Kingston, The Historical Town

(Saturday July 30 - Dist: 56 mi; Avg Speed: 10.2 mph; TTT: 5:55 hrs)

West Point

A little further up river one passes West Point.  Linda and I would have liked to take a tour but we decided next time.  Close by is the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) which we also wanted to visit but discovered that it was closed for a number of weeks.  Next time by we will stay close by and rent a car to take advantage of these two highlights.

Kingston NY was actually the first capitol of the State and was an important center for supplying NYC with everything from bricks to ships.  We stayed in the historical downtown district at the Hudson River Maritime Museum.  If you purchase a year membership for $25, the dockage rate is $1.50 per foot (a bargain as of late) and you have free access to the museum.  Matilda, the steam powered tugboat, beside Q was built in Sorel Quebec and operated in the late 1800's and early 1900's.

This was a good area for bars and restaurants as well.  Our favorite, not this one (altho it is good as well) was the Ship to Shore American Bistro.  The lobster and crab spring rolls were unbelievably delicious; the very best, by a long shot, spring rolls that I have ever had.  We tried them when we first arrived and then went back the next evening and ate just the spring rolls for dinner.  They were that good.

Besides the Maritime Museum there was also a Trolley Museum in the district.  They have a working trolley which has been converted to diesel power which we rode out to the point to view the lighthouse. 

Since the Hudson River and supporting canals systems were used extensively for cargo and even passenger traffic, lighthouses were erected in key spots to aid shipping.  They were actually homes were the keepers and their families lived.

Twas a very nice visit to this town, we will definitely stop here again if given the opportunity.... to get more spring rolls.



Catina next to the Museum