Governors Island Family Weekends

Governors Island's car-free lawns and family programming are back for the season, free ferry, open green space, arts installations, and food vendors. Best escape from the city for families.

Governors Island opens its family weekend programming for the season, free ferry rides from Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, miles of car-free paths, and sprawling lawns that feel nothing like the rest of New York City. Family Weekends feature outdoor activities, arts installations, food vendors, and open green space that's genuinely hard to find anywhere else in the five boroughs. The island is closed to cars, which makes it an ideal escape for strollers and small kids. Ferry departs from the Battery Maritime Building (10 South Street, Manhattan) and from Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 6. Check go.com for the full 2026 programming schedule.