WVU :: Charleston School of Medicine

Charleston School of Medicine

Area Information

The City of Charleston, a gateway city with convenient access to three major interstate systems, has outstanding opportunities for its citizens and visitors as the county seat of Kanawha County and West Virginia’s State Capital. It is centrally located, just one hour from Parkersburg, Huntington and Beckley with convenient access to the three major interstate systems of I-64, I-77 and I-79 that cross the state.

Charleston has a rich history with its many historical landmarks and relationship with the Kanawha River. It has all of the amenities of a big city with small town ambience, providing excellent shopping and dining experiences. Charleston is a pedestrian-friendly city, with hotels, convention facilities, shopping and restaurants all within walking distance, also is safe, with the lowest crime rates in the nation. Visitors can stroll along Capitol Street where brick sidewalks are lit by modern street lights that replicate gas-powered ones of an earlier era. Quaint book stores, shops and restaurants line the street. Farther down, the Capitol Market combines Charleston's outdoor farmers' market with indoor shops in a converted rail freight station built in 1905. For more traditional shopping, Charleston Town Center Mall is one of the largest downtown malls east of the Mississippi with 160 specialty stores, four department stores and several specialty restaurants.

Charleston is rich in history and culture. The Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences provides a realm of activities for visitors to explore. Our community offers several beautiful golf courses, public swimming pools, tennis courts, boating activities, public parks, its own Class A baseball team, and historic sights for citizens and visitors to enjoy. The city offers a variety of fine cuisine with four and five star rated restaurants. Bookstores, art galleries, specialty shops, and quaint cafes border tree-lined streets in our downtown area. The Kanawha River meanders through the valley and mountains surrounding the capital city. The river is the trademark of commercial and recreational activity, and barges can be seen transporting coal daily. The Kanawha River also offers another venue for enjoyment as a water playground for the city and also is the foundation for the city’s annual Sternwheel Regatta celebration.

Charleston is home of the West Virginia Symphony and the annual Charleston Sternwheel Regatta.

The Charleston Civic Center and Municipal Auditorium hosts 1500 events every year- including many major concerts, plays and sporting events. There is also a ballet company, several museums, theater groups, a modern cultural center and the Clay Center.

The Clay Center is a 118 million dollar new complex for performing arts within Charleston, directly across from the General Hospital Campus.

The Clay Center offers:

a premier Art Museum with permanent and visiting collections;
a first-class Performing Arts Center featuring a Performance Hall with exceptional acoustics and sight lines;
a state-of-the-art Science Center with two floors of exhibit space, a Planetarium and a 70mm large-format film theater;
virtual and hands-on educational programs designed for students at every level, from elementary school through higher education, and extending to professionals interested in Master Classes and other continuing education.

There are limitless recreational opportunities in West Virginia with nearly 2000 miles of wild water, skiing, hiking and mountain biking. Resorts, Lodges and campsites at the state's 150 campgrounds make getting away inexpensive and easy. Some of the finest golf courses to be found are in West Virginia. Excellent opportunities for rock climbing and white water rafting are only a short distance away from the Charleston area.