The Saint Vincent National Museum displays relics of the Carib Indians who were the first inhabitants of the island. The Saint Vincent Botanic Gardens, founded in 1763, has a variety of exotic flowers and trees. Among the items on display is a breadfruit tree, descended from one of the trees that Captain William Bligh delivered to the island in 1792. On an earlier voyage with the same mission, Bligh had become well known for losing his trees and his ship—HMS Bounty—to a mutinous crew. Kingstown has old Roman Catholic and Anglican cathedrals. Fort Charlotte, which was built about 300 years ago, overlooks the site of the town.

Saint Vincent's most important agricultural product is bananas. Most of these bananas pass through Kingstown, which is the chief market and the chief port. Other exports are coconuts and an edible starch called arrowroot. An international airport is located just outside of town. However, the tourist trade is less important to Kingstown than it is to most other Caribbean capitals.

In 1498, Christopher Columbus reached Saint Vincent on his third voyage to the Americas. Nearly three centuries later, in 1763, Great Britain seized control of the island as well as the nearby Grenadines. The islands gained full independence in 1979, and Kingstown became the new nation's official capital. Population (1999 estimate), 16,175.