Governors Island’s opening day is May 1

Rejoice, outdoorsy folk: Governors Island will open to the public on May 1, one month earlier than usual. The added month extends Governors Island’s season from 120 to 146 days, meaning 26 more chances to get woefully sunburnt and check out all the neat hills, history, kayaking, and art the former military HQ has to offer. The island will also dish up a new attraction this year: Island Oyster, a “picnic-style” eatery near Soissons Landing, per a press release.

Governors Island will welcome visitors every day from May 1 through October 1, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends, Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. Ferry service will run from Lower Manhattan to Governors Island every day of the week and from Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6 on weekends and holidays, excluding July 4. A two-way trip on the ferry costs $2 for adults, $1 for seniors, and is free for kids 12 and under. Bikes also ride free.

Governors Island is poised to see some big changes ahead. City Planning chair Carl Weisbrod is prepping to leave the agency to become the chair of the Trust for Governors Island where he’ll concentrate on fostering a year-round community on the island. That’ll include bringing in retail, technology, cultural, educational, and conference spaces and creatively reusing existing buildings for STEM learning space. The federal government sold 150 of the island’s 172 acres to the Trust for Governor’s Island in 2003, but kept 22 acres that include two early 19th-century forts.

• On Governors Island, the World’s Smartest Hills [Curbed]
• On Governors Island, a Historic Monument Is Prepped For Its Next Century [Curbed]
• A Sneak Peak at the Governors Island Hills [Curbed]
• All Governors Island coverage [Curbed]