Two hours north of New York City is Kingston, New York — a small, historic city that’s rich in personality, and I definitely recommend visiting. I first read about it on the New York By Rail website, and I’m so grateful to Hudson River Cruises and Ulster County Tourism for having me.
I started my time in Kingston down at Rondout, the waterfront district, and walking around down there felt like being on vacation. It’s got all these 19th century buildings with unique shops and businesses inside, and the whole place has this peaceful, end-of-the-day feeling to it even in the middle of the afternoon.
First I spent some time at Yarn Farm, which is a unique combination of the owners’ interests — a wine bar and a yarn shop. They offer activities for people in the community of all ages. I’m a casual knitter and felt right at home, checking out different kinds of wool and chatting with another knitter while sipping some rosé. You can tell this place pours a lot of love into its community.
There’s a record store, a vintage store, a nature-focused book and gift shop, and so much more.
If you walk a little ways further you’ll find maison après — a vibey boutique and studio where the designer makes clothes from upcycled garments right on site. They also carry vintage pieces, locally made pottery and jewelry, and they have a little café. I bought a really cute hat there. Then there’s Department of Things, which had art supplies and all kinds of cool souvenirs.
I popped my head into so many places and could’ve spent a lot more time there, but I had a cruise to catch.
I got onto my sightseeing cruise with Hudson River Cruises, and it was a really nice time. The staff was so friendly, and I enjoyed a frozen daiquiri while taking in the sights of the Hudson River. There were so many different places to sit and take in the views — three decks in total, and if you want to cool down you can go below, which is really peaceful and still has amazing views.
On the ship they have an occasional narration that tells you what you’re looking at, which I loved. Strangers and I marveled together at the lighthouses, and I think it’s wildly interesting that a river has lighthouses. I looked it up and apparently there are seven remaining historic lighthouses along the Hudson River — eight if you count the Statue of Liberty, which served as an official lighthouse for sixteen years.
The Rondout Lighthouse was completed and lit in 1915 and it’s still in use. The narration tells you about the family who lived in it for a long time, and you can actually take a tour of it through the Hudson River Maritime Museum — that’s on my list for next time. The Esopus Meadows Lighthouse was built in 1871 and is the only surviving wooden lighthouse on the Hudson River. I don’t know what it is about lighthouses, but they have a way of making you just feel in awe. Maybe it’s the hard life of a lighthouse keeper, or the idea that people have been keeping a light shining in the darkness here for 150 years. I don’t know, it’s just powerful stuff.
The cruise is 90 minutes long, but before or after you can explore Rondout — the historic waterfront district is right there at the dock, so it pairs perfectly. Hudson River Cruises also does a sunset cruise, which is going on my list for this summer.
After the cruise I made my way uptown to the Stockade District, and that’s where Kingston’s extraordinary history really comes into focus.
Kingston was founded in 1652 — one of the oldest European settlements in New York — and was actually the first capital of New York State. The British burned 326 buildings here in 1777 during the Revolution, and George Washington marched through the ruins in 1782. There’s a historic intersection called Four Corners that’s had Dutch stone houses on all four corners since before the Revolutionary War, and there’s a really cozy bookstore and bar called Rough Draft right there that will make you gasp when you step inside. Buildings this old and well-preserved are just really hard to find, and even despite all the fires and changes throughout history, Kingston has held onto a lot. The Old Dutch Church has been an active congregation since 1659, making it one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the country.
The NYT recently reported on how Kingston is removing the sidewalk canopies that were added in the 70s and 80s to compete with malls. The process of going back to historic storefronts that many people have never seen before is a messy one, but they’re finding true wonders underneath.
I was shown around town by Kevin Anthony, a proud Ulster County local. He had just picked up flowers from a friend’s local shop and we decided to walk around and find someone to give a pleasant surprise to. We had dinner at Dallas Hot Weiners and it was so good and such a good deal. While we walked around town, we saw people he knew, and I felt like I made all kinds of new friends.
I ended the night with some kombucha and yummy snacks at Unicorn Bar, a local hideaway in midtown that felt like one of those places you’d only know about if someone took you there.
The thing I love most about visiting New York State is that strangers don’t stay strangers for long, and in cities like this, people tend to stick around. I love that people I meet in this part of New York seem to tear down their facades, too, and I love getting to meet the beautiful and complex people underneath. Kingston — and everywhere else I’ve been in Ulster County — seems like a high-quality place to live, and it’s a genuinely great place to visit, too.
I can’t wait to come back later this summer. Go visit!
