Governors Island Brooklyn Ferry

One day last summer I was in Brooklyn Bridge Park, which was a regular occurrence that summer. I glanced over to my right and noticed some information about a ferry to Governor’s Island. I had never been there before, it was a nice day, it was a nominal fee if my recollection serves me right, I decided it was something to do. So we boarded the boat and set sail, it was a relatively short trip and we got about 50 minutes until the next back to Brooklyn. I got to walk around, eat at good food truck, view some sights, take some pictures, and learn some history all in
I didn’t have the luxury of going back this past summer, but hopefully next summer I can make my way back there.

You can grab the Governors Island ferry from pier 6 in brooklyn bridge park (basically where Atlantic Ave dead ends to the water) during the summer on Saturdays, Sundays, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. Bikes and strollers are allowed on board. Best of all, it’s free if you catch the 11 or 11:30 am! Otherwise it’s $ 2 for adults for all the other ferries (no costs for a return to Brooklyn). Kids under 12 are free.
It’s a decent sized ferry that has both outdoor/​upstairs seating benches and indoor/​covered benches as well. It takes less than 8 minutes to go from pier to pier and you’ll enjoy views of lower Manhattan, brooklyn, and governors island. Staff is efficient and friendly at both ends and keep to the schedule. You’ll get dropped off at Yankee pier in governors island and from there it’s a short walk to wherever you’d like to go on the island (food trucks, playground, hammocks, and Nolan park all less than 5 minutes walk).
Can’t wait for my next trip!

So ridiculous. Went to a concert at Governors island and the security searching everyone getting on the ferry were just utterly ridiculous. No other word. Couldn’t bring water, and they had the nerve to throw people’s cigarettes out if the pack was open. If it was closed you could bring it. One cig missing and that’s it. Toss it out. Just a pathetic rule. And they took forever when getting off the island after the concert. Two minute ride and they sat there for thirty minutes. Shows there are fun. George Clinton and Parliament funkadelic kicked ass. Did many of their classic funk tunes. Heavy duty dance funk show but ugh the ferry security checkpoint were out of control.

I had just finished walking around Governors Island and took the ferry to Pier 6 in Brooklyn and it was free, woo hoo. The ride was cool and but the ferry itself was old and in some dire need of modernization. This was my first time on the ferry and the experience reminded me of riding the Staten Island ferry. We waited on a long line to board the ferry but it moved along real quick once people started boarding. I would ride the ferry again since it’s really cheap and drops you off in a cool area to check out other sites in the city near downtown Brooklyn.

Living in the city makes me happy. No matter the weather, I always enjoy walks and trying new foods and new places. Thankfully in the summer months, I can enjoy Governors Island. There are two ways on and off Gov Island: a ferry to and from Manhattan and one for Brooklyn (there is also an east river ferry but that is $ 6 so i am not counting it). The Manhattan ferry is simple, easy to get to, subways are right there, you can wait indoors in the shade. Brooklyn is a different experience (although I do not believe it to be a bad thing). I said earlier that I enjoy walking. Well you better enjoy it if you’d like to get to the departure area. I generally walk into the Brooklyn bridge park entrance much farther north and meander down. There was a foot bridge to allow you to enter closer but it is under construction. Maybe it is needing to be repaired considering it would rock every step you took. God forbid there was a child gleefully running past you. It essentially turned into that scene from Harry Potter when the death eaters flew around the Millennium Bridge and it fell to pieces. Anyway, I digress. It is a bit of a hike to get there but the park itself is coming together nicely and it is a pleasant walk.
I have not had any issues with the ferry service itself. I usually arrive for the first morning ferry to head into the island. Considering my ghostly skin tone, I am usually completely coated in sunscreen (with extra for reapplication) so waiting outside generally does not bother me at this point. They load everyone fairly efficiently. I usually head upstairs and hang out near the driver. Two quick things. They dock facing forward so if you want views of the city make sure to keep that in mind for your seating. Secondly, please try to play it cool when they blow the horn. Don’t dangle your phone for a selfie until you hear it if you are jumpy.
They run for free before noon, but are only 2 bucks if you miss that window. They are only open on the weekends and run every half hour (
) Feel free to bring your bikes if your an avid rider or a blanket if you are a serial sitter. Go enjoy some fresh air and some sun.

I am a HUGE fan of this ferry and of Governor’s Island! I want more people to know about it, but I’d also like to keep it quiet since the island is so peaceful. The ferry is $ 2 unless you get there early in the morning– check the website for details. The ride is super short, maybe a little less than 10 minutes. They run on time and you can catch that nice river breeze. Governor’s Island itself has plenty to do — kayak, ride bikes, explore some historic sites, bring your kids to the playground, swing on hammocks, etc. If you are in New York City and are sick of the hustle and bustle of the city, go check out Governor’s Island.

There’s a little bit of something for everyone-​food trucks, World Cup watching, beautiful vistas, concerts, biking, NY history. Nice way to spend a few hours.
Can’t wait until the Governor’s Island trust finishes the beautification project because so far it looks good. It’s also not overrun by people yet so not your usual Central Park on a weekend scene.

