One of the things I love about New York is the city’s ability to reinvent itself. I always tell people that everything here tends to change depending on the season. I really enjoy the period between May and September, because that’s when you can do outside activities – restaurants with sidewalk tables, picnic and countless other things. Many of the city’s attractions are only open during these months – and I would say it’s in the meantime that there’s more to do in New York. One of the city’s seasonal attractions is Governors Island! I’ve talked about this island a few times here on the blog. It is a destination still little explored by tourists – but a true oasis in the city. It served as a military base for nearly 200 years and is only half a mile south of Manhattan. As the season of Governors Island is almost beginning, I thought it was fair to make a post to tell the news for 2017.
Early opening – One of the biggest changes worth noting is that Governors Island will open one month earlier than usual (opens Monday, May 1), which means New Yorkers get to enjoy the perks of this scenic treasure for an extra month!
Holi Hai Festival of Color – For the first time ever, Governors Island will host the Holi Hai Festival of Color during its opening weekend. If you don’t know this festival, Holi Hai is a party celebrating the coming of spring through live music and dancing, while allowing guests to throw rainbow-hued powders on the attendees. eThis is a free event and you can get your tickets here.
Free bike rides – Governors Island offers amazing bike paths. You can bring your own bike, rent or hit up the Citi Bike kiosks, however, you can also borrow a bike for free for an hour between 10am and noon every weekday.
Beer Garden / Oyster Bar – Governors Island has some food trucks and, this year, it will get a third beer garden. Island Oyster will serve seafood and offer cocktails. So good!
Pinknic second edition – last year, Pinknic, the largest rosé-themed picnic and music festival in New York City, came to Governor’s Island. The event was a huge sucess and now is back for the second edition. Guests are invited to dress white or rose clothes. For tickets or more information visit the Pinknic website.
Did you like the news? Click here to check more information about the new area of Governors Island.
How to get there? Access to the island is made by a ferry daily during the season and the ticket (round trip) costs only $2! On Saturdays, the ferry is free until 11:30 am. The ferry departs from the Battery Maritime Building (10 South St.), next to the Staten Island Ferry station. For more information, visit the official website.
Laura Peruchi is a Brazilian blogger, author, and entrepreneur. She has lived in Manhattan with her husband since 2014. Since then, she has shared on her blog varied content about the Big Apple. From travel tips, including unusual things to do, shopping tips, etiquette, restaurants, and a lot more, her blog has become a reference in Portuguese (also available in English) for anyone planning a trip to New York City.
