New Kingston, Kingston

History

 

If your travels bring you to the city of Kingston, you will, at some point, probably end up in New Kingston, the fast-growing commercial district that is increasingly becoming the business centre of the country. Built on lands formerly part of the Knutsford Park Race Track, major construction projects in New Kingston began in the late 1950s, and still continue today. The result - most of Jamaica's modern multi-storeyed office blocks, the visible representation of the high-flying financial service industry, are clustered here. Running through the centre of New Kingston is Knutsford Boulevard, where most businesses are located, and which is, in the day, the core of Jamaica's financial sector. By night, Knutsford Boulevard becomes Kingston's playground, and the glamorously fashionable patrons of the numerous bars, nightclubs and restaurants replace stodgy suited professionals.

 

Local Flavour

 

New Kingston offers visitors a chance to experience Jamaican history and culture. To the west of Knutsford Boulevard is Devon House, a stately historic mansion with expansive, meticulously manicured lawns that has been converted to a museum with outlying craft shops and gourmet restaurants. On the southern end of the boulevard is Emancipation Park, one of the largest public green spaces in the city, with jogging trails, an amphitheatre and a mini-botanical garden. Dotted along the minor roads around Knutsford Boulevard are numerous art galleries, shopping malls such as the New Kingston Shopping Centre and the Island Life Mall, and performing arts theatres such as The Barn Theatre, and The Little Theatre, home to the internationally acclaimed National Dance Theatre Company.

 

Famous For

 

The northern section of Knustford Boulevard is lined with bars, lounges, nightclubs, restaurants and other entertainment hot spots. At night the street is filled with vendors and revellers moving from venue to venue, and the partying often does not stop until the next morning, when it is amusing to see diligent executives arriving to start their day, passing by straggling clubbers on their way home.

 

Don't Miss

 

In the middle of Knutsford Boulevard is the Asylum nightclub, the most popular disco in Kingston. Each week, Asylum has theme nights, of which two of the more exciting nights are Ladies' Night and Dancehall Night. Both are especially worth a night out on the town, but if clubbing is not your passion, join the throngs of onlookers and stand outside the club observing the patrons as they go inside. The outrageous hairstyles, fashions and vehicles of the men and women that come into the club are a spectacle all by themselves - sometimes amazing, or entertaining at the very least.

 

Say Hello To:

 

The Jamaica Tourist Board has its head offices on Knutsford Boulevard in the heart of New Kingston. Please stop by our information desk and feel free to ask us anything about Jamaica or just to tell us how your stay is going!