Little Ms. Bossy: Sundays in New York: Governors Island

For my first Sunday adventuring in New York, I spent a couple hours biking on Governors Island with a friend. I had never been before, and I found it to be completely lovely and relaxing. Governors Island is a tiny island just a 7-minute (free!) ferry ride from the Southern tip of Manhattan (or from Brooklyn, if you prefer). The island has served various purposes, most recently as an Army and Coast Guard base, but as of 2003 it's been open to the public and it's constantly being improved. It's open on summer weekends only, and it's the perfect place to go for a break from the hustle and heat of Manhattan.

You can rent bikes for reasonable prices on the island, but my date had an extra so we brought ours. There's a bike path that runs around the circumference of the island, with a conveniently placed iced coffee and lemonade truck right when you need it. Should you need more in the way of sustenance, there are several cute eateries and a place that sells ready-to-go picnics. There are playgrounds, and lots of public sculptures, and even some new art galleries. Best of all, there's a cool breeze that's in short supply in the city at the moment.

Highly recommended. I might be back before the summer's out.