What do ya'll think of Charleston, WV
 

My husband has been offered a job in Charleston. I know nothing about it/ have never visited. Was wondering if any Fodorites could give me their $.02 worth? We'll have 3 kids in middle/high school and one somewhere in college. I'd love to live in an older, established neighborhood that is pedestrian friendly. Not too much of a commute from downtown- but realtively safe, of course. Is there such a place in Charleston? Thanks for any info.

Odd two WV posts in one day.

I would most definitely visit Charleston first.

Good points: it's small, you know your neighbors, people are kind/look out for each other, WV has one of the lowest crime rates in the nation, outdoor recreation abounds, cheap cost of living

Bad points: Small town thinking, limited food/culture choices, bad airport access

I honestly don't think of the city of Charleston as a place where truly live. I think you'll find more people outside the core city center. The East End might come near what you are looking for.

Most of the people I know that work in Charleston commute into the city.

where will you be moving from, as a comparison?

I've traveled there frequently for work and honestly can't imagine living there. The small-town mentality is a valid point, and there's not much to do. Beautiful country surrounding it, but there's just not much to it.

We live in Mississippi- which should tell you that we are comfortable with small town living. The biggest thing that we miss since moving here is the lack of outdoor activities. We don't own a boat and there are very limited state parks and nature trails that arent swampy. Our favorite place to vacation is the White Mts in NH- we've never been to DisneyWorld and have no desire to ever go.

I think you would like WV. It really does have amazing parks/natural resources and you seem to be ok with moving from a rural area to another.