Hudson

Hudson, the seat of Columbia County, lies 30 miles north of Kingston, on the east side of the Hudson River. Bryan and I visited in April and were impressed with its easy, creative vibe. The main drag in town, Warren Street, is known for its varied, if mostly upscale, antique shops. People describe the city, population under 7000, as being the most New York City-like in the region. I would say maybe in terms of elevated taste and style, but there are towns that feel more city-like to me that are closer to the city, like Beacon or Poughkeepsie. What caught my eye while browsing Warren Street was the love for what was old and decrepit, and how it was worked into the cleaned-up look of the street. Kingston looks a bit more buttoned-up in comparison.

germantown

Twenty miles north of Kingston, on the east side of the Hudson in southern Columbia County, is Germantown. This well-kept town of around 2000 people was settled by Palatine German refugees of the Thirty-Years War, in the early part of the 18th century. The Palantine migration to Ulster, Dutchess and Columbia Counties was one of the great pre-Revolutionary migrations from Europe, along with the Huguenots in New York, and the Amish, Quakers and Mennonites in Pennsylvania.

The main street has little, but what it has is top notch.
Otto's Market
Germantown Variety