First time here, but definately it's worth coming back and exploring this interesting island a bit more. A quiet and peaceful place to be. It has beautiful views (NJ, Statue of Liberty, Downtown Manhattan). Well preserved buildings, paths and structures. A little bit plain, w/o activities during a winter season, but depends what are you looking for. One of those places where you are able to connect with a nature. City bikes available, public restrooms as well. Wending machines only, no stores or caffeterias. There is a picnic area, useful during spring/summer season I would say. NYC Ferry runs every hour ($2.75 per diem, $3.75 if you carry your bicycle). The whole island you can walk around in around half an hour. A perfect place if you want to escape from urban environment!

Governors Island is just off the southern tip of Manhattan and is accessible by ferry from next to the Whitehall Terminal. It's certainly worth the $2.75 ticket. We went on a weekday morning/afternoon in Nov and it was super quiet. Rented a surrey for free using our New York Pass, which I'd certainly recommend. There's a hammock grove at the top of the island, which I imagine would be perfect in the summer. Saw a sports field too. The highlight for me was the view over to Manhattan, Brooklyn and NJ, especially from the outlook hill. So many open green spaces that are beautifully maintained. Toilets are available on the island too.

Nice and relaxing place to spend the afternoon. There is a ferry that runs pretty frequently from downtown. It's free before noon on the weekends. Each ticket is round trip and the journey is really quick. You can rent bikes on the island and they have a few food vendors if you opt to not bring food with you. It's a great place for a picnic. A lot of people come here for the spa and I can't blame them. It's really nice but cost about $100 per person to use the facilities and services are extra. There's a fair amount of history on island so you can do a little of exploring. It's a fun time for the family.

Wonderfully sanctuary of nature a short ferry ride from NYC. Don't miss the awesome slides!

Such a nice place! Very beautiful view and interesting museums (castle and art gallery)! You can also rent a bike on this island and it’s will make your trip easier!

beautiful place without car. you should visit it in New York

love coming here. It's a total escape from the hustle and bustle if NYC within NYC. Go on aweekday and avoid the crowds. Plenty of picnic spots and you can even rent grills to BBQ. The veering views of NYC are amazing..head to outlook hill and get one of the best views of the Manhattan skyline. There is a lot of history on this island and worth a stroll. Check for events throughout the year . You can bike..bring your own or rent. You can rent bike carts,wherewl the whole family can rise There are food carts on weekends. There's a spa now and soon Gitano the lounge is opening. Walking through the old barracks makes you feel the sense of history that was present here.

Nice place to relax or bike or hiking. www.4life.scollado/shop

A nice Island with an interesting history. I really like the hammock Grove. The island has a play area, splash pad, a dog park, a picnic area, plenty of benches, but very few garbage cans

Just a short ferry ride away from lower Manhattan, Governors Island is a forgotten jewel of a place that is perfect for an early morning stroll or a full day outing away from the hustle and bustle of New York City. The Governors Island Ferry is steps from the better known Staten Island Ferry. Several buses and subway lines will get you there. A little more than 5 minutes after it departs lower Manhattan, the ferry will leave you on the island. Pack a lunch and stroll on the island's main walking path for great views of Manhattan, New Jersey and Brooklyn. Take your time to explore the various areas of the island. It won't take long if you don't want it to, but you can easily spend the whole day exploring and relaxing. Choose a cool day to get as much as possible from the stroll. While there are several places to stop, eat, drink and be merry, bring a water bottle to be on the safe side.

Definitely one of my favorite places to visit absolutely beautiful island to visit and spend an afternoon. Full 360 view of lower nyc area. Playgrounds,eateries, restaurants, events. Only way in us by ferry however it's very cheap under $5 round-trip. Visiting here its a no brainer. Make sure to bring a bike or rent one on site. Best way to explore this awesome place.

Great place to take the kids, the lines to board the ferry can get really long on a Sunday, but somehow everyone fits on! Various different parks/play areas for the kids, and lots of different types of bikes to rent.

Loved it here! It's a lot of walking and there are houses filled with artwork that are very creative and innovative. There is also a fort. I took millions of pictures, I will post them. There was also a car show and a jazz dance festival. This was back in 2010 and back then it was free.

I love going there, biking around, and leaving at 9 when they are about to close

What a beautiful place to spend your Sunday with family!! Started with parking the car and taking the ferry to the island, which itself is beautifully! At the island you get to see a lot of historical places and landmarks. We rented the 2 seater bicycle for $30 half an hour and $40 an hour, and rode around the island and got some exercise done as well… The views are insanely nice! Would definitely recommend this if you’re looking for something more to the relaxing side.

Some private cars !?? and golf cars drove very fast and recklessly.

1st time here to go to Swamp in the City. Creole/Cajun music festival. Was gloomy & rainy day which was perfect for this occasion.

