Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races

Thoroughbred racing came to Charles Town in the 1930s, and the track has been part of the region's fabric ever since, drawing horsemen, bettors, and fans through the decades. Live racing at the track continues today, with the added drama of night cards run under the lights, a signature of the venue.

The track has hosted its share of notable races and horses over the years, and it remains a working center of West Virginia's horse-racing and breeding industry. For visitors, the paddock, the grandstand, and the thunder of a field rounding the turn offer a taste of a sporting tradition that stretches back generations.

Like many historic tracks, Charles Town added casino gaming to secure its future, and it has grown into a full destination resort. Alongside the racing, the property offers a casino floor, a range of restaurants, live entertainment, and a hotel, making it a place to stay and play as well as to watch the horses.

The blend of live racing and casino resort gives the venue a broad appeal, from serious racing fans to weekend visitors from the nearby cities looking for a night out. It has become one of the largest entertainment draws in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle.

The track sits beside Charles Town, a historic Jefferson County seat founded in the 1780s and named for Charles Washington, a younger brother of George Washington. The town's courthouse is where the abolitionist John Brown was tried and convicted in 1859 after his raid on nearby Harpers Ferry, and where he was hanged, events that reverberated across a nation sliding toward civil war.

That history makes the area a rich pairing for a visit. Within a short drive lie Harpers Ferry's preserved Lower Town, Civil War battlefields, and the horse-and-orchard countryside of the Panhandle. The land here was part of the ancestral homeland and shared hunting ground of the Shawnee, the Lenape, and other peoples, whose descendant nations continue today beyond West Virginia.

The Eastern Panhandle is West Virginia's gateway to the mid-Atlantic, a narrow arm of the state reaching toward Washington, D.C., between Maryland and Virginia. It is the most accessible part of the state for visitors from the capital region, which is part of what has made Charles Town's casino and track so popular.

Beyond the racetrack, the Panhandle rewards exploration: the mineral springs of Berkeley Springs, the apple orchards and horse farms of Jefferson County, and the dramatic river gap at Harpers Ferry are all within easy reach. A visit to the races can anchor a broader weekend in this historic and scenic corner of West Virginia.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, in Charles Town in West Virginia's eastern panhandle, is a large casino and horse-racing entertainment complex, a popular destination for gaming, live thoroughbred horse racing, dining, and entertainment. The venue offers a casino floor with slot machines and table games, live and simulcast horse racing at its racetrack, several restaurants, and concerts and events, all in one entertainment hub near the historic town of Charles Town, not far from Harpers Ferry. A lively adults-oriented destination, it draws visitors for gaming and racing. With its casino, horse racing, and entertainment, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races offers an exciting destination in West Virginia.

You can enjoy the casino floor with slot machines and table games, watch live thoroughbred horse racing at the racetrack in season and simulcast racing year-round, dine at the several restaurants, and attend concerts and entertainment events. The gaming, the live horse racing, and the dining and entertainment are the draws, offering a full night out. Note that casino gaming is for adults of legal age. With its casino, live horse racing, dining, and entertainment, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races offers a lively destination in West Virginia's eastern panhandle.

Live thoroughbred horse racing at Charles Town Races takes place during the racing season on scheduled race days, typically several days a week for much of the year, while the casino, simulcast racing, dining, and entertainment operate year-round. Because the live racing schedule varies by season and the venue offers events throughout the year, checking the current racing calendar and event schedule before you go is wise if live racing or a particular event is your goal. Planning around the schedule ensures you catch live racing at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in West Virginia.

As a largely indoor entertainment venue, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races is open year-round in any weather, so the best time to visit depends on your interest, with live horse racing on scheduled race days during the season and concerts and events throughout the year, so checking the current racing and event calendar helps you time a visit. It pairs well with visiting nearby Harpers Ferry. For live racing or a particular event, plan around the schedule at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in West Virginia.

Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races is in Charles Town in West Virginia's eastern panhandle, within reach of historic Harpers Ferry with its Lower Town, Jefferson Rock, and The Point, and the eastern panhandle region. That makes Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races an entertaining stop to combine with the historic Harpers Ferry attractions and the other sights of West Virginia's eastern panhandle on a visit to the state.