Splash pads in Charleston, West Virginia

Haddad Riverfront Park is downtown Charleston's anchor — Kanawha River views, an interactive jet fountain plaza, and the summer concert series and Live on the Levee food trucks that turn the whole park into the city's living room. Free, with on-street parking and a paid garage nearby. Restrooms at the levee pavilion. Best on weekday late afternoons or before Live on the Levee Friday nights. Operates seasonally May through September. West Virginia summers are milder than the Mid-Atlantic but afternoon thunderstorms close things briefly. Pair with dinner at one of the downtown Charleston restaurants or a walk along the levee. The single best free family afternoon in WV's capital.