Our Towns

Independent shops filled with fine artisan crafts, waterfront or mountain views, eclectic arts and music, history that dates back to Henry Hudson — these are just some of the joys of visiting Ulster County’s small towns, villages and cities. They are great jumping off points for exploring the Catskill and Shawangunk mountains.

The county’s — and perhaps the world’s — most famous small town is arts colony Woodstock. However, New Paltz, on the edge of the Shawangunk Ridge, has some of the best rock climbing on the East Coast, and it’s home to the oldest street in America.

Nestled in the mountains on Esopus Creek, Phoenicia has superior fly-fishing. Kingston, New York’s first capital, is a prominent shopping destination, and visitors flock to its Rondout waterfront for cruises on the Hudson River and waterfront dining.

Saugerties, another waterfront town, is a mecca for antiques, while Highland and Lloyd provide access to the Walkway Over the Hudson, the first linear state park in the United States, where you can walk from Ulster County to Dutchess County while taking in breathtaking views of the mighty Hudson River.

There are many more towns to explore, and we hope you will.