Governors Island Guide 2023: The Perfect Family Retreat

governors islands open

Governors Island Guide 2023: The Perfect Family Retreat

Even though Governors Island has been open year round since November 2021, this spot is the perfect opportunity to take your loved ones out to spend the day riding bikes, playing games, or exploring the artwork that the Island has to offer.

The 172-acre island has a number of activities to try or is the perfect destination to just sit back, relax, and enjoy the beautiful weather this season. 

Ready for your visit? We’re going to give you a rundown on activities, important information and more! 

Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 7am to 6pm; Friday-Saturday, 7am to 7pm

Psst… Are you looking for more ways to spend time with your family outdoors? Check out the 15 Best Family-Friendly Hikes on Long Island!

Things to Do on Governors Island

Courtesy of Governors Island

Biking: Bring your own bike, or rent one on the Island with either Citi Bike or Blazing Saddles! The bike path is seven miles long — and you don’t even have to worry about cars!

Hammocks: Relax on one of the Island’s iconic red hammocks while gazing at the beautiful city skyline.

Playgrounds: The kids can play on a variety of awesome slides at Slide Hill. Slide Hill is home to the longest slide in NYC! It’s a curving, 57-foot-long, three-story-high slide. Hammock Grove offers play structures that kids can climb and swing on. They’re perfect for some fun exercise.

Learning: Explore the historic archives that Governors Island holds. From historic photographs to self-guided walking tours, there are so many fun and educational opportunities. On weekends, the Island offers family-friendly passive visits to their farm. Check out The Urban Farm (Saturdays & Sundays, noon – 4 pm) where they have chickens, gardens, and a compost center.

Artwork: There’s an old, revamped church with tons of history and new visions to explore. Families can also take a look at The Field Station of The Melancholy Marine Biologist where visitors can confront a future impacted by climate change. There’s also an orchard with 50 fruit trees. Each tree will have multiple varieties of fruits that are relevant to the history of New York City.

Courtesy of Governors Island

Food on Governors Island

Picnicking: Visitors are welcome to bring their own food to Governors Island! Pack a family picnic and find a spot on one of the island’s shaded green areas. They also have Adirondack chairs and picnic tables if sitting on the ground isn’t your speed.

Vendors: The island is home to a variety of food vendors, which means there’s plenty of options for families looking for a delicious meal. Current vendors include:

How to Get to the Island

Ferry service occurs daily from the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street in Manhattan

Brooklyn ferries to Governors Island will depart from Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park and Red Hook/Atlantic Basin. Brooklyn ferries have service running on Saturdays and Sundays from May 7th to September 25th.

Prices:

Round-trip ferry tickets cost $4 for adults.

Ferries are free for:

  • Visitors age 12 and under
  • Seniors age 65 and over
  • IDNYC holders
  • Current and former military service members
  • All New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents
  • Governors Island Members

Governors Island says that “morning ferries before noon on Saturdays and Sundays are free for all. There is no surcharge for bicycles at any time.”

Purchase tickets and find ferry schedule here

Island has implemented protocols based on local, state and federal guidelines.

Relevant Directory Listings

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New York Society of Play Summer Camp and Classes

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Summer Game Camp</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">There are many who do not feel safe sending their children back out into the world with summer camp, this year. To serve those parents and keep the children connected and stimulated during this challenging time, we are offering NYSP Digital Summer Camp. The name of the game with NYSP Summer Camp is community. We have made a large effort to make our camp feel like a living space, with features including –</p> <p dir="ltr">- Role-Playing games familiar and new, led by our master storytellers!</p> <p dir="ltr">- Enriching electives such as Chess, World Building, Character Acting, Crafts, Drawing, and more!</p> <p dir="ltr">- Discussion and media screening rooms during lunch!</p> <p dir="ltr">- A digital campus!</p> <p dir="ltr">- Moderated chat hours!</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr">Join us for a summer of games, friends, and more!</p> <p dir="ltr">Mon - Fri 10am - 2:30pm</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Roleplay Expeditions: Dungeons & Dragons</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">No experience is required to join one of our Dungeons & Dragons games. Our game masters have pre-made character sheets, so you'll be able to start playing the game right away! We adapt the rules of traditional Dungeons & Dragons to make them more approachable to children of various ages. Battle in dungeons, search for relics, and make new friends in our one-of-a-kind Dungeons & Dragons workshop! </p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr">Public games meet once per week, with different groups every time. Private games meet 1 to 2 times per week with the same group of kids. Since the players and the storyteller in the group are consistent, this enables us to tell epic tales of adventure together!</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Dungeons & Dragons Junior</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">No experience is required to join one of our drop-in Dungeons & Dragons games. Our Dungeons & Dragons Jr. game provides a D&D storytelling experience without character sheets. Battle in dungeons, search for relics, and make new friends in our one-of-a-kind Dungeons & Dragons workshop! A great way to introduce young children to D&D so they can eventually move onto the main game.</p>

Brooklyn Robot Foundry - Virtual Classes

<p><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">Brooklyn Robot Foundry offers super fun online robot-building classes for children 2-13 years old!</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">  </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">Each week, students are introduced to new engineering concepts and components while building that day’s robot in their own “workshop”.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">  </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">All classes maintain a very low student-to-teacher ratio, allowing for plenty of individualized instruction and socializing. The supplies are shipped in advance and classes are led by amazing instructors, taking all the pressure off parents.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">  </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">The Foundry’s main focus however, is that kids have fun, get creative, and enjoy being part of this STEAM-loving community!</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> </span></p>

The Ailey School – First Steps and Bounding Boys

<blockquote style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> <div dir="ltr"> <div class="m_-3740164643787738207m_4977048992707393770WordSection1"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #0070c0;">At The Ailey School, FIRST STEPS offers a structured creative movement curriculum that allows girls (ages 3-6) and boys (age 3), to develop body awareness and control and learn the basics of dance technique. BOUNDING BOYS (ages 4-6) provides a more athletic experience, and an energetic approach to teaching dance skills.</span></p> </div> </div> </blockquote>