Charleston travel guide

Charleston Tourism | Charleston Guide

You're Going to Love Charleston

With a population of 51,400, Charleston is the largest city in West Virginia, United States by the number of inhabitants. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Charleston deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Charleston

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Chop House - Charleston (1003 Charleston Town Center) and Tidewater Grill - Charleston (1060 Charleston Town Center) are great picks.

When to visit Charleston

Charleston in January
Estimated hotel price
$110
1 night at 3-star hotel
Charleston in January
Estimated hotel price
$110
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Charleston in July, when the average temperature is 75.2 °F, and the highest can go up to 86 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 24.8 °F, with an average temperature of 33.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in July, when precipitation is around 5.2″. In contrast, October is usually the driest month of the year in Charleston, with an average rainfall of 2.6″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Charleston

Plane

When flying to Charleston, you’ll arrive at Charleston Yeager (CRW), which is located 3 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Charleston include Air France, Aeromexico and Delta. The shortest domestic flight to Charleston departs from Orlando and takes around 2h 12m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Charleston. The train station in Charleston is called Charleston, and is located 0.4 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Charleston is to pick up a car rental from Pittsburgh, which is about 169 miles from Charleston. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Sixt, among others, in Pittsburgh.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Charleston Transit Mall, located 0.2 miles from downtown Charleston. Charleston 300 Reynolds St is also a commonly used station, and is 0.6 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Charleston, you’ll arrive at Charleston Yeager (CRW), which is located 3 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Charleston include Air France, Aeromexico and Delta. The shortest domestic flight to Charleston departs from Orlando and takes around 2h 12m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Charleston. The train station in Charleston is called Charleston, and is located 0.4 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Charleston is to pick up a car rental from Pittsburgh, which is about 169 miles from Charleston. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Sixt, among others, in Pittsburgh.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Charleston Transit Mall, located 0.2 miles from downtown Charleston. Charleston 300 Reynolds St is also a commonly used station, and is 0.6 miles from the city center.

Airlines serving Charleston

KLM
Good (849 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,618 reviews)
Air France
Good (983 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,962 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,120 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,654 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (773 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (477 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (811 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (5,794 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (504 reviews)
WestJet
Good (1,928 reviews)
Allegiant Air
Good (438 reviews)
Contour
Good (17 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Charleston

Average rates range from around $161 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $181 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Charleston

Most booked hotels in Charleston

Hampton Inn Charleston-Southridge
2 stars
Excellent (8.8, 483 reviews)
$159+
Embassy Suites Charleston
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 1015 reviews)
$163+
Holiday Inn Express Charleston-Civic Center
2 stars
Excellent (8.3, 1256 reviews)
$118+
Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Charleston WV
2 stars
Excellent (8.2, 588 reviews)
$93+
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Charleston S, WV
3 stars
Good (7.4, 1447 reviews)
$114+
Super 8 by Wyndham Dunbar/Charleston Area
2 stars
Good (6.7, 386 reviews)
$75+

Renting a car in Charleston

Renting a car in Charleston costs $74 per day, on average, or $148 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Alamo, Budget and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Charleston is the Budget branch at 170 Airport Road, which is 2 miles from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 3% more expensive than at Charleston Yeager.

Expect to pay $3.94 per gallon in Charleston (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $47.24 and $62.99. The most frequently booked car type in Charleston is Compact (Toyota RAV4 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Kia Forte or similar) are, on average, 55% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Charleston costs $74 per day, on average, or $148 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Alamo, Budget and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Charleston is the Budget branch at 170 Airport Road, which is 2 miles from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 3% more expensive than at Charleston Yeager.

Expect to pay $3.94 per gallon in Charleston (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $47.24 and $62.99. The most frequently booked car type in Charleston is Compact (Toyota RAV4 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Kia Forte or similar) are, on average, 55% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.