The Governors Island ferry will depart from both Red Hook and Brooklyn Bridge Park this year, taking seafaring Brooklynites to the idyllic nearby isle in New York Harbor starting May 1.
“We are thrilled to be able to open Governors Island for its full, six-month public season again this year, and with more access from Brooklyn than ever before,” said Clare Newman, the president and CEO of the Trust for Governors Island, in a press release obtained by Brooklyn Paper.
The island’s overseers moved the Kings County berth from swanky Brooklyn Heights to Red Hook’s Atlantic Basin last year, but decided to service both locations this season, which runs through Oct. 31 on weekends and a number of holiday Mondays.
Community Board 6 leaders sent a letter to Newman in January requesting the Trust continue servicing Red Hook year-round, arguing that it’s the closest city neighborhood to the island at only 500 yards apart. On top of that, the Red Hook stop would provide easier access to open space for the area’s NYCHA developments, which are home to more than 7,000 people.
Governors Island is officially part of distant Manhattan’s Community Board 1, and the vessels will also run daily from the Big Apple at the Battery Maritime Building, according to the Trust.
The nonprofit corporation hopes Brooklyn’s twin piers will provide greater access to the former military base that’s since been transformed into a 172-acre car-free and hilly meadow.
Visitors must reserve timed tickets in advance through the island’s online reservation system starting April 1, and a limited number of walk-up tickets will also be available for purchase in person.
A round trip costs $3 for adults, but it’s free for children under 13, seniors over 64, New York City Public Housing Residents IDNYC holders, Governors Island members, and current or former military service members.
Ferries before noon on Saturdays and Sundays are also free for all, and there’s no surcharge on bicycles or strollers
Governors Island ferry opens daily on May 1. The Island is open 10 am-6 pm on weekdays, 10 am-7 pm on weekends. Ferry tickets $3 roundtrip. Tickets available at www.govisland.com starting April 1.
