Governors Island is a 172-acre island located approximately 800 yards south of the Manhattan island. It is a very picturesque place, which allows you to leave the hectic Manhattan life behind for a few hours. There are some food stalls, where you can have lunch / dinner and view the gigantic skyline of lower Manhattan.
To get to Governors Island, take the Governors Island Ferry, which leaves from the Battery Maritime Building (10 South St.) in Manhattan. The journey take only a few minutes, so do not get too comfortable.
There is an information board rather close to the landing, which gives you some information about how the island was used in the past:
“First settled briefly in 1624 by the Dutch who called it Nutten Island, Governors Island acquired its name in 1689 as a reserve for the British royal governor. From 1794 to 1996, the 172-acre island served as a military post, first home for the U.S. Army and then the U.S. Coast Guard. In 2001, President William J. Clinton established the 22-acre Governors Island National Monument administered by the National Park service. In 2003, President George W. Bush transferred the remaining 150 acres of the Island to the people of New York. In 2010, the City and the State of New York signed an agreement transferring responsibility for this land to the City of New York. Today, Governors Island is a treasured and welcoming public place.”
