OVER CHARLESTON’S TURN TO PAGES 16 -19 TO DISC VALLEY! SISTER CITIES IN THE KANAWHA Gateway to Wild & Wonderful ... Water sports like standup pad-dle-boarding, fishing and recre-ational boating can be enjoyed on the three rivers that traverse the valley – Kanawha , Elk and Coal . The landscape also provides op-portunities for leisurely road biking in Kanawha City, along the city’s riverfront bike lane. But Charleston is also the gateway to all that is wild and wonderful in the Mountain State. Flatwater kayaking on the Coal River is just minutes away and world-class whitewater raft-ing, canopy tours, mountain climbing and biking are just an hour away in what many call the Colorado of the East: Southern West Virginia’s breath-taking New River Gorge . There, outfitters like River Expeditions and Adventures on the Gorge offer a full menu of outdoor pursuits, including onsite dining and accommodations from rustic to refined. Vandalia Festival Thrill seekers and spectators alike find plenty of recreational activities around Charleston. The Capital City is home to the Charleston Distance Run , the nation’s only 15-mile race. Mountain biking and hiking trails are just moments from downtown at Kanawha State Forest and Coonskin Park . Sports fans enjoy watching mi-nor league baseball at Appalachian Power Park and state basketball and volleyball high school championships at the newly renovated Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center . One of the biggest surprises to first-time visitors is Charleston’s love of music and performance. The city is home to National Public Radio’s Mountain Stage , offering genre-mix-ing live performances broadcast worldwide. The Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences and the Charleston 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 and Resort, Bluegrass Kitchen 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! ● After its latest expansion, the nearby Hatfield-McCoy Trails will provide more than 700 miles of off-highway vehicle trails just south of the Capital City. Hatfield-McCoy Trails PL AN YOUR HIP, HISTORIC... ALMOST HEAVEN GETAWAY AT: charlestonwv.com #CWV 5
Charleston Area Inspiration Guide Charleston Area Inspiration Guide 2019: Page 5
