The Hudson Valley is chock full of quaint bookstores. Readers can virtually take a bookstore tour of the area, taking in the sights while enjoying the pleasure of browsing through unique bookstores.
Notable Bookstores in the Hudson Valley
With the cozy season upon us, many will be looking for the next great bookstore to browse on a chilly day. While it’s hard to narrow down the choices to just a few, there are a few in the area that have taken the internet by storm.
A bookstore in Kingston has practically become a TikTok sensation. If you’re from the area, you probably already know I’m talking about Rough Draft Bar & Books in Kingston.
@melissaamale this is a rough draft from Kingston, NY. ☕️📚🍸 #upstateny #upstatenewyork #bookshop #cozyvibes ♬ For Emma – Bon Iver
The indie bookstore not only offers a curated selection of books, but also the option to enjoy your book with a beverage. From coffee and tea to cider and beer, there is a wide selection. And since it is located in Kingston, it has become a popular hangout for tourists visiting the area.
Outside of Kingston, a new bookstore, Stanza Books, recently took over the former Snooki Shop in Beacon. With new bookstores and several book clubs popping up in Beacon, it is surely becoming a place for book lovers to explore.
Read more here: Beacon, NY becomes a paradise for book lovers
Great gift for book lovers, hidden in a bookstore in New Paltz
Church Street in New Paltz is also a great place for book lovers. With Barner Books right across from Inquiring Minds and a coffee and games cafe just down the street, it’s the perfect place for a relaxing afternoon.
During one of my weekend strolls through the bookshops of Church Street, I discovered an incredible service offered by Inquiring Minds.
Many of us have seen mystery packaging. This is a book wrapped in gift paper with a fairly general description of the book, usually listing the genre and general themes. Mystery books are usually a little cheaper but full of fun and surprises.
While exploring Inquiring Minds in New Paltz, I noticed not only a basket of individual mystery novels, but also entire stacks tied together with a pretty bow. When I looked closer and asked the very friendly staff there, I discovered that Inquiring Minds offers entire stacks of mystery novels as gifts!
You can get a stack of 6 or 12 books. They are sorted by genre, or you can leave a request with the staff to put together a stack of crime fiction. You will be asked to specify a genre you like and a bit of information, and then a stack will be put together just for you!
The price varies depending on the books selected, but for personalized stacks you can request a specific price range.
Although it’s still summer, consider this a first suggestion of where to buy your book-loving friends a Christmas gift this year!
Great bookstores in the Hudson Valley with more
Bookstores have more than just books. Some offer coffee, some have beer, and some have secondhand items on the shelves. Here are some great places in the Hudson Valley to find books and more.
Gallery credit: Paty Quyn
Author reviews a dozen books for your upstate New York library!
There are hundreds of thousands of books written about Upstate New York over the last, say, 200 years. This gallery showcases a dozen of those books. They include monumental classics like The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper (published 200 years ago!) and Theodore Dresier’s masterpiece An American Tragedy about a 1906 Upstate murder. The list also includes a few guidebooks, including my own Upstate Food Guidebook. While these lighter books aren’t legendary classics, they would certainly fit beautifully in the glove compartment of your car the next time you’re a road warrior exploring Upstate New York!
Each book has a review and some of my own comments where applicable, as well as ordering information.
This is the first part of a gallery of the Upstate New York Book Library, which we will continue with more titles in the future.
Gallery credit: Chuck D’Imperio
