A short ferry ride from Manhattan Island over to Governors Island brings cool breezes, green spaces, and stunning views.
For a quick #weekendgetaway from summer in New York City, Governors Island is the perfect respite. A short ferry ride across a bustling New York Harbor offers spectacular views of lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.
Governors Island is a 172-acre island in the heart of the harbor easily accessible by ferry from Manhattan and Brooklyn. With a 22-acre National Park, the island also includes pathways for biking; newly developed parks, hills and picnic areas; restaurants; arts and commerce; along with a long history. It's a little oasis from the concrete jungle, and a great place to spend a day exploring or relaxing.
As the sky changes, the views are gorgeous from every vantage point. I visited Governors Island this past weekend. This slideshow is a sampling of the sites.
Captions
1 > From the back of the ferry, getting a good look at the architectural details of the Manhattan ferry landing, as we push off.
2 > Ferry crossings on sunday afternoon
3 > Cunard’s elegant Queen Mary 2 docked across the water in Red Hook at the Brooklyn Cruise terminal, ready for its next transatlantic crossing.
4-7 > Artist Shantell Martin’s line drawings are painted on a deconsecrated church. Clouds rolled in for a brief time.
8-11 > Jacob Hashimoto’s Never Comes Tomorrow is a colorful, outdoor installation composed of cubes and funnels situated in the archway of Liggett Hall. The walkway connects the historic district to the new parks, and the sculptures serve as colorful forms of transition.
12 > A view of lower Manhattan behind the two-plus mile winding promenade in the park.
13 > Nestled in Outlook Hill, a path points directly to the Statue of Liberty.
14 > The view from the top of Outlook Hill
Governors Island is open to the public from 1 may thru 31 october. Get away!
Photos: © 2019 Janet Giampietro.
