Kingston, NY - At Long Last, Some Love

It's about time somebody noticed that Kingston is a great little city.

Far enough from the NYC sprawl to chill out, but close enough for an easy day trip, Kingston's becoming the perfect answer for people who are looking for that elusive "quality of life."

Don't take my word for it - take a look at this July 2014 Survey from Creditdonkey.com and see what town is sitting pretty in the #1 spot of best places to live in the state...

http://www.creditdonkey.com/live-new-york.html

Kingston's got architecture, natural beauty (rivers and mountain views, y'all), great shopping and dining.  It fell on some hard times when IBM abandoned it back in the 80s, but urban expats are creating a thriving community of freelancers and entrepreneurs. 

It's home of the O+ Festival, which has now leaped across country to spawn a sister event in San Francisco. It's full to bursting with creative types - artists, musicians and writers. 

It's not a tourist town right now, not a mecca for second home buyers. Visitors are surprised that the streets are busier during the week than they are on the weekends. But there's a busy nightlife, great venues, a wonderful book shop, a new bakery, great coffee shops, even a guitar store, and and all within a walk to the NYC bus. It's got a neighborhood feel.

It's a new homestead, an outpost for people creating a new life and a new community. Right now, the Stockade district uptown seems to be the emotional center of what's happening. But there's a buzz at the Rondout, too, where beautiful old brick storefronts lead to the waterfront. And there's lots of potential in midtown, where the merging of the city's two hospitals may lead to an entirely new business area.