Metro Valley
CharlestonWV.com; @CharlestonWV
“Finding a path, trail, or stream to quench your thirst for the great outdoors is super easy in the Charleston area,” says Leslie Smithson, director of communications for Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). “There is an abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities, including one of the nation’s newest national parks, The New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, just an hour’s drive south of the city.” As the capital of “Almost Heaven, West Virginia,” Charleston sits in the Appalachians at the confluence of two rivers and at the intersection of three interstate highways. “That means two-thirds of the U.S. population can easily drive here in a day, and for air travel, West Virginia International Yeager Airport (CRW) is just minutes from downtown,” Smithson adds.
The Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center complex features a 25,000-square-foot ballroom, 50,000 square feet of exhibit space, 25 meeting and conference rooms, a 770-seat theater, and a 13,000-seat arena. The venue recently completed a $5.2 million seat-replacement project at the coliseum.
There are approximately 3,500 guest rooms throughout Charleston, with more than 1,600 in the downtown area. Hotels with event space include the 358-room Charleston Marriott Town Center, with 10,831 square feet of indoor event space, including a ballroom seating 700 guests; 253-room Embassy Suites by Hilton Charleston, with event space to seat up to 1,200 guests theater style; and 152-room Four Points by Sheraton Charleston, with 9,043 square feet of function space in four event rooms.
Charleston’s downtown is home to attractions, local shops, dining, and many of the city’s signature events, including The Charleston Sternwheel Regatta, which features free concerts, a carnival, Sternwheel boat races, and other activities. In the East End, visitors will enjoy the state capitol complex, the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences, and Dirty Birds baseball games at the 4,500-seat GoMart Ballpark, which also hosts the annual Light the Night winter holiday event featuring 2.5 million lights, held mid-November through December. Other significant neighborhood finds include trendy boutiques in South Hills, eclectic shopping and dining in Elk City, and the University of Charleston in Kanawha City.
