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. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Charleston has to offer.

Where to Eat in Charleston

If you’re looking for affordable options, Bricks & Barrels (1214 Smith St) and The French Quarter (1 Greyhound Dr) are great picks.

When to visit Charleston

Charleston in January
Estimated hotel price
$102
1 night at 3-star hotel
Charleston in January
Estimated hotel price
$102
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 American Airlines, Delta and Aeromexico. The shortest domestic flight to Charleston departs from New York and takes around 1h 46m.

Train

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 Turo and Thrifty, 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 American Airlines, Delta and Aeromexico. The shortest domestic flight to Charleston departs from New York and takes around 1h 46m.

Train

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 Turo and Thrifty, 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 (1,454 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,200 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,292 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,534 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,516 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,882 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (1,092 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,191 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,578 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (678 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (11,289 reviews)
WestJet
Good (3,260 reviews)
Breeze Airways
Excellent (269 reviews)
Air New Zealand
Excellent (582 reviews)
Allegiant Air
Good (711 reviews)
Contour
Good (42 reviews)
Show more

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

Hampton Inn Charleston-Southridge
3 stars
Excellent (8.9, 598 reviews)
$127+
Holiday Inn Express Charleston-Civic Center
2 stars
Excellent (8.2, 1731 reviews)
$95+
Embassy Suites by Hilton Charleston
3 stars
Excellent (8, 1173 reviews)
$136+
Charleston Marriott Town Center
3 stars
Good (7.5, 615 reviews)
$105+
Country Inn and Suites by Radisson Dunbar WV
2 stars
Good (7.4, 53 reviews)
$87+
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Charleston S, WV
3 stars
Good (6.9, 2156 reviews)
$82+

Renting a car in Charleston

Renting a car in Charleston costs $62 per day, on average, or $185 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 20% cheaper than airport locations in Charleston.

Expect to pay $3.22 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 $38.61 and $51.48. The most frequently booked car type in Charleston is Compact (Toyota Corolla or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Kia Sorento or similar) are, on average, 54% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Charleston costs $62 per day, on average, or $185 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 20% cheaper than airport locations in Charleston.

Expect to pay $3.22 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 $38.61 and $51.48. The most frequently booked car type in Charleston is Compact (Toyota Corolla or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Kia Sorento or similar) are, on average, 54% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.