Start summer early this Memorial Day weekend on Governors Island!
May 23, 2019 2:46 pm
This weekend, get your first taste of summer in the harbor. Memorial Day weekend kicks off our peak season with longer hours, special programs and more ways to enjoy your favorite Island escape.
Stay out late on Governors Island when our late-night hours begin this Friday, May 24. Every Friday and Saturday night through August 31, we’re open until 10 PM. Come out to enjoy the sunset over The Hills, grab dinner in Liggett Terrace and enjoy a nightcap with stunning skyline views at Soissons Landing, or just take a scenic stroll in the cool evening air. See which vendors stay open for late hours on our Food page and keep an eye on our Things To Do page for exciting special events happening at night.
We’re making it even easier to get to the Island this weekend with additional Brooklyn ferry service. Saturday through Monday, ferries will run between our Yankee Pier and Brooklyn’s Pier 6 every half hour until the evening. NYC Ferry’s shuttle service between Pier 11/Wall St. and Yankee Pier also begins this Saturday, running weekends to get you to our shore from all over the city’s waterways.
Indulge yourself at special guest food trucks open all weekend on Colonels Row. Grab a classic cheesesteak at Gary’s Steaks, tuck into Wings Lovers’ chicken wings or chow down on Korean BBQ tacos at Kimchi Taco. Hungry Island-goers will be satisfied to hear that our vendors will be serving up their specialties on Monday, including Island Oyster and Taco Vista at Soissons Landing, all of the phenomenal offerings at Liggett Terrace and Three Peaks Lodge at Collective Retreats. Sea Biscuit, a new outpost of Little Eva’s on the western promenade south of Castle Williams, opens for the season this weekend to serve up frozen drinks and small plates in a scenic waterfront setting.
Governors Island is the perfect Memorial Day destination for families with kids. Besides Slide Hill and the Liggett Terrace play areas, play:ground NYC’s The Yard and Art Force 5 will both be open every day this weekend. Kids can also jump into a fun, free program imagining and building sustainable energy machines with Koko NYC on Sunday and Monday. The whole family can play together at Adventures at GI’s mini golf course, adventure maze, challenge wall and zipline.
If you’d rather take it easy (or just need a break from having so much fun), you can always relax in our gorgeous new parkland. Walk up into the Hills to take in a panoramic view of New York Harbor, bring a picnic and spread out on our rolling lawns, or kick back in an Adirondack chair or in a secluded spot in Hammock Grove.
Memorial Day is also the perfect time to visit Castle Williams, a former Army fortification that’s now part of Governors Island National Monument. You can show yourself around or join a National Park Service Ranger for guided tours at 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM and 3:30 PM every day.
Even though it isn’t quite summer yet, we think there are still plenty of reasons to celebrate the season. With so much to do on Governors Island this Memorial Day weekend, you might have to come back twice!
OPEN MONDAY 5/27 (Memorial Day):
Food and beverage vendors
Island Oyster (plus late nights Friday and Saturday)
Taco Vista (plus late nights Friday and Saturday)
Little Eva’s (plus late night on Saturday)
Joe Coffee
Makina Café (plus late night on Saturday)
Perros Y Vainas (plus late night on Saturday)
People’s Pops
Fauzia’s Heavenly Delights (plus late night on Saturday)
Melt Bakery (plus late nights Friday and Saturday)
Sea Biscuit (plus late night on Saturday)
Three Peaks Lodge at Collective Retreats (plus late nights Friday and Saturday)
Gary’s Steaks (special guest on Colonels Row)
Wings Lovers (special guest on Colonels Row)
Kimchi Taco (special guest on Colonels Row)
Free programs
Art Force 5
play:groundNYC’s The Yard
KoKo NYC
Recreation
Adventures at GI
Blazing Saddles Bike Rental
Governors Island National Monument
Castle Williams