Governor's Island: The Little Pleasure Island Next to Manhattan

It's not only because its a quirky little green spot of land looking over its sprawling lawns and old buildings toward Manhattan. One free ferry ride over and you arrived at a Pleasure Island, full of people picnicking, riding bikes, eating ice cream, and far stranger things: like dressing up as flappers and dancing to 1920s tunes or even taking trapeze classes.

Last summer's art festival was more prevalent, but this year they still had the artist-designed minigolf course (love) and on the lawn next to it a group of playful installations that adults as much as children seemed to enjoy. I especially loved the bright graphic birds of Flock to Living.