The NYC Ferry is only $2.75 for a one way ticket, provides stunning panoramic views of the city, offers Chardonnay and Don Julio on tap (I kid you not), and gives you access to Domino Park, Brooklyn Bowl, Gantry Plaza State Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Governor’s Island, Pier 17, and the SeaGlass Carousel from Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. In case you haven’t read my posts on these fabulous places to play, eat, and spend an ideal summer day (or night), here is the condensed version of my posts with most of the pics, less of the text.
Governor’s Island (weekend service only via NYC Ferry East River route)
From Battery Maritime in Manhattan all week or from Pier 6 on the weekends
We have been taking Curious G to Governor’s Island every summer since she was five months old. It also made it to our 23 Things to Do This Summer. A family can easily spend a full day on the island. We just spent five hours there on a drizzly Sunday! This year, we brought C.G.'s scooter instead of her stroller, so that she could zip around the island.
We started out at Liggett Hall Archway, where we marveled at Jacob Hashimoto’s beautiful installation Never Comes Tomorrow . We then made a stop at the Hammock Grove playground a few steps away. After some climbing (and a smattering of rain drops) we made our way over to Nolan Park, where Children's Museum of the Arts hosts their Island Outpost free art projects on the weekends this summer. On the way there, we stopped into the St. Cornelius Chapel to view Jacob Hashimoto’s The Eclipse where 15,000 rice paper and bamboo kites hang from the chapel ceiling.
After constructing paper crowns and experimenting with other materials at the Island Outpost, we walked over to play:groundNYC's Yard, where kids can literally play in a junkyard. Parents are not allowed in the junkyard area for kids that are 6 and older; the play:groundNYC philosophy is to allow kids to explore freely without boundaries. Parents who are less inclined towards free-range parenting can supervise their kids within arms reach in the newly built playground section for kids 5 and under.
Our stomachs beckoned us to the food trucks lined up in Liggett Terrace, where we enjoyed empanadas, mozzarepas, hot dogs, fries and ice cream. One of these days, I would love to have a post-lunch drink or two at the Island Oyster. Instead, we ran through the maze and played mini golf before jumping back on the ferry. We could have stayed to ride a rented quad bike around the island's 7 miles of biking paths , visit the urban farm, enjoy slide hill, ice skate on an outdoor rink, and indulge in some hammock time.
DUMBO Terminal
Brooklyn Bridge Park has so much to offer. We could not boil it down to just one post! Each individual pier has enough to offer to warrant a full-day visit. This summer we visited a handful of times already. Highlights from our first visit of the summer can be found here. We love to spend a morning riding Jane’s Carousel, playing in the Main Street Playground, and having lunch at Cecconi’s. We also come back a few times during the summer to relax and stroll around the piers; and to visit the Water Lab and other playgrounds on Pier 6.
3 . Domino Park and Brooklyn Bowl
North Williamsburg Terminal
Domino Park is the newest destination on this list, and we visited shortly after it opened. Our first visit took place after a ride over on the L train, but we’ve since discovered that the ferry is another fun way to get there! Brooklyn Bowl is also only a 10 minute walk from the ferry terminal, and a 15 minute walk from Domino Park, so the two can be rolled together into a day of mega fun. On Sundays, they host Family Bowl from noon to 5 pm, which includes a kid-friendly concert where kids can strut their stuff on the dance floor along with the whole family.
Long Island City Terminal for the North Side of the Park by the Pepsi Cola sign
Hunter’s Point South Terminal for Southern side of the park by the LIC Landing
We discovered Gantry Plaza State Park last year and immediately fell in love with the unmatched views of the Manhattan skyline, the relaxing atmosphere, the space to roam, the two playgrounds, and just how fresh and new everything is. We returned earlier this summer and plan to keep returning until the temperatures drop in the wintertime.
5. SeaGlass Carousel and/or Pier 17
Wall Street / Pier 11 Terminal
Pier 17 opened this summer and we visited several times with friends to relax on the deck, enjoy the views, and check out the colorful Geronimo installation. It quickly became a hot spot for photo ops; and you can read all about our first visit; along with details on our SeaGlass Carousel ride here.
FYI, you can also take the NYC Ferry to Rockaway Beach. We have not done it, but friends have recommended a return trip during the sunset for a delightful scenic treat.