I wore this cute J.Crew animal print dress (can’t decide if it is cheetah, leopard or Dalmatian print) but it is super cute, and it has POCKETS! (You can shop my look at the bottom of this post).
I paired it with my J.Crew white leather tennis shoes, which are super comfortable once broken in (and now Alex and I have matching sneaks)!
I carried my big tote bag; Alex brought a backpack and we were all set to go!
A couple of days before we wanted to go, I reserved our $3 round-trip ferry tickets on the Governors Island website.
We took the 12:40 pm ferry from lower Manhattan to the island, which was all of a 5-minute ride, and disembarked from the island on the 5 pm ferry, back to Manhattan.
On the weekends there is also a ferry that goes from Brooklyn to the island and back.
When we got off the ferry we walked around and explored.
I learned that most of the park is a NYC park but the two forts that are on the island are national monuments.
One of the forts was built in 1811.
For a time, the island was used as a military base for the US Army, then the Coast Guard and as a prison.
In 2014, Governors Island opened to the public.
From the research I’ve done, no one lives on the island except the park rangers, and the only people there year-round are the students at the specialized public high school on the island that focuses on marine life.
We brought picnic materials from Trader Joe’s from off the island, but there are little food trucks and grub spots all over the island.
We sat on the grass near some of the old barracks, under the trees.
We ate loads of cheese, with crackers, a baguette and grapes. Very French of us.
We then wanted to walk off all the cheese. We walked around and saw all the military barracks and other homes of the commanders.
They are all still standing and in beautiful condition.
Some of them are being renovated, so I wonder what they are turning them into. I don’t think they will be houses or condos, but maybe gallery space and little shops.
Alex kept saying that he felt like he was in an episode of the Walking Dead. I kind of agree. It felt kind of weird and eerie seeing all of these old buildings still standing, but with no one living in them.
We walked around the whole parameter of the island. We tried to grab some Citi Bikes, but they were all gone!
They were hot commodities.
You can also bring your own bike or rent other bikes from another vendor on the island.
We couldn’t bike, so we walked. We passed the little chapel and this cool playground that looks like it was a junk yard turned into a playground.
It was so odd, but my mom, who is a teacher, told me that playgrounds like that, where the children literally get to build it, is very similar to the types of playgrounds they have in Germany. It was very interesting. We watched children use hammers and build their own playground.
We passed big playing fields and then walked towards the center of the island.
We found more barracks and all the food trucks in a big courtyard.
We also found a traditional looking playground and more jungle gym equipment. Governors Island was a child’s paradise!
I would have had so much fun here as a little kid.
We then passed another big field with big red Adirondack chairs, a baseball field and Lady Liberty shining in the background.
We then walked to the tip of the island, which had great views of Staten Island and Lady Liberty.
There is an even a high point at the end of the island where you can see the entire island with amazing views.
This was the “money shot,” as Alex and I like to say.
When we headed back to the ferry, we saw these metal slides built into the rock that kids were sliding down.
We also stopped and get an ice pop at one of the food trucks, because you know how much I LOVE ice cream.
And then we headed home!
I am so glad we went. It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done in New York.
I cannot recommend visiting Governors Island enough.
I will 100% be back in the near future.
Alex and I always have fun exploring new places and things.
He is my exploring buddy.
We had so much fun on Saturday and were blessed with beautiful weather.
Until the next adventure!
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