Interesting and worth the trip over. We went towards the end of December, so it was cold and windy, so be prepared for that if you go in Winter. It was still a nice escape from Manhattan. The buildings were cool to look at and the views were great. There was an art exhibit that had already closed for the season, but it would've been cool to see. There was also a holiday setup with a small ice rink (be good for small kids) and a handful of food trucks, but since we went during the week and early in the day, it wasn't open. We still enjoyed walking and looking around. There were so few people at the time we went that it felt like we had the whole island to ourselves. It's an easy and cheap ferry ride over from Manhattan. Probably would be good to research what's going on on the island before going so you know what activities to expect, especially if you have kids that might not appreciate the historical aspect. Otherwise, I'd say just be ready to walk and prepare for whatever the weather is (hot or cold). There's not really anywhere to go inside, except for a restroom and if there's anything going on at the exhibit location. For reference, the picture with the closer view of the Statue of Liberty is zoomed in pretty far, but you still get a great view of the statue from the south end of the island. This is a good alternative for seeing the Statue of Liberty if you don't want to take the other tours or go to the pedestal. $4 ferry trip from lower Manhattan and some walking will get you this view.

A lovey place to unwind and bond with family. Love it here🥰

This is a great place to go to get away from the city for a little while. A lot of grass to sit on and relax. Sometimes there are events like music going on. A bunch of historical houses that you can go inside. A lot of history and awesome architecture.

I love the hammocks

It's a beautiful place surrounded by big architecture and the ocean. It's really a good place for family mostly if u have kids. There r lots of activities for them. Some of the facilities found on the map are under construction. You can also enjoy the history behind this place.

A lovely gem!!

Such an amazing place! Had a beautiful date and the light that day was terrific 🥰 definitely a very special getaway!

We were surprised by the long line waiting for the ferry on Saturday noon. Don't go away. It's fast. Most of the people didn't pay ferry fare but we did. Rent the bike first when you arrive. The island is bigger than you think. You can spend the whole day chilling there. Great place to picnic. Bring some food and save money. The food truck and food options are limited.

Wow! What an amazing place to get away from all the city noise. Over 100 acres to explore. If it’s your first time I recommend doing the free guided tour of the island, it lasts about 1.5 hours and you are free to leave whenever. The tour provides great information about the islands history. Lots of things to do and has a few spots to eat a delicious meal.

I absolutely love this island! First time when I visited I was wishing that New York City could make this small but yet big living community. Historical architecture and beautiful landscapes just make you very calm!

The Island is really pretty and peaceful, great place to relax and hangout, but everything is shut down, none of the houses/buildings could be visited, there were no art exhibits nor shows like they advertise and the business hours of the few restaurants around we're not updated. Overall, a bit disappointing.

It's like being far away from NYC. It's quite it you disregard the helicopters. A very relaxing place. Good food and playground for the kids. A place you can make a day out of.

Good food, bathrooms, lots of green space, summer concerts, a free shuttle around the island, bikes. Reminds me of Christiania in Copenhagen except without the territorial residents and drug vendors. Although if Govs Island had cannabis sales, that would be amazing. Bring sunscreen.

Ferry is a favorite way to travel to this island

nice place

Actually it's 4⅝⭐, rounded up. 🥇All contributions to the Friends of Governors Island are tax deductible under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code. Then who is NEW YORK WATERWAY ISLAND? Not-for-profit, too? But I don't find their EIN listed on the ticket receipt. 🥈Face coverings are required while queueing, boarding, riding, and disembarking ferries at all times. But not blindly enforced. It's a getaway. 🥉The official map has a better depiction of the island than the one on Google's map, especially in the greyed area along Craig Rd S. from Yankee Pier to Picnic Point. That area looks like the final destination for most compostable. I will suggest to avoid walking along that stretch of waterfront. 4️⃣I wish they could have fine-printed the official closing times on certain structures like The Hills, "One hour before the last departure." There is a QR code on the squared sign. But my phone's signal was nearly non-existent. Why bother? 5️⃣ Somehow it occurred to me that the person driving the buggy didn't happen to be there at random. It seemed to me they were following "Protocol." Whatever that might be, either one is on-coming like a derby or another one following up close like a good shepherd. Enjoy the ride. 6️⃣ When can I find Airbnb listing$ on the island?

Nice island, lots of food trucks, the water view of your city. Came here for pinknic on the lawn.

Great views of city, but that about where it ends. Takes about an hour to walk the perimeter but all the nice looking accommodation buildings look derelict inside. The visitors centre was closed and the cafe and bar they advertised look like they have never been opened. As a piece of American history it was very disappointing to see its state of repair.

I lived in Building 877 6th Floor! I went to PS.26 and 104. My Childhood was LIT! S/O Old G.I