In the middle of last week’s heat wave, Matt and I decided it would be a perfect time for a day trip to Governor’s Island. We’ve gone almost every summer and love it — plus, if you bring bikes, it’s a built-in pass to the front of the ferry line. (Never a bad thing.) Our plans were perfect, except for one teeny tiny problem: That New York City heat.
OK, so lessons learned:
1) Best to get out to Governor’s Island before noon, when it gets crazy packed. Also, best to make sure your bikes are in tip top shape before planning to bop out to the island. (After a quick trip to our local bike shop and a few spritzes of WD-40, we were fine, but oh-so-sweaty and late to the ferry as a result of the delay.)
2) BYOB sunscreen if your destination is Hammock Grove. A lovely spot — except for the fact that it gets full sun. Our plan was to relax there all afternoon and read, but after 20 minutes or so of lounging, we had to move on or risk frying like a lobster in the close-to-100-degree heat.
3) Always have an exit strategy. We had a lovely time eating lunch at the Food Trucks (which didn’t used to be an option on the island), checking out the current art installations and riding around, but when we decided we wanted to get off the island, we raced to catch the next boat. We made it — with about 30 seconds to spare — but it would have been smarter to plan ahead.
Have you ventured out to Governor’s Island this summer? What did you think?
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