An American city that shares a name with one of London’s poshest boroughs could just as easily be a trendy area of the UK capital itself.
Kingston in New York state is just over 3,400 miles away from the London borough with which it shares a name.
Under 100 miles north of New York city, this artsy city was originally the capital of New York state and remains a popular spot for Big Apple residents to escape the famous metropolis.
While Kingston in the UK – or to use its full name, Kingston upon Thames – is one of the most beautiful areas of the city after the town became part of the capital in 1965.
Kingston in the US is known for its appeal as the epicenter of “Upstate New York” culture.
Uptown Kingston features colourful painted buildings and interesting vintage shops including Kingston Consignments (consignment & antiques for the home), Rhino Records (vinyl, books & curios), and Lovefield Vintage (great hand-picked vintage).
But more creativity lies in Midtown, the industrial part of the city.
This is known to be the epicenter of artists and entrepreneurs taking up studio spaces in old factories – no far cry from the creative hubs of Shoreditch and Hackney in London.
It also boasts several galleries, including Airfield Gallery and Monument Gallery.
Those looking for a truly unique experience can even check out the sensory deprivation tank at Zephyr Float.
But it’s the downtown area, known as Rondout, that bears most in common with the beauty of Kingston upon Thames.
It is lined with cute shops and cafes, as well as an attractive canal.
It’s no surprise that places have cropped which share the name, as Kingston is a very popular city name.
Most notably, of course, it is the name of the capital of Jamaica.
