Two dollars for the best view in the world

This is not advice, not a recommendation or feedback is, as the Americans say what you MUST or just have to do: if you’re in new York, drop everything and swim to Governor’s islandwhile it’s still closed. And close it for the winter very soon.

Governor’s island (Governors island) is a small island less than a kilometer from the southern tip of Manhattan. Island with a very rich history. The first settlers landed here in 1624, they were from Holland. Then the island passed from hand to hand is a long and very interesting story, all of it can be heard during a special hour and a half tour of the island. But in short, its the name of this piece of land he received in 1784, when it was ceded to the British.

Here still stands the home of the British colonial Governor. Besides him, there are an incredible number of the most interesting and ancient buildings. For example, castle Williams — a completely circular building with very thick walls, which was erected on a rocky shoal in the northwestern part of the island in 1811 to protect the island from attacks from the open to all the winds of the Bay. This is one of the best examples of American defensive architecture. To tell the truth, neither this structure nor another Fort Jay with the coastal batteries to defend themselves from attacking the island didn’t help… However, later they were used as prisons for Confederate prisoners of war. Now it’s a Museum, where he has conducted study tours.

There are in the island’s history and more modern events, for example, on this piece of land, closed for outsiders and therefore completely safe, met Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. On the island there is a building in which this meeting occurred, it is marked by a plaque.

For the General public, the island was closed until 2014. In 2012, the city authorities have invested in its reconstruction of 300 million dollars, and gradually began to open to citizens and tourists. Judging by the fact that during the season there is the time to join the hundreds of thousands of people with investments they made the right decision.
A lot of information about the island can be found on the website govisland.com — there is a view of it from the drone, and interesting events in the calendar of events, information about the performances and many more.

How to get

Governors Island opens to the public at Memorial Day. To this very day, the island can be reached by ferry, which is called Governors Island Ferry. Every half hour he walks away from the building Battery Maritime Building located at 10 South Street. The nearest subway station is there to train 1. A little further, just three minutes ‘ walk of R and W. the Cost of adult ticket is $ 2. Children weekend free. A weekday ticket for child from 12 worth a dollar.

You can swim here from Brooklyn. A depart from pier No. 6 (Pier6). However, it is best to check the schedule and place of departure on the website — ferries are already too many ferry.nyc

The last weekend ferry leaves from the island at seven on weekdays at six — don’t forget!

Transport

Cars are forbidden on the island. At the present time the question of building a bridge from the city, however, then it is unlikely they will appear here. Them to go, then there no place — wide sidewalks filled strollers. Among them with difficulty pushed the tiny machines, which chase the Park staff. In the Arsenal, of course, there are ambulance and other means of transportation, but they are for emergencies.

Visitors can rent a Bicycle. This can be a normal bike for one, it could be a machine with pedals, where you can sit a bunch of kids and adults. By the way, these “machines” antique. Every day from ten in the morning until noon bikes for one hour for free. By the way hours to explore the entire island, is not enough. Even if you move around on wheels, will take at least a half hour.
You can come here and with his “iron horse.”

What to do
© Marina Sokolovskaya

This tiny island will not let you get bored. Here you can even need to go with the kids. Only here you can ride on a zipline with views of the Statue of Liberty. Only then you can attend at a full reconstruction of the events under the open sky. A full immersion in the topic — guaranteed. If it is about some war, then the audience will be presented not only weapons, but also household items, cars, clothes of the time. And all that is exposed, not closed in glass boxes that you can touch, something you can wear… the Staff of the island — and those who accompany such exhibitions under the open sky, and those who work in old buildings caretakers, always dressed in period costumes and filled with knowledge about the time and the desire to share them with the public.

Children can enjoy themselves in the maze, climb on the artificial rock, there are great playgrounds, and local slides will interest not only children but also adults. Mini Golf, table tennis… — the number of adult entertainment is growing day by day. Every year many creative agencies together with the city hall here conduct a variety of activities ranging from exhibitions and ending with concerts and street markets.

If you come alone, you live on the shore, near the ferry dock, maybe have a glass of beer at a local bar. The view from there is amazing open all the skyscrapers of Manhattan at a glance.

A little further inland, you can buy simple food, like sausage rolls.

Perhaps soon there will be new restaurants. But while it is best to come here with your food and picnic.

Where to be photographed

The first photo you will begin to do more on the ferry. Best of all, of course, float on the top deck.

What to photograph on the island — supporting is not particularly necessary, except, perhaps, one — you just have to take pictures on an artificial hill, which can be found at the sign Hills.

The hill you can climb huge boulders, or walk on the paved path. The view from the hill is indescribable — you’re standing in the middle of the Bay, where the ferries, sailing yachts, large cruise liner — totally silently cut through the water surface around the island. No, no, you will hear a beep the local ferry, which means that it leaves or approaches. The sky over the island is full of a variety of helicopters and planes and military equipment here, and tourist flights, and private planes… With one hand in front of you will rise the skyscrapers of the city, on the other the Statue of Liberty.

At the beginning of the 20th century the area of the island increased three times where barges took out the rock from construction of the urban subway in new York. This is what brought today’s landscape designers on the idea of artificial hills that now can be called the heritage of this place.

Renovation work still underway. According to the plan, the entire Northern part of the island will remain untouched — the historical appearance here will be saved completely, in the East and the West it is planned to build or expensive housing or a shopping center — taxes on this property needs to return already invested in the reconstruction, and will go to servicing the Islands. The proposals on sales and purchases of real estate here can already be found on the website of the mayor of new York. The center continues to be a huge Museum Park with the very same artificial hills, fields, forests… In the Northern part of the island already has a beach.

In General, do not waste your time — until the closure of the left some two weeks.
And walking in the Park, there, he looked at his feet — on the island an incredible number of very beautiful butterflies, and therefore full of caterpillars. A lot of them on the tracks for a walk. Be careful not to crush.

Source

USA Today

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Two dollars for the best view in the world