Overview
Governors Island is open to the public daily year-round. From Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend, the Island is open from 7am-10pm Sunday through Thursday and 7am-11pm Friday and Saturday, with the South Island Park (including Picnic Point, the Hills, Hammock Grove, and the Play Lawns) closing at 6pm every day. All other times, the Island is open daily from 7am-6pm.
Getting Here
Ferries operated by the Trust for Governors Island run daily from the Battery Maritime Building, located at 10 South Street in Lower Manhattan. Click here for schedules and tickets. Evening ferries available from Manhattan for tenants with late hours and their registered guests—including visitors to Taco Vista, QC NY, Gitano, Island Oyster, and others. Tickets to evening ferries can only be purchased in person at the Battery Maritime Building. The evening ferry schedule is available online at govisland.org/ferry.
NYC Ferry, the City's public ferry service, also serves Governors Island daily year-round, with stops on the Lower East Side, Wall Street, and along the Brooklyn waterfront. The Trust for Governors Island does not operate NYC Ferry, and tickets for NYC Ferry cannot be purchased on the Governors Island website. Click here for NYC Ferry information, ticketing, and schedules.
Hours
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
7:00 am—6:00 pm
7:00 am—6:00 pm
7:00 am—6:00 pm
7:00 am—6:00 pm
7:00 am—6:00 pm
7:00 am—6:00 pm
7:00 am—6:00 pm
Getting Here
Governors Island is accessible by ferry from Manhattan and Brooklyn every day of the week.
Notice: NYC Ferry September 2024
- Due to temporary planned work at Yankee Pier, NYC Ferry will operate via Pier 101 weekdays from September 3-6 and September 9-12, 2024. At all other times, NYC Ferry will operate as usual via Yankee Pier.
- There are no NYC Ferry ticket machines at Pier 101; a ticketing agent will be staffed at Pier 101 from approximately 12-6pm while maintenance is ongoing. Riders are encouraged to use the NYC Ferry app for tickets or purchase all paper tickets at another NYC Ferry landing before arriving to Governors Island.
- Please visit ferry.nyc or the NYC Ferry app for real-time schedules, service alerts, and updates.
- During this time, ferries operated by the Trust for Governors Island will run as usual between the Battery Maritime Building (10 South Street) and Soissons Landing on the Island.
Food and Drink
Click here for a current list of food vendors on Governors Island. Hours are weather dependent and are subject to change. Visitors are also welcome to bring their own food and eat at one of the many picnic tables scattered throughout the Island. Visitors may not bring alcohol onto the island but can purchase on-Island and consume it in designated areas.
Services for Non-English Speakers
Governors Island's website can be translated via Google Translate. Visitor maps are available in Simplified Chinese and Spanish. During the summer months, Visitor Guides are available at the Soissons Landing Welcome Center in English, Simplified Chinese, and Spanish.
Restrooms
Indoor restrooms are located inside the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Arts Center at Governors Island near Soissons Landing and at Yankee Pier, the west end of Liggett Terrace, South Battery, and near Slide Hill. All restrooms are wheelchair accessible. Please note: the restrooms at Yankee Pier are closed September 4-6. We apologize for any inconvenience. The nearest restrooms are located at Liggett Terrace or South Battery.
Free Digital Guide on Bloomberg Connects
Discover Governors Island from your phone with our digital guide on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Use the app to plan your visit, then easily access helpful insights on site. Afterward, dive deeper into your favorite parts of the Island at home–or anywhere, anytime! Download the app via the QR code, then search for or scroll to Governors Island to start exploring. |
Accessibility
All ferries going to and from Governors Island, as well as the grounds of the island itself, are accessible to those in wheelchairs. Not all buildings on the Island are wheelchair accessible. Building 110, located next to Soissons Landing, is wheelchair accessible. All restrooms are wheelchair accessible. The Trust for Governors Island operates an accessible tram Fridays-Sundays during the summer months, stopping at each ferry landing approximately every 30 minutes. Click here to download a map. Please note, trams are meant as accessibility aides and do not provide tours.
Welcome Centers
Visit the Welcome Centers at Soissons Landing and Yankee Pier, powered by the Friends of Governors Island. They're open Friday-Sunday for visitor maps, Island information, free guided walking tours, Governors Island merch, and more.
Group Visits
Groups visiting Governors Island are encouraged to limit themselves to 40 individuals or fewer. Those wishing to reserve more than 40 ferry tickets should email groupvisits@govisland.org at least two weeks in advance of their visit. The Trust for Governors Island offers special waived ferry fares for non-profit community-based organizations, youth camps, and senior centers throughout New York City, subject to availability. Please email groupvisits@govisland.org at least two weeks in advance of your requested visit date to learn more.
Zero Waste Island
The Trust for Governors Island continues its dedication to environmental stewardship through its Zero Waste Island initiative. In partnership with Earth Matter NY, Inc. the Trust aims to reduce the amount of waste from the Island going to landfills by:
- Ensuring all recycling stations on the Island include a color-coded, clearly labeled compost bin.
- Mandating that serviceware from all vendors and events on the Island is compostable.
- Composting all organics collected on the Island at Earth Matter’s Compost Learning Center and returning the finished product to the Island’s landscapes.
- Prohibiting plastic straws, plastic bags, and Styrofoam.
- Creating a community of Island tenants, partners, vendors and events that are committed to composting and recycling.
Visitors can participate in the Zero Waste Initiative by practicing “Think Before You Throw” when putting waste in a bin, and can appreciate the results by enjoying the Island’s vibrant landscapes that thrive on nutrients from Island-made compost.
Notice: Kayak Launch Out of Service
Due to necessary repairs, the Kayak Dock at Pier 101 is currently not in service. Please stay tuned for updates as we work to restore landing for human-powered vessels.