Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

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 4 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Charleston include Emirates, ANA and Air New Zealand. The shortest domestic flight to Charleston departs from Orlando and takes around 2h 14m.

Train

The train station in Charleston is called Charleston, and is located 0.6 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Charleston is to pick up a car rental from Pittsburgh, which is about 272 km from Charleston. You’ll find branches of Turo and Thrifty, among others, in Pittsburgh.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Charleston Transit Mall, located 0.3 km from downtown Charleston. Charleston 300 Reynolds St is also a commonly used station, and is 1.0 km from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Charleston, you’ll arrive at Charleston Yeager (CRW), which is located 4 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Charleston include Emirates, ANA and Air New Zealand. The shortest domestic flight to Charleston departs from Orlando and takes around 2h 14m.

Train

The train station in Charleston is called Charleston, and is located 0.6 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Charleston is to pick up a car rental from Pittsburgh, which is about 272 km from Charleston. You’ll find branches of Turo and Thrifty, among others, in Pittsburgh.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Charleston Transit Mall, located 0.3 km from downtown Charleston. Charleston 300 Reynolds St is also a commonly used station, and is 1.0 km from the city center.

Airports near Charleston

HTSHuntington Tri State
CRWCharleston Yeager
CKBClarksburg Benedum

Airlines serving Charleston

KLM
Good (1,406 reviews)
Delta
Good (7,996 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,999 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,479 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,388 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,190 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (994 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,153 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,679 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (670 reviews)
Air New Zealand
Excellent (518 reviews)
WestJet
Good (3,146 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (11,032 reviews)
Breeze Airways
Excellent (220 reviews)
Allegiant Air
Good (695 reviews)
Contour
Good (38 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Charleston

Where to stay in Charleston

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Charleston and Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Charleston WV.

Where to stay in popular areas of Charleston

Most booked hotels in Charleston

See all
Hampton Inn Charleston-Southridge
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, 575 reviews)
$133+
View
Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Charleston WV
2 stars
Excellent (8.5, 904 reviews)
$90+
View
Holiday Inn Express Charleston-Civic Center
2 stars
Excellent (8.2, 1692 reviews)
$87+
View
Holiday Inn & Suites Charleston West By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, 522 reviews)
$119+
View
Embassy Suites by Hilton Charleston
3 stars
Excellent (8, 1123 reviews)
$138+
View
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Charleston-Southridge By IHG
2 stars
Good (7.2, 188 reviews)
$113+
View

Renting a car in Charleston

Renting a car in Charleston costs $65 per day, on average, or $130 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 5% cheaper than airport locations in Charleston.

Expect to pay $3.48 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 $41.79 and $55.72. The most frequently booked car type in Charleston is Economy (Ford Fiesta or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Kia Sorento or similar) are, on average, 57% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Charleston costs $65 per day, on average, or $130 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 5% cheaper than airport locations in Charleston.

Expect to pay $3.48 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 $41.79 and $55.72. The most frequently booked car type in Charleston is Economy (Ford Fiesta or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Kia Sorento or similar) are, on average, 57% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Charleston

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$46/day

Economy

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$46/day

Compact
Find car rentals in Charleston

Charleston Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Charleston city guide for the best Charleston travel tips. To help you organize your Charleston trip ideas, this Charleston visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.