University of Charleston

University of Charleston

Live on the Levee with boats on the river

About Charleston

Welcome to Charleston!

Explore the Capital City

Charleston is the capital city of WV with a population of just under 50,000. You’ll find that it’s large enough to offer plenty of interesting options and small enough so that it is easy to navigate.

From the tiny (the Mortar Man sculpture, located downtown and sculpted by one of our alums) to the tallest (the State Capitol building across from campus is the tallest building in the state), it’s hard to measure everything the area – and the state – have to offer.

Whether you are looking for a great new place to eat, unique shopping, or something fun to do on a night off from studying, you’ll find it here.

Mountain Pic

Almost Heaven

Because there are so many places to see, experience, explore, and enjoy, visit the Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau website for a full rundown of events – or head to the official WV tourism page to learn more about opportunities for fun around West Virginia!

Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau

WV Tourism 

 

Fun Fact: Kanawha (Ka-NAH-wah) derives from the region’s Iroquoian dialects meaning “water way” or “canoe way”. It is both the name of the river that flows beside campus and the county in which UC is located. It was also once in consideration for the state name.

Getting Around Town

Charleston is easy to navigate whether you have your own car or take advantage of the many transportation options here.

Charleston is served by the KRT bus system, which stops on campus and can take you most places in the area. UC students ride free with their UC ID.

Rides are also available via Uber, Lyft, or taxi.

There are also designated biking trails around campus. (The Boat House offers free bike rentals for students.)

Charleston is served by Yeager International Airport, Amtrak, and Greyhound. Three major highway systems – I-64, I-77 and I-79 all converge in Charleston.

Fun fact: West Virginia holds the record for having the most towns named after cities in other countries, including Athens, Berlin, Cairo, Calcutta, London, Egypt (a country, but still), and Rome.