Getting to Governors Island From the Financial District: A Full Day, Door to Door
By 17John ·
Quick answer
To get to Governors Island from the Financial District, walk to the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street, next door to the Staten Island Ferry terminal. From John Street that's about a 15-minute walk south, or two stops on the 4 or 5 from Fulton Street to Bowling Green and five minutes on foot. The crossing takes under ten minutes and lands you at Soissons Landing. The island is car-free, so plan on walking or renting a bike: Fort Jay and Castle Williams sit at the top of the hill, the food vendors and lawns are in the middle, and the harbor views of the Statue of Liberty are at the south end. Check govisland.org for the day's ferry schedule and fares before you leave, because both change with the season.
Governors Island is the easiest big day out you can have from the Financial District, and most visitors never think of it. It's 172 acres of car-free harbor, ten minutes offshore, with old brick officers' houses, two forts, a set of man-made hills you can climb for a straight-on view of the Statue of Liberty, and lawns where people sit for hours doing very little.
The Manhattan ferry leaves from the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street, the green cast-iron building right next to the Staten Island Ferry terminal. From John Street it's about a 15-minute walk south, mostly straight down Water Street or along the East River. If you'd rather ride, take the 4 or 5 from Fulton Street two stops to Bowling Green and walk five minutes east.
One thing to sort out before you go: ferry times and fares shift with the season, and busy summer weekends sell out in advance. Check govisland.org the night before and buy tickets there rather than turning up and hoping. Everything below assumes you're on a mid-morning boat and back for dinner.
One day on the island, out and back from John Street
9:30am
Walk down to the Battery Maritime Building, 10 South Street
