Scale the Heights of Charleston, West Virginia’s Mountain Capital

West Virginia’s most populous city as well as its capital, Charleston is a wild, wonderful microcosm of the mountain state. Frontiersman Daniel Boone once made his home here, and both turn-of-the-century Black educator Booker T. Washington and record-setting Air Force pilot Chuck Yeager grew up not far from the historic city center.

Encounter their legacies and more — including a millennia-old burial mound built by the Adena people — alongside independent shops, locavore restaurants, museums, live music and the state Capitol, which is topped by a 23-karat gold-leaf dome. Set amid the Appalachian Mountains and at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha rivers, opportunities for outdoor adventures abound.

As always, check for travel restrictions and closures before planning your trip.

Friday: Take in the Downtown Sights (and Shops)

Start your Charleston weekend with a spin around the city’s downtown and East End, where the Capitol building, West Virginia’s tallest building, regally marks the seat of state government.

Start at the West Virginia State Museum where you’ll walk through the state’s history — from the Paleolithic period to the modern day. Interactive exhibits include a coal tunnel, a 1950s diner and a company store. Next, tour the West Virginia State Capitol, topped with a gilded dome. (Call ahead to arrange.)

After a civic-minded morning, explore your lunch options at Capitol Market, which is housed in a former 18th-century train station. You’ll find farm-fresh soups and salads at the Purple Onion, Fresh Seafood Co. & Market‘s famous fried-fish sandwich, plus sushi, Italian and artisanal cheeses and chocolates.

Save space for a scoop of homemade “Mocha Almond” or “Espresso-Oreo” at Ellen’s Homemade Ice Cream.

Afterward, stop by Heritage Towers, a museum that shines a spotlight on Black history in Appalachia. Learn about the city’s place in the deplorable slave trade, the Underground Railroad and the Civil Rights Movement. End the afternoon at nearby Taylor Books, a beloved independent bookstore and café that’s been a haven for literary locals since 1995.

For dinner, try Black Sheep Burritos & Brews, which offers specialty items like the crispy General Tso chicken burrito, as well as Mexican-inspired mains, such as “Mole Negra Enchiladas” and “Oaxacan Roast Chicken.” Gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options are also available.

Best of all, the restaurant’s in-house brewery, Bad Shepherd Beer Co., serves its award-winning Petite Rye Saison and The Loud! IPA on tap.

End the day with a performance at the Clay Center, the home of NPR’s Mountain Stage (and many other music and theater productions), where you’re just as likely to catch a Broadway musical as you are to see a Nashville superstar on tour.

Saturday: Explore the Coal River Walhonde Water Trail

Spend the day outdoors with an excursion to one of the city’s many parks and recreation areas. Rent kayaks through the nonprofit Coal River Group, then paddle the Meadowlands to the St. Alban section of the 88-mile Coal River Walhonde Water Trail. Or head to Kanawha State Forest, developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, and hike or bike along its 25 miles of trails.

Not quite so adventuresome? The handicap-accessible Spotted Salamander Trail includes a shady, paved walkway and interpretive signs about the flora and fauna that surround you.

After your adventure, refuel at the no-frills DairyWinkle, which serves everything from hot bologna sandwiches and shrimp baskets to fried mushrooms and mac-and-cheese bites. And don’t forget the dairy, as in banana splits and hand-dipped soft serve cones.

In nearby Malden, J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works has been producing salt since 1817. The family-owned business harvests salt from an ancient ocean trapped beneath the Appalachian Mountains before selling the goods to high-end restaurants like the Michelin-starred French Laundry.

Down the road, say a prayer at African Zion Baptist Church, which Civil Rights leader Booker T. Washington attended as a boy. A replica of his childhood home was erected just behind the historic building.

End your day at Bricks & Barrels, a popular restaurant serving solid American fare — crunchy wedge salads topped with blue cheese and bacon, 24-ounce T-bone steaks, pan-seared diver scallops and thick slices of cheesecake. There’s also an extensive wine list and 12 craft beers on tap.

Afterward, catch your breath and some local music at the Empty Glass, which has hosted live music seven nights a week for more than 35 years.

Sunday: Get a History Lesson

Expand your orbit to the West Side and South Charleston, where history both ancient and quirky can be found side by side. Start in the Elk City Historic District with stops by Elk City Records and Books & Brews to search for hidden titles, or by Kin Ship Goods to pick out the perfect gift to bring home.

Head across the Kanawha River to South Charleston for lunch. Try the pho at one of two excellent Vietnamese options — Pho Vinh Long or Yen’s Sandwiches, which serves its banh mi on bread the restaurant bakes daily.

Nearby is the Criel Mound, a burial earthwork built by the Adena culture more than 2,000 years ago. One of only a few surviving elements of a larger network of Kanawha Valley Mounds, it’s now a protected archaeological site within local Staunton Park.

The South Charleston Museum, a few blocks away, provides a great introduction — complete with copious artifacts — to this extraordinary monument.

Switch gears to a different kind of exhibition across the river at Shoney’s Big Boy Museum, a unique outdoor monument to the original 1947 location of the iconic fast-food chain, which still operates restaurants in 17 states.

For dinner, head to the city’s local barbecue HQ, Dem 2 Brothers & a Grill. Featured on the Food Network’s “Southern Fried Road Trip,” this Charleston institution is known for ribs rubbed in a brown-sugar spice blend and brushed with mustard sauce.