You might not think about Charleston as a hot place to visit. After all, the capital of West Virginia isn't a well known tourist destination like New York City. However, this city still has plenty of attractions to offer and it's a popular place to kick back and relax. This welcoming, friendly city has a lot of interesting historical landmarks, museums and more. Let's take a look.

If you're in downtown Charleston, be sure to check out the State Capitol Complex, and see some of the area's rare black squirrels. This historic landmark offers a lot of information about the city, and was designed by architect Cass Gilbert - designer of the US Treasury Building and US Supreme Court buildings in Washington DC. This is a wonderful architectural attraction, and also great for history buffs. It's also right on the Kanawha River.

The state history museum and the well known statue of Abraham Lincoln are also very popular attractions in Charleston. During the summer, the city offers a wide variety of festivals that tourists will enjoy, and there are plenty of restaurants and shopping options for visitors at every time of the year. Many people don't realize it, but there's a wide variety of ethnic food here. Local arts and crafts stores offer a unique shopping opportunity, too.

Don't want to spend a lot of money? There are plenty of free things for travelers to do in Charleston. Take a look at the mid June art Festival. Live on the Levee offers free music on the Kanawha River every Friday evening during the summer season. Plus, the East End Historic District has a June garden show case that garden lovers will really enjoy, as well as a self guided walking tour of this unique historic neighborhood.

The third Thursday of each month is the Charleston Art Walk, a trip through the art galleries of the city's downtown. At the Cultural Center, you'll see plenty of artistic and cultural artifacts and information, and you can check out native artifacts and history at Criel Mound. If you prefer architecture and interior design, consider getting into the Charleston Loft walk - a tour of downtown's private residences.