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Governors Island will get a new camping experience this season

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Collective Retreats will bring “overnight lodging” to the island

Timothy Schenck/The Trust for Governors Island

If you’ve ever wanted to go camping on Governors Island, then you’re in luck: The Trust for Governors Island, the nonprofit that operates the national park, announced today that it’s partnering with glamping company Collective Retreats to bring an “environmentally-friendly overnight lodging retreat” to the island.

The camping experience—a press release is careful to not use the word glamping—kicks off on May 1, when the island opens for the 2018 season, and will go through October 31. Known as Collective Governors Island, the campground will have individual sleeping areas for up to 100 people; rates will begin at $125/night on weekends, and $75/night during the week. (For a peek at what a typical Collective Retreats experience is like, check out this video of its Hudson Valley campsite.)

The new camping site is part of a broader initiative to open up the island to new vendors and experiences. Last fall, the Trust released two requests for proposals (RFPs): one for food and beverage operators, and another for recreational activities on the island’s “Western Development Zone,” which faces the Statue of Liberty and is earmarked for potential future developments.

The Collective Retreats experience will be located on a six-acre parcel on that site, and the company will also refurbish public spaces and bring food options to the area. It’ll join Adventures on Governors Island, which debuted last year and brought ziplining, a rock climbing wall, and other activities to the island. This year, the zipline will be longer, and there’ll also be a mini-golf course.

This week, the Trust also announced that it’s seeking more food vendors—specifically, food trucks—for the coming season, and will welcome back some of the new vendors (like Island Oyster and Governors Beer Co.) that debuted last year. It’s only 82 days until May 1—get excited.

Governors Island

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