Day Trip to Charleston, West Virginia

When I first moved to the Tri-State area of Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia, I was eager to explore West Virginia, and no, not just because of the song "Country Roads" (I may have played it a few times on my drive there). I love the miles of rolling hills and the fact that you receive all four seasons. Charleston is the state capital of West Virginia and is home to many museums, a fairly large market, and a pretty cool bookstore.

I started off the day at Capitol Market. There are a variety of things to shop for here, like fresh produce, wine and beer, a meat market, a couple of restaurants, a coffee shop, and more. You could easily spend an hour or two here just browsing all the different things they have. They are open year-round, and in the summer, they have a set up outdoors.

Following the market, I took my son to the Clay Center. The Clay Center is a science museum mostly for children, but adults can have fun as well. I think I actually had more fun than my son. There's an entire floor dedicated to children with a fire truck, play automobile center, and many more. There is also a fenced in area dedicated to babies and toddlers, which is always nice to give the arms a break. One of my favorite things about this place is the amphitheater. You can schedule a showing at the front desk.

After the Clay Center, I walked a few blocks to Taylor Books. I loved everything about this bookstore: the atmosphere, the book selections, and the coffee shop attached. This place is so cozy and a perfect location to catch up with friends or grab a book and read by yourself.

Right across from Taylor Books is an ice cream shop called Ellen's Homemade Ice Cream. It was the perfect sweet treat to end the day.

Capitol Street has many shops and other things to do as well. If I were to go back, I would definitely visit Capitol Market in the summertime and explore more of the shops on Capitol Street. The highlights of my day trip were Capitol Market and Taylor Books. These are a must see when visiting Charleston.