THE BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY DAY TRIP FROM MANHATTAN
Have you ever heard of Governors Island? I’d been to New York many times as a tourist before we moved there in 2022 and I had never heard of it before! We lived in Manhattan for two years and visited Governors Island many times, it was our favourite family day out and I’m so excited to finally share this guide with you all.
Read on to discover all the amazing family-friendly things Governors Island has to offer!
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GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
GETTING THERE: It’s an easy journey by boat, it takes less than 10 minutes from lower Manhattan. We always took the NYC ferry from the Wall Street stop. You can also get on the ferry at 34th Street if you’re staying in midtown and change at Wall Street (only one ferry ticket is needed). See the NYC Ferry schedule HERE. (it only runs at weekends in the winter). You can also take the Governors Island ferry daily, departing from 10 South Street. You can see the schedule for that and purchase tickets HERE.
ENTRY: Entry to the island is free and open daily. There are also many free activities you can do there, which I will talk more about below. The Urban Farm is only open on weekends, this was my son’s favourite so we always went on a weekend!
ACCESSIBILITY: The island is very accessible, you can’t take cars onto the island so it’s great for little kids to run about safely and we found it very pushchair-friendly. It’s also a great place for bikes, you can hire them on the island or take yours with you.
EATING: There is no grocery store/ supermarket on the island but there are various food places you can buy food and drinks from. There is also a great picnic area with benches looking out to the Statue of Liberty. It has BBQ grills that you can reserve for a fee.
THINGS TO DO ON GOVERNORS ISLAND
RIDE BIKES OR SURREYS
Governors Island is the perfect place to cycle. You can hire bikes, surreys or gocarts on the island which is a great way to explore. We hired a surrey our first time on the Island and my son who was 2 at the time, absolutely loved it! It’s not the cheapest activity at $40 for an hour but it was fun. A more affordable alternative is to get City Bikes ($19 for a day). These were often gone so go early to ensure you don’t miss out!
RELAX IN THE HAMMOCKS
Visit Hammock Grove to swing or relax in the free hammocks there. They’re free and on a first-come, first-served basis.
VISIT THE URBAN FARM
This was my son’s absolute happy place! The Urban Farm has a teaching garden where kids can learn about the environment, dig in the soil and help to water the plants. There’s also usually a drawing/ colouring activity as well. All the food grown here gets donated to charity!
There is also a compost area, surprisingly, it does not smell bad! Kids can get a magnifying glass and look for bugs, help sift the soil see the process of turning waste into compost. The compost that is made here is then used in iconic places such as Central Park and The High Line. They also have chickens which sometimes you can feed.
Note: This is only open on weekends.
ENJOY THE VIEWS
Walking around the island, you’ll get to see stunning views of The Statue of Liberty and the Lower Manhattan skyline, including the Freedom Tower. I just love these views!
SLIDE HILL
Slide Hill is very fun for kids. There are multiple slides, including a 57-foot-long one (the longest in NYC). The view from the top of the hill is also beautiful!
PLAY AREAS
There are two play areas, one located just next to Hammock Grove which is mainly made from wood and has a lot of things for kids to climb on.
The other one is called The Yard. This is aimed at older kids as parents are not allowed to go in with them. We did try out the under-5 area but it just had a few dirty, broken toys. I didnt like the vibe here and the staff were quite preachy so we never went again, there are so many other great things to do!
SEASONAL ACTIVITIES
Governors Island also has lots of seasonal activities. For example in June, they have a beautiful lavender field. In October, they do an amazing Halloween event where kids can pick a pumpkin, or craft or enjoy a magic show (all free). They also host Jazz festivals! Check the website for events at the time of your visit!
GLAMPING OR SPA RETREAT
We didnt do either of these but those are fun options to consider!
If glamping is your thing, you can do it on Governors Island! The tent/ chalet structures look beautiful and look like they start from around $200 per night. More info HERE.
QC NY is a spa located on Governors Island with beautiful views over the Manhattan skyline. It looks like the perfect place to relax, unfortunately, you have to be 21+ to come here and prices start from $98 per person. Find out more and book tickets HERE.
Thank you so much for reading our guide to Governors Island. Will you be adding it to your New York City bucket list?
We lived in New York for two years before moving to London.
Happy Exploring,
