Day 1 – Charleston WV on My Crazy Cross-Country Road Trip

Hi there! If you haven’t read about why I went on this crazy road trip, you can find the beginning of the story here. The first day of the journey ended in Charleston, (WV) West Virginia and this post is about Day 1.

While I was on the road I didn’t have much time to do detailed blog posts. Since I was going solo I really tried to get to bed early every night so I’d be rested for the long drive the next day. But I thought it might be fun to include some daily highlights and recaps. I’ve had some people asking about traveling during COVID, so I thought I’d share my observations about that too.

I didn’t get a great night’s sleep on Friday night. Since I was mostly packed already, I was still able to leave Chesapeake, Virginia (USA) around 8:30 am. As I loaded the car, I noticed that the fuchsia-colored crepe myrtles were in bloom. The Hampton Roads area is always filled with color this time of year.

Driving Through Virginia

My first stop of the morning was about 11:30 at a Virginia Rest Stop not far from Charlottesville. The restrooms were clean and well-kept. I noticed about 90% of the people were wearing masks. I assume that those who weren’t were from out of state and didn’t realize it was mandatory to wear them in public buildings in our state. The water fountains were turned off due to the pandemic. By the way, I’ve always been impressed by how nice the rest areas are in Virginia. They also sometimes serve as a Welcome and Information Center if they’re not far from a state border. The Commonwealth really takes pride in them. Thanks, Virginia!

I realized on my way back to the car that the U.S. and Virginia flags were flying at half-mast. I looked online and found out that it was for John R. Lewis. The U.S. Representative (and Civil Rights Activist who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) who passed away recently. I appreciate that exemplary humans are honored in this way.

Charleston West Virginia

On the way to my overnight lodging in Charleston (the capital of West Virginia), I checked with the Airbnb Hosts for restaurant recommendations. They suggested Barkadas, a restaurant close to their place, so I stopped and picked up a great Island Seafood Slaw Salad with shrimp for dinner. I pulled into the lovely Strawn Chalet Airbnb between 4 and 5 pm. Since I was trying to avoid human contact as much as possible, I chose to eat dinner in my room.

I don’t think I’ve ever been to Charleston WV before. It’s too bad I didn’t have much time and that many things weren’t open. The setting is gorgeous – nestled in the mountains where the Kanawha River and Elk Rivers join together. I made good driving time on my first day and was glad to have some time to write and relax.

My AirBnB in Charleston WV

“The Strawn Chalet is so lovely. Jim and Lisa are friendly and welcoming and they’ve thought of everything in the room. I had a chance to chat with them for a while and found out that Jim grew up in West Virginia and can provide a wealth of information on things going on around town as well as activities available in nature nearby.

When I walked into the room, there was soothing music playing on the TV. The deck that’s shared with the owners (above the suite) is amazing. I’m sitting there now at about 8 pm just waiting for sunset so I can get a picture of the city lights.“

Lil’ Bit, the resident cat greeted me when I came up to the deck after eating dinner. Even though the temperature on my phone says it’s 90 degrees it feels much cooler because of a soft breeze. So far no mosquitos are bothering me either. I could easily take a nap here if it wasn’t so late and if I didn’t want to have Jim or Lisa find me snoozing. I can see why they love this place. Someday I’d love to have a home with a view. It doesn’t have to be fancy. It would just be so wonderful to have a calming view of a lake or city or mountains. Someplace nice to relax outside at the end of the day.”

Other Airbnbs I Recommend

Hudson River Valley, Hyde Park, New York Gorgeous 2-bedroom Vacation rental

Airbnb on the Coast in Normandy France

Road Trip Observations

“There’s a Civil War site, Fort Scammon right up the road from this Charleston WV Airbnb. I’m planning to stop there in the morning (if I remember).“

“I had the strangest sighting today on my crazy cross-country road trip. I could swear there was a “brick” of what looked like cocaine wrapped in plastic and a few smaller plastic bags of white powder laying on the side of the Interstate. It was as if it fell out of someone’s car and they didn’t know it or are too afraid to go back and pick it up. Funny and bizarre.”

Charleston WV Road Trip Tip

If you’re coming from Virginia, or east of Charleston WV, and have a spare half hour or so, set your map or GPS to “Avoid Tolls” leading to Charleston. I had to pay $8.00 for the toll road (turnpike) just outside of Charleston and it was only supposed to save about 25 minutes of time. While it was a nice road, it seemed a steep price for the short distance.

Do you have tips for the Charleston West Virginia area? I’d definitely love to go back and bring my husband to explore the town and surrounding area.

Keep reading about my journey through the links below.

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Road Trip Tips and Planning

My Favorite Road Trip Apps and Tools

My Favorite Road Trip Songs and Artists

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