, boutique shops and independent restaurants, like those found in the charming Bridge Road Shops. A historic destination with a fresh edge, this river city is not alone in its unique appeal. The entire Kanawha Valley – Charleston, South Charleston, Dunbar, St. Albans and Nitro – is really an inviting collection of small-town main streets reinventing themselves into unique neighborhoods ripe for visitors who prefer off-the-beaten path destinations. But don’t just take our word for it. This gritty “from the hip” approach is being recognized in national publications like The Washington Post and Southern Living, too. The area’s renewal has also been sparked by hundreds of millions of dollars of new public and private investment in recent years. Visitors are welcomed by new and refurbished hotels, restaurants with outdoor dining, the arrival of Uber and Lyft, improved green spaces, a new sports multiplex on the way and a stunning $100 million convention center and coliseum that will “take back” its river view with huge glass expanses and bountiful outdoor space. A Region Full of Surprises Recently named by readers of WV Living magazine as the state’s Best Arts Town, Charleston and its sister cities host a plethora of art galleries, public art and the area’s largest festival, FestivALL, offering 80 events and 300 performances over 10 days each summer. During the summer, the city hosts street fairs on brick-lined Capitol Street and the Live on the Levee free riverfront concert series at Haddad Riverfront Park, a relaxing amphitheater on the Kanawha River. Haddad is also home to the Charleston Rod Run & Doo-Wop, where hundreds of antique cars are on display from all over the United States each fall. Food, Art, Recreation & Music The Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences downtown boasts a world-class performance hall, new interactive children’s exhibits, a planetarium and newly redesigned art gallery. Just blocks away, adding an exclamation point to the area’s diverse lineup, is Appalachian Power Park, a beautiful minor league ball park, and Capitol Market, an indoor-outdoor farmers’ market located in a historic train station that also punctuates the city’s appeal. But perhaps the biggest surprise to first-timers is Charleston’s love of music and performance. The city is home to National Public Radio’s Mountain Stage, offering an eclectic lineup of live performances broadcast worldwide. Both the Clay Center and Charleston Convention Center and Coliseum are large venues drawing major regional and national acts, and a dizzying array of restaurants and bars like Louie’s at Mardi Gras Casino, Bluegrass Kitchen, Mountain Pie Company and The Empty Glass regularly host performers. In fact, you can hear live music 365 days a year in the Charleston area. So take your time and be inspired in the neighborhoods of Charleston, South Charleston, Dunbar, St. Albans and Nitro. We have no doubt you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
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