It’s difficult to find this place on google maps; it will lead you instead to Pier 5 sometimes. The Brooklyn Ferry is at Pier 6 by the playground, just look for NY Waterway.
This is open only on Saturdays and Sundays; on the 11AM and 11:30AM rides, it’s a free fare. I was late for the Satruday 11:30AM ride and got there at 11:40. The place to buy tickets isn’t even a stand, it’s like a little cart that they have with an umbrella. You buy the $ 2 ticket, which is basically a credit card receipt, and wait on line. After you are in front of the boat, then you hand your «ticket» to one of the people in the blue shirts.
If you have a bike, it is not an extra cost to have it on there. You will actually get on first if you have a bike. And, no, baby carriages are not considered bikes. The best thing about having kids is that it’s free for them to ride the ferry. The worst thing about not having kids is dealing with the annoying ones that are riding with you (it’s like they wanted to find me!)

$ 2 round trip on weekend from Brooklyn. 7 minute ride to Governors Island GREAT!

Easy way to get to Governors Island, you can take your bike on the ferry too which is very handy. Best part is, it’s free!

If you can’t find the start of the ferry initially crossing into Pier 6, look out for the big yellow umbrellas that signal the dock. There’s no announcement of boarding so keep an eye out for when the line begins to form or you may miss your trip.
The ride of the ferry to Governors Island is fairly short (about 10 min) which makes me wonder why the ferry doesn’t run a bit more frequently, especially looking at how packed the boats gets when folks head to the island. The no charge admission is a welcomed perk, especially with how much you’ll be spending once you arrive on the island.

Take that one from the Island and i ll drop you off right by the legendary River Café. Go there for prosecco on their terrace or go take a walk across the brooklyn bridge which is also close by– the route of this ferry is its value, and i love boats in general.

There really isn’t much to say about this ferry. It fits a surprising amount of bikers/​strollers and people alike. The ride is probably about 10 minutes. I do still enjoy the ride. the loading seems fairly efficient (which can sometimes be a nightmare because of said bikes and strollers) but they try to get people in and ready to go within a reasonable amount of time.

This ferry gets an automatic boost in the ratings because it’s FREE! And who doesn’t like free things?
It’s a quick ride to Governor’s island – it probably takes more time to board the board than it does to get there. However, it would be great if the ferry ran more on schedule. It’s supposed to run every 20 minutes, but seemed to be leaving at haphazard intervals on the day we went.

Free is always good! But it runs on a whenever-​ish kinda schedule. On a hot day, prepare to roast if your sitting/​standing on the upper level, plus there’s no AC on the lower level. However it is very convenient for Brooklynites and the ride is virtually 5 minutes long. I love that they offer bike space however I feel sorry for folks coming on with babies and strollers because then the space becomes hot and cramped. Nonetheless, its a free service and as the saying goes, you get what you pay for.

A great connection with Governors Island that can further stretch the day trip from the city.
I took the free ferry from Battery Park, visited the island, then took this free ferry to Bklyn, played some beach volleyball by the pier, got an Italian gelato, and finished my day hanging out in Cobble Hill.

I had read others talk about the pros and cons of this free ferry from Brooklyn to Governors Island and I was set for an adventure. I had been to Governors Island from Manhattan, but I wanted this to be easier and better. It was.
Taking our car, there was a parking garage right next to Pier 6 and the lovely park. It cost $ 20 for the entire day, which I think it extremely reasonable (if you are cheap, you can try to find a free spot in Brooklyn Heights — good luck). We did go around 11am and came back around 3:30, so other peoples experiences might be different, but we never waited long, the trip was quick and professional and I would certainly do it again. Friends of ours took the Water Taxi and that was much longer and cost money. Overall, a great way to travel to an oasis in NY harbor.

Three stars only because I liked the ferry ride. We waited about 2 hours for the ferry TO Governors Island for the Parked: Food Truck Fest. Frustrated after waiting and waiting and waiting, we headed back to the mainland and waited another 40 minutes to get back to Brooklyn. Why you ask? Because the captain of the boat decided to turn around and take more people from Brooklyn to Governors Island, where they couldn’t get food anyway, instead of taking people from Governors Island to Brooklyn on his way. So stupid. We were left waiting, and hungry, and cranky.
Bleh.

The Governors Island Ferry that leaves from Brooklyn is far less organized than its Manhattan counterpart.
There is no air-​conditioned building lined with posters of island activities for the summer. There is no clearly delineated line system with security staff* at every point to guide your way.
This ferry is not as punctual; it seemingly runs on a continuous basis, rather than every half hour on the half hour. Or perhaps it is just perpetually behind schedule. In addition, it seems to be much smaller, which tends to leave angry people at the end of the line.
On my last trip, I was literally the last person to get on the boat, which was glorious for me, but I’m sure highly irritating to the poor bastards behind me.
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*There is also no bag check, which means that if you were going to smuggle illicit substances over to the Island, this is probably a better bet. Not that I would ever do that.

Yesterday I went to Governors Island via – as usual – the Manhattan ferry that picks up near Battery Park. After picnicking and catching some of She & Him, my friends and I needed to get to Brooklyn.
We were in luck! Bloomberg just opened a new ferry that connects Gov Island with Brooklyn (for more info about the opening, which just occurred last month, look here:
).
The ride was longer than the Manhattan one, but not by a significant amount. Certainly better than taking the ferry to South Ferry and catching the subway to Brooklyn. I’m pretty sure both ferries use the same boats, so it must be a distance thing.
Anyway, the ferry dropped off at Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park. From there it was easy access to Brooklyn Heights, Borough Hall, the A/​C/​F/​G/​M/​R/​2/​¾/​5 subways, and all of Brooklyn.
Note: The Brooklyn ferry operates ONLY on Saturday and Sunday, whereas Manhattan runs on Friday as well as weekends. Midweek there are other events including concerts and the now-​infamous polo match attended by Prince Harry.
Note (addendum): The Island is open through October 10^th this year.