Governors Island
A 172-acre car-free island seven minutes by ferry from Lower Manhattan, with hills built for the view, a former military village, and one of the best cheap days out in New York.
- What it costs
- Ferry fare is low, and weekday morning ferries are traditionally free. Island entry itself is free. Bike hire and some attractions charge.
- Best in
- Spring, Summer, Fall
- Where
- 10 South Street, Battery Maritime Building, New York, NY 10004
- Official site
- govisland.com
What it is
Two hundred years of army and then coast guard use, closed to the public until 2003, now a public park. No cars at all, which changes the feel of the place entirely — you can hear the harbor.
The northern half is the historic district: Fort Jay and Castle Williams, plus a whole village of officers' housing, a chapel and a parade ground, all preserved.
The southern half is new landscape built on fill, including The Hills.
The Hills
Four artificial hills, the tallest around 70 feet, built specifically to give 360-degree views — the Statue of Liberty, the Lower Manhattan skyline, the harbor and Brooklyn, all from one spot.
Outlook Hill has stone steps up one side and a longer sloping path on the other. Slide Hill has the longest slides in New York City built into it, which are free and are used by adults constantly.
This is the single best free view in New York that isn't from a bridge.
How to spend the day
Hire a bike at the landing — the island is small, flat outside the Hills, and completely car-free, which makes it one of the only genuinely relaxing places to cycle in New York.
Bring a picnic. There are food vendors in season but they're limited and queued.
There's a hammock grove, public art installations, seasonal arts programming in the old housing, and the beach-club-style setup at the southern end.
Check the season. The island runs a full daily schedule in the warm months and a reduced one in winter, and the timetable is the thing that ruins unplanned trips.
Getting there
Ferries leave from the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street in Lower Manhattan — the 1 to South Ferry, the R or W to Whitehall Street, or the 4 or 5 to Bowling Green.
There's also a Brooklyn ferry from Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park at weekends and in season.
The crossing takes about seven minutes. Check the current timetable before you go — service is seasonal and the last boat back is a hard deadline.
Getting around once you're there
The ferries are step-free and the island's main paths are flat and paved. **The Hills involve a real climb**, though Outlook Hill has a gentler switchback path as well as the stone steps. Free shuttle buses run around the island.