New York, New Jersey & Pennsylvania - Eastern USA - page 108

to Cortland St) , which provides exhibits, first-person testimony and walking tours of the
site (adult/child $22/7, includes gallery admission, several tours from 11am to 3pm
Sunday to Friday, and to 4pm Saturday).

Governor's Island National Monument PARK
( www.govisland.com ; 10am-7pm Sat & Sun May 25-Sep 29) Most New Yorkers have
gazed out over this mysterious path of green in the harbor, less than half a mile from the
southern tip of Manhattan, without a clue as to its purpose. Although it was once re-
served only for the army or coast guard personnel who were based here, these days the
general public can visit. The 22-acre Governor's Island National Monument is accessible
by riding the ferry ( 10am, 11am, then every 30min) leaving from the Battery Marine Ter-
minal next to the Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal in lower Manhattan. Guided
walking tours , 90 minutes long, are run by the park service; tickets are available first-
come, first-served an hour in advance at the Battery Marine Terminal. Highlights include
two 19th-century fortifications - Fort Jay and the three-tiered, sandstone Castle Williams
- plus open lawns, massive shade trees and unsurpassed city views.

South Street Seaport NEIGHBORHOOD
MAP GOOGLE MAP
( 212-732-7678; www.southstreetseaport.com ; 10am-9pm Mon-Sat, 11am-8pm Sun; 2/3,
4/5, J/M/Z to Fulton St) This 11-block enclave of shops, piers and sights combines the best
and worst in historic preservation. It's not on the radar for most New Yorkers, but tourists
are drawn to the sea air, the nautical feel, the frequent street performers and the mobbed
restaurants. Pier 17, a fairly mundane waterfront mall that was home to several floors of
shops and restaurants, was slated to be demolished in October 2013 and replaced with a
more contemporary light-filled shopping and entertainment complex. Preliminary plans
call for the reopening some time in 2015.
The pedestrian malls, historic tall ships and riverside locale of this neighborhood cre-
ate a lovely backdrop if you happen to be standing in line for discounted Broadway tick-
ets at the downtown TKTS Booth.

Bowling Green Park PARK
MAP GOOGLE MAP
(cnr State & Whitehall Sts; 4/5 to Bowling Green) At Bowling Green Park, British residents
relaxed with quiet games in the late 17th century. The large bronze bull MAP
GOOGLE MAP here is a tourist photo stop. The National Museum of the American In-
dian MAP GOOGLE MAP ( www.nmai.si.edu ; 1 Bowling Green;

10am-5pm Fri-Wed, to 8